Nate Silver Went Against the Grain for Some at The Times  —  Why did Nate Silver decide to leave The New York Times and accept an offer from ESPN?  —  That's the cause of great speculation in media circles at the moment.  As has been noted elsewhere, there's no question that The Times …

George Zimmerman Emerged From Hiding for Truck Crash Rescue  —  George Zimmerman, who has been in hiding since he was acquitted of murder in the death of Trayvon Martin, emerged to help rescue someone who was trapped in an overturned truck, police said today.

Michelle Nunn declares herself a U.S. Senate candidate  —  Shortly after 1 p.m. Monday, Michelle Nunn declared herself a Democratic candidate in the 2014 race for U.S. Senate, the very seat once held by her father.  —  The formal announce will come Tuesday, when she files the official paperwork.

Midlands Voices: Stop Obamacare in its tracks  —  The author has served as chief of staff for the U.S. Justice Department's Office of Legal Policy and as assistant U.S. secretary of Health and Human Services under President George W. Bush.  Currently president of Midland University, he has been exploring a U.S. Senate candidacy.

Obama rallies supporters for August push  —  With his ambitious second term agenda stalled, President Barack Obama sought to rally his most faithful activists Monday, calling on them to push back in the face of congressional paralysis.  —  “I'm going to need your help,” …

Sacha Baron Cohen Exits Freddie Mercury Biopic Over Creative Differences With Queen  —  BREAKING... EXCLUSIVE... Sacha Baron Cohen is just not seeing eye to eye with the remaining members of Queen who have script and director approval over that biopic on iconic lead singer Freddie Mercury.

Getting Detroit Back on Its Feet  —  After suffering through decades of economic decline and official mismanagement, the city of Detroit sought bankruptcy protection last week, becoming the largest American municipality to take that extreme step.  The city's debts total a staggering $18 billion …

Pentagon Lays Out Options for U.S. Military Effort in Syria  —  WASHINGTON — The Pentagon has provided Congress with its first detailed list of military options to stem the bloody civil war in Syria, suggesting that a campaign to tilt the balance from President Bashar al-Assad to the opposition …

CNN Contributor: Kate Middleton ‘Brilliant’ Because Duchess Delivered Boy In First Try  —  After Monday's much-anticipated arrival of an heir to the British throne, CNN's Royal Contributor opined that Prince William's wife, Kate Middleton, made for a “brilliant” royal because she was able to deliver a boy on the “first time.”

Harry Reid: Mitch McConnell ‘tried to make love to the tea party’  —  Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is enjoying the possibility of a tea party backed challenger to Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.  —  “He tried to make love to the tea party and they didn't like it,” …

Olympia Snowe: Liz Cheney challenge to Mike Enzi ‘unfortunate’  —  Liz Cheney has not made a case for her challenge to Mike Enzi in a Wyoming Republican primary next year, former Sen. Olympia Snowe told POLITICO.  —  The Maine Republican senator said the decision by Cheney …

Dubai ruler pardons Norwegian woman convicted after she reported rape  —  Dubai (CNN) — A Norwegian woman who was sentenced to prison in Dubai after reporting that she was raped has been given a pardon and will be heading home soon, she said Monday.  —  Speaking to reporters in Dubai …

Zimmerman verdict poll: Stark reaction by race  —  The not-guilty verdict in the trial of George Zimmerman has produced dramatically different reactions among blacks and whites, with African Americans overwhelmingly disapproving of the jury's decision and a bare majority of whites saying …

Spitzer tells voters ‘I failed big time’ in new ad  —  Former Gov. Eliot Spitzer (D) unveiled his first television ad in his race for New York City comptroller on Tuesday, discussing the prostitution scandal which derailed his political career and telling voters he “failed big time.”

The Obama appointee implicated in congressional testimony in the IRS targeting scandal met with President Obama in the White House two days before offering his colleagues a new set of advice on how to scrutinize tea party and conservative groups applying for tax-exempt status.

Super PACs, other independent political groups already setting pace for 2016 presidential race  —  The Democrats have established their 2016 war room in a glassy new building in downtown Washington.  The Republicans are setting up shop across the Potomac River in the Northern Virginia suburbs.

Report: Jay Z, Kanye West, Rolling Stones join Stevie Wonder's Florida boycott  —  Some of the music industry's biggest acts are joining Stevie Wonder in boycotting Florida over the state's controversial “Stand Your Ground” law.  —  Artists joining Wonder include Rod Stewart, Madonna …

Ohio Officials Ordered To Recognize Gay Couple's Marriage  —  Married on July 11 in Maryland, John Arthur is in hospice care and “certain to die soon.”  He and his husband have sued to ensure their marriage is recognized by Ohio officials at Arthur's death.  —  Via: Photo courtesy of Jim Obergefell

In Climbing Income Ladder, Location Matters  —  The odds of rising to another income level are notably low in certain cities, like Atlanta and Charlotte, and much higher in New York and Boston.