Must Reads : The Two-Way Some stories are just too weird, too funny or too sad to ignore. They may not be "serious news," but are so fascinating you must read them. NPR correspondents are on the watch for such tales. We pass along the best, from NPR and other news outlets.

The Two-Way

Must Reads

Tuesday July 31, 2012

Must Reads

From Our Readers: Lunchbox Lessons From Mom And Dad

July 31, 2012 • Readers share the subtle ways in which their parents introduced academic skills at home, and how they're carrying on that tradition.

Brother's Last Wish To Leave $500 Tip Turns Into Nearly $50,000 Charity

Aaron Collins, who wanted to leave a big tip. Facebook.com/AaronsLastWish hide caption

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Facebook.com/AaronsLastWish

America

Brother's Last Wish To Leave $500 Tip Turns Into Nearly $50,000 Charity

July 31, 2012 • Aaron Collins died on July 7. He had asked his family to leave some waiter or waitress a $500 tip. When they asked for help in making his wish come true, donations poured in. Now, they expect to be making Aaron's wish come true about once a week for the next two years.

Did You Do 'Bedtime Math' Or Something Like It?

A bedtime story is a longtime tradition. What about a math, science or history quiz, though? George Marks/Getty Images hide caption

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George Marks/Getty Images

Must Reads

Did You Do 'Bedtime Math' Or Something Like It?

July 31, 2012 • A New Jersey mom started giving her children fun math problems to do before sleep. Now, she's got 5,000 subscribers to her blog who use the problems to teach their children. Did your parents do anything like that? Or do you with your children?

Ashley Milne-Tyte reporting for 'Morning Edition'

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Friday July 27, 2012

Amazon's Bezos Enters Gay Marriage Debate With $2.5M Worth Of Support

Mackenzie Bezos and Jeff Bezos. Larry Busacca/Getty Images hide caption

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Larry Busacca/Getty Images

America

Amazon's Bezos Enters Gay Marriage Debate With $2.5M Worth Of Support

July 27, 2012 • Fast food's Chick-fil-A has been at the center of the culture wars in recent days because of company President Dan Cathy's outspoken opposition to gay marriage. Now online retailer Amazon may be in other culture warriors' sights.

Stories Of The Colorado Victims: Young Artist Was 'Ball Of Joy'

Alexander "AJ" Boik in an undated photo provided by his family. AFP/Getty Images hide caption

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AFP/Getty Images

Must Reads

Stories Of The Colorado Victims: Young Artist Was 'Ball Of Joy'

July 27, 2012 • "AJ" Boik will be remembered at a funeral today. Friends and family say the aspiring artist was never sad and always willing to help. Yousef Garbi, who survived, was shot in the head after first pushing a friend to safety.

Stories Of The Colorado Victims: Young Artist Was 'Ball Of Joy'

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Thursday July 26, 2012

After Uproar, USDA Walks Back 'Meatless Monday' Support

Steak. Larry Crowe/AP hide caption

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Larry Crowe/AP

America

After Uproar, USDA Walks Back 'Meatless Monday' Support

July 26, 2012 • An internal newsletter got the agency in trouble with the meat industry and Republican lawmakers.

Wednesday July 25, 2012

America

'Heat Dome' Linked To Greenland's Biggest Melt In 30 Years

July 25, 2012 • Satellite images show that from July 8 to July 12, nearly all of the ice sheet covering Greenland had experienced some melting. According to NASA, it's the biggest summer melt in more than 30 years.

Tuesday July 24, 2012

Sherman Hemsley, Actor Best Known As George Jefferson, Dies

Sherman Hemsley, known for his role as Mr. Jefferson in "The Jeffersons," died July 24, 2012 at his home in El Paso, Texas. He was 74. Frank Micelotta/Getty Images hide caption

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Frank Micelotta/Getty Images

Must Reads

Sherman Hemsley, Actor Best Known As George Jefferson, Dies

July 24, 2012 • For 11 seasons, Hemsley played an endearingly brazen dry cleaning mogul. He died in El Paso, Texas, at age 74.

Today's Distraction: A Moment Of Cute With Cheetah Cubs

The cheetah cubs at two days old. National Zoo hide caption

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National Zoo

America

Today's Distraction: A Moment Of Cute With Cheetah Cubs

July 24, 2012 • The two cubs made their public debut Tuesday at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C.

Feel-Good Photo: Gabrielle Giffords Atop A Mountain In France

Former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (center) and her husband Mark Kelly (right), at the peak of Aiguille du Midi in the French Alps on Monday. Behind them is mountain guide Vincent Lameyre. Denis Balibouse/Reuters /Landov hide caption

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Denis Balibouse/Reuters /Landov

Must Reads

Feel-Good Photo: Gabrielle Giffords Atop A Mountain In France

July 24, 2012 • The former congresswoman, who was critically wounded by a gunman in January 2011, looks thrilled to be high up in the Alps.

Pennsylvania Monsignor Sentenced To 3 To 6 Years In Prison

Monsignor William Lynn exits the Criminal Justice Center on Tuesday in Philadelphia. Matt Rourke/AP hide caption

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Matt Rourke/AP

America

Pennsylvania Monsignor Sentenced To 3 To 6 Years In Prison

July 24, 2012 • During sentencing the judge said William Lynn had enabled "monsters in clerical garb" to abuse children.

Nothing To Report Yet, 'Disappointed' Amelia Earhart Searchers Say

Google honors Amelia Earhart today, on her 115th birthday. Google.com hide caption

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Google.com

International

Nothing To Report Yet, 'Disappointed' Amelia Earhart Searchers Say

July 24, 2012 • The latest expedition to look for clues to the aviator's 1937 disappearance didn't discover any obvious debris. But now they'll analyze images taken in the ocean off a tiny island in the mid-Pacific.

Monday July 23, 2012

Sally Ride, First American Woman In Space, Is Dead

In this June 1983 photo provided by NASA, astronaut Sally Ride, a specialist on shuttle mission STS-7, monitors control panels from the pilot's chair on the shuttle Columbia flight deck. NASA/Via AP hide caption

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NASA/Via AP

America

Sally Ride, First American Woman In Space, Is Dead

July 23, 2012 • Ride was a Ph.D. candidate at Stanford when she answered an ad to become a NASA astronaut. She became the first American woman in space when she blasted off in the space shuttle Challenger in 1983.

Sally Ride, First American Woman In Space, Is Dead

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Thursday July 19, 2012

The Milky Way above the La Silla Observatory in Chile. Zdenek Bardon/European Southern Observatory via AP hide caption

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Zdenek Bardon/European Southern Observatory via AP

Must Reads

From Our Readers: An Inedible Galaxy

July 19, 2012 • One reader predicts BX442 won't be on candy stands.

Report: Federal Spending On Kids Declines For First Time In 30 Years

Students return for their first day of classes at Barwell Road Elementary School in Raleigh, N.C., on July 9. Gerry Broome/AP hide caption

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Gerry Broome/AP

America

Report: Federal Spending On Kids Declines For First Time In 30 Years

July 19, 2012 • The area taking the biggest hit is education, which already saw $5 billion funding drop from 2010 to 2011.