US peace envoy back in Belfast, faces hard sell - Houston Chronicle

He strikes me as an odd choice for this role.

Lab in Richmond Animates Comprehensive 1932 U.S. Atlas - NYTimes.com

I look forward to looking at this!

Bypassing Fear and Embracing Networking - NYTimes.com

Worth noting.

How Y’all, Youse and You Guys Talk - Interactive Graphic - NYTimes.com

Amazing - this put me within 30 miles of my home town!

Legacy of a Crash, Unfinished Houses Haunt Ireland - NYTimes.com

Sadly, County Cavan where my grandfather was born, is at the heart of this.

Inside the Power of the N.R.A. - NYTimes.com

Such a heinous organization.

Tackling a Racial Gap in Breast Cancer Survival - NYTimes.com

How to SOLVE this problem in NC? What stands in our way?

Bloomberg Focuses on Rest (as in Rest of the World) - NYTimes.com

This ought to be really interesting.

Protests Aim at One Man Who Moved North Carolina to the Right - NYTimes.com

This is much more complicated than on first appearance, it seems to me.

Tobacco Firms’ Tactics Limit Poorer Nations’ Smoking Laws - NYTimes.com

To the shame of North Carolina.

BEFORE THEY PASS AWAY

BBC story on this today - 10,000 USD book caught my attention plus photographer's comments that the more primitive the place he visited, the better he was treated.

NC Groups Sue State Over ‘Unconstitutional’ Private School Vouchers | WUNC

Anything that in any way detracts from public schools - using state support in any fashion - is a bad idea.

Gun Country - The New York Times

Mark me as "revile".

Daily chart: United States of Amoeba | The Economist

A very powerful graphic

The Case for Filth - NYTimes.com

I suspect that this will start a conversation or two!

For Some Folks, Life Is a Hill - NYTimes.com

I especially like this one.

The Quest to Belong - NYTimes.com

He is so convincing and so right.

Senator HAGAN

I listened to her speak today in Raleigh. Among other things, she said her four favorite words are "Made in North Carolina". Well, that may be, but I have a lot of problems with that at least as the idea is presented today. What a hodgepodge of stuff we produce! Look around any store selling anything and point out the NC products. Try it; it's depressing. Are we really proud of all this? I think we are the second biggest growers of turkeys, but I've never noticed an NC label on any bird for sale. Why? But what really got me upset was her saying that in negotiations on a Pacific Rim trade zone, she is fighting to be sure that North Carolina tobacco farmers are not injured by any agreement. How can we possibly square helping the rest of the world when we are sending them a product "Made in North Carolina" that makes people addicts and stands a pretty good chance of killing them?

Fighting Hearing Loss From the Crowd's Roar - NYTimes.com

There is no excuse for allowing this to happen.

The Art Of Letter-Writing Isn't Lost On These Scribblers : NPR

Wonderful. Keep it up!

The Internet: A Welcome Distraction - NYTimes.com

Worth considering.

150th anniversary of Gettysburg Address « The Progressive Pulse

It remains an amazing testament to the power of words, well-chosen.

Hotels, a Place to Lay Your Head, or Bury It in a Book - NYTimes.com

I'd sure consider staying at one of these places!

The Inequality of Climate Change - NYTimes.com

Another reason why the critics very much speak for themselves.

Unlearning Gun Violence - NYTimes.com

We have too many guns, period.

The Extra Legroom Society - NYTimes.com

We all ought to look at this more closely.

The Extra Legroom Society - NYTimes.com

We all ought to look at this more closely.

NC Congress Members Lobby USDA To Not Sequester Tobacco Buyout Money | WUNC

There is no moral basis for supporting the growing of tobacco. Period.

Share And Share Alike: A Time Of Collaborative Consumption : All Tech Considered : NPR

This has its limits, I think, at least for me.

Where the Money Goes: By County

What would this amount have been if all of the money spent on lottery tickets had been distributed?

In Massachusetts, Health Care Prices Remain Hard To Get : Shots - Health News : NPR

I think making us better consumers or medical care, and health insurance, is nowhere near as important as I think it should be.

Era Fades for Helping Hand at the Washroom Sink - NYTimes.com

It is interesting to think of so many services and civilities that have gone into history for better or worse.

This powerful program is available to all deploying military units and at select USO locations. | United Through Reading

Look like a good program.

Ipas | Ipas President and CEO Elizabeth Maguire honored with the Carl S. Shultz Lifetime Achievement Award

Extremely nice!

Whose Feet Are Those? Negotiating Air-Travel Etiquette - NYTimes.com

Worth a lot of attention!

When Judges Don’t Know Everything - NYTimes.com

Such an important subject!

Culture Cavan

Protests Halt Kelly’s Speech at Brown University - NYTimes.com

I share the embarrassment of the Brown President. Protest is a good thing, but it crosses the line when it prevents voices from being heard. Only when we hear from all sides can we ever hope to get close to the truth on any and every matter.

Whose Feet Are Those? Negotiating Air-Travel Etiquette - NYTimes.com

Wow, I can smell them now!

What to expect from Jim Kim's 'global practices' plan - Exclusive: World Bank reform | Devex

I hope it works!

Off Ireland, a Rugged Journey to Remote Ruins - NYTimes.com

I'd love to visit!

Sharpton threatens store boycott over racial profile suit - CBS News

Racism sits just beneath the skin of far too many people.

Gunman surrenders in North Carolina drugstore standoff after releasing hostages | Fox News

Let's get rid of all these guns.

8 States Team Up to Increase Electric Car Sales - NYTimes.com

Too bad NC is not part of this.

California boy with replica gun fatally shot by deputies: report | Reuters

My God, we have to end this gun culture.

The Factions in the House of Representatives - Interactive Map - NYTimes.com

I am going to make a conscious effort to avoid visiting or purchasing anything that comes from either of the two NC districts where the US Representative voted against ending the shutdown in the final tally.

Police: NBA legend Bill Russell arrested with gun at airport - CNN.com

He is going to have to work very hard to make up the damage he has caused. What a very bad example to set for those many people who admire him.

Some Irish Need Not Apply - NYTimes.com

A cause for considerable reflection.

Viewing U.S. in Fear and Dismay - NYTimes.com

So discouraging but so many don't care.

Behind Flurry of Killing, Potency of Hate - NYTimes.com

The Irish story is such a complicated one, yet so simple.

The Company You Keep (film) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I was struck by how this film showed some very distinguishing characteristics of newspapers and dogged reporting. If you see or have seen this film, imagine the reporter in the story cast as a part time blogger. It is hard to imagine it happening.

Night Train to Lisbon - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Great story, all driven by a book.

Dans le futur | HSBC

Great promotion.

Experience as It Once Was - NYTimes.com

Roger COHEN, once again, hits a point right on its head.

Four Square Blocks: Philadelphia - Interactive Feature - NYTimes.com

Newspapers should do these kinds of stories everywhere.

WASHINGTON: U.S. tobacco growers fear loss of cigarette sales in Europe | Economy | NewsObserver.com

Makes me proud to be a European citizen!

That’s Not Amore - NYTimes.com

It looks, he looks even more ridiculous from France.

Guns Allowed at Bars and on Campuses - Chapelboro.com

How to explain to someone overseas that NC is a civilized place and not a playground for macho minds?

Children and Guns - The Hidden Toll - NYTimes.com

If you feel you have to "shoot" at something, for heaven's sake, so buy a set of golf clubs or a baseball bat!

Microeconomics: A City in Miniature - Slide Show - NYTimes.com

Really nice!

Mumbai is world`s second most honest city

What an interesting experiment. It would be nice for someone else to do the same thing and see if they get similar results.

Honoring Navy Yard Victims, Obama Asks - ‘Do We Care Enough’ to Change? - NYTimes.com

I think we start street-by-street in America. I want to know - I demand to know - who has a gun on the street where we live, and I want to discuss with that neighbor why. If we all do this, calmly and compassionately, perhaps we can convince the ignorant and the forlorn that the right thing to do is to get rid of those weapons, safely and securely.

Obama urges people to push stalled gun legislation

The lack of action brings great shame to the US and to all US citizens. If that shame is not felt, I can only assume that it is borne of ignorance.

Révélations sur l'explosion de justesse d'une bombe H en 1961 aux Etats-Unis

That's unsettling.

Misgivings About How a Weed Killer Affects the Soil - NYTimes.com

Super important!

Misgivings About How a Weed Killer Affects the Soil - NYTimes.com

Super important!

Back to 'Made in America' - Video - The New York Times

Worth a review.'

What a Messy Desk Says About You - NYTimes.com

Does this shoe fit?

Vanderbilt Cup Races - Blog - “Over the Seven Seas”: A Film Starring William K. Vanderbilt II

Vanderbilt Cup Races - Blog - One of Yachting’s Dozen: William K. Vanderbilt Jr.‘s Alva

Gold Coast Mansions - Historic Long Island - Events Calendar

My late father was a part of the "downstairs" on the long journey.

Infografis Senjata Andalan Baru Koran Hadapi Persaingan | Jambiekspresnews.com

The quotes here attributed to me bear no relationship that I can recall with what I said at the meeting.

With the World Watching, Syria Amassed Nerve Gas - NYTimes.com

Why have not the media of the Mediterranean already reported this?

With the World Watching, Syria Amassed Nerve Gas - NYTimes.com

What good newspaper reporting is supposed to be.

Remote-Controlled Model Helicopter Fatally Strikes Its Operator - NYTimes.com

This certainly ought to give us some pause about these "toys".

Seamus Heaney, Irish Poet of Soil and Strife, Dies at 74 - NYTimes.com

A sad milestone.

Obama Willing to Pursue Solo Syria Strikes, Aides Say - NYTimes.com

Frankly, he's been drinking out of too many old George BUSH mugs at the White House. Get him a clean glass, please!

White House announces new gun restrictions - CBS News

Keep going, Mr. President. We have far, far too many guns in America.

The Benefits of Cash Without Conditions - NYTimes.com

I hope many people will read this.

InciWeb the Incident Information System: Rim Fire

Looks like an important reference now and in the future.

Making Choice to Halt at Door of Citizenship - NYTimes.com

Identity is so complex.

Americans See Racial Equality as a Work in Progress, Pew Poll Finds - NYTimes.com

We all need to work so much harder.

Welcome to the Age of Denial - NYTimes.com

This is a huge problem that demands a much bigger response.

Guns, Guns and More Guns - NYTimes.com

This brings such shame to NC.

Seized Guns Offer Look at Pipeline From South - NYTimes.com

I am apoplectic over this news and the excitement of our Governor to see a new gun factory open near Greensboro.

What's Lost When Everything Is Recorded - NYTimes.com

A question worth pondering.

RALEIGH: NSA establishes $60 million data analytics lab at NC State | Education | NewsObserver.com

NC is really stepping out - a new gun factory in Greensboro and this big spy initiative in Raleigh. Ugh.

North Carolinians Fear the End of a Middle Way - NYTimes.com

I'd like to see a much more detailed analysis of what has changed, is changing, and will change here. So far, the changes have not had many discernible effects, and that may simply be a question of delayed impact. In any case, I think we all need to understand this from our heads and not our knees.

A surprising map of the countries that are most and least welcoming to foreigners

I am not sure I accept these findings and need to learn more.

Born Again in a Second Language - NYTimes.com

I want to think more about how switching back and forth between English and French affects me. It is surely positive, but I want to try to articulate in what ways.

New York Times Rebrands International Herald Tribune | Global News - Advertising Age

Like so many, I hold the IHT very close to my sentimental newspaper heart!

Yes We Could. So Why Don't We?

Standing Our Ground - NYTimes.com

Should We Write What We Know? - NYTimes.com

Obama Words Complicating Military Trials - NYTimes.com

How to Win in Washington - NYTimes.com

WASHINGTON: Only lawyers now can argue before Supreme Court - Politics Wires - MiamiHerald.com

Celebrating the Evolution, and Craft, of Boat Building - NYTimes.com

Long Island Traditions

The Corporate States of America: A Map That Shows Each State's Most Famous Brand | Adweek

For Ireland, a Setback on the Road to Recovery - NYTimes.com

Let Shooting Victims Sue - NYTimes.com

Make Gun Companies Pay Blood Money - NYTimes.com

Getting it wrong

My wife and I have had three experiences in recent days where reporters covering stories have simply gotten far too much wrong in what they wrote. It's a cause for journalistic concern.
One was an article in the Triangle Business Journal that identified my wife's organization as based in Durham when it is located, and always has been, in Chapel Hill.
A second, also concerning that organization, was in the Chapel Hill News. This time, very important issues of geography and statistics simply were wrong in the story.
Finally, a story in the Herald-Sun referring to the Obey Creek property in Chapel Hill made factual errors of considerable importance.
None of these three had been corrected at last check.

Like Father, Like Son: Creating Art In A Time Of Troubles : The Picture Show : NPR

Suspected commander of Nazi SS-led unit found living in Minnesota | World news | guardian.co.uk

A New Web Site Offers Designs From Around the World - NYTimes.com

The Worst of Both Worlds - NYTimes.com

Bloomberg Urges No Gifts to Democrats Who Blocked Gun Bill - NYTimes.com

Bravo!

Poll Finds Disapproval of Record Collection, but Little Personal Concern - NYTimes.com

"Suspects" and "people living in foreign countries", eh? They don't count as much as non-suspects and people living in the US?

 "However, three-quarters said they approved of the government’s tracking phone records of Americans suspected of terrorist activity. Nearly the same number approved of the United States’ monitoring the Internet activities of people living in foreign countries."

Measure to Curb Sexual Assault in Military to Be Cut From Bill - NYTimes.com

It's time for Sen. LEVIN to be cut free from the Senate; I hope Michigan voters will oblige. This is a very bad decision he has made, and it undermines my previous support for him.

Amazon.com: Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other (9780465031467): Sherry Turkle: Books

How many "foreigners" does it take to make an "American" or US citizen?

The frequent assurances to us US citizens that none of the surveillance is really aimed at us, or at least the most intrusive elements, bothers me for a special reason. I cannot abide by the notion that somehow "we" "Americans" (is that citizens of the US or citizens of any American country which extends all the way to the southern tips of Argentina and Chile?) are deserving of greater legal protection than are the "lesser washed" who do do not enjoy US citizenship.
Why should we view the world as having two classes of people in it - US citizens and all the rest? We get protected and, for the rest, they just wind up in holding cells, jails and prisons - or worse - with few of the safeguards that "we" enjoy.
How can anyone who believes in equality buy that argument? I cannot.
And then consider my situation. I am a US citizen, resident in the US, but am also an Irish citizen with part-time residency in France. I am not just one or the other - "foreigner" or "American"; I am both. 

Northern Ireland Town Freshens Up Before Group of 8 Meeting - NYTimes.com

Racial Injustice in North Carolina - NYTimes.com

Remembering Two Seminal Kennedy Speeches - NYTimes.com

Blogger, With Focus on Surveillance, Is at Center of a Debate - NYTimes.com

In Raising Scores, 1 2 3 Is Easier Than A B C - NYTimes.com

The Essayification of Everything - NYTimes.com

When Hoarding Morphs Into a Safety Hazard - NYTimes.com

Nonprofit Applicants Chafing at I.R.S. Tested Political Limits - NYTimes.com

I am very glad to see reporters finally digging into more aspects of this story; my sense is that many, if not most, got blinded by the glare of "scandal" and could not see clearly what other questions needed to be answered both with respect to procedure and legal substance. In a world that demands instant answers, most important ones take some time to develop and those impatient ought to chill out.

Crash Ensemble at Carnegie Hall - NYTimes.com

Rebuilding the Coastline, but at What Cost? - NYTimes.com

The Hidden Costs of Buying on the Cheap - NYTimes.com

Report Finds Americans Are Driving Less, Led by Youth - NYTimes.com

Do They Really Tawk Like That? Not Now - NYTimes.com

Bottled Water? It’s Not Free - NYTimes.com

Coroner: 5-year-old boy shoots 2-year-old sister in Kentucky with rifle he got as a gift - The Washington Post

Fewer guns is the only rational response to this tragedy.

Oslo Copes With Shortage of Garbage It Turns Into Energy - NYTimes.com

A Physiologist Suggests Exercise During Airport Layovers - NYTimes.com

Why Buying A Car Never Changes : Planet Money : NPR

Should I map sidewalks? - OSM Help

Should I map sidewalks? - OSM Help:

'via Blog this'

In Rural Georgia, Students Step Up to Offer Integrated Prom - NYTimes.com

Some stories are just amazing. Who would have thought there were still "white" proms?

GE Capital Cuts Off Lending for Gun Shop Purchases - NYTimes.com

Bravo!

Penne With Peas, Pea Greens and Parmesan — Recipes for Health - NYTimes.com

Whole-Grain Pasta With Mushrooms — Recipes for Health - NYTimes.com

N.H.T.S.A. Issues Guidelines to Combat Distracted Driving - NYTimes.com

Voice-To-Text Just as Dangerous to Drivers as Texting - Study - NYTimes.com

Hispanics, the New Italians - NYTimes.com

Al Neuharth, Executive Who Built Gannett and USA Today, Is Dead at 89 - NYTimes.com

Europe, in 9 Walks - NYTimes.com

The Senate Fails Americans on Gun Bills - NYTimes.com

We need to solve this problem one Senate seat at a time.What would it take to convince the voters of North Carolina to elect a Senator prepared to vote for measures such as background checks? Sen HAGAN voted fro it so we know we can elect a good person. Sen BURR did not; how do we either 1) convince him to change his view (a huge, uncertain task), or 2) convince a majority of North Carolinians to elect a replacement? It seems to me it has to be far more sophisticated than simply "dump BURR". It has to be genuine advocacy that leads the people of North Carolina to want a different vote in the Senate. If we can do that, finding just the right person becomes a lot easier. Fail at convincing a majority of people, and no candidate alone is likely to get the job done even if elected. I am sure Sen HAGAN thought long and hard before voting in the best interests of everyone. That costs her support and votes, but we should measure all of this in lives saved.

Albany Teacher Gives Pro-Nazi Writing Assignment - NYTimes.com

Here in France it's illegal to question the Holocaust. We do great damage to human thought and reasoning by denying students, especially, the chance to think forbidden thoughts, to express them if they wish to do so, advocate if they choose or are assigned to do so. It is all part of an obnoxious politically correct approach to controversial subjects. For me, it's bravo to the teacher who made the assignment in Albany. I'd be happy if the next assignment were to defend the idea that the Irish are inferior beings and not worthy even of rotten British potatoes. Why is that ok with me, but doing the same for Jews is somehow not? I don't understand. Well, maybe I do.....

At Cardozo Law School, Outrage Over Choice to Honor President Carter - NYTimes.com

Bravo to Cardozo!

Religious Remark Confirmed in Irish Abortion Case - NYTimes.com

This is one death too many in Ireland, following on too many already. Stiffen up and do the right thing, Ireland -- quickly, before any more mothers die.

Biden slams GOP over gun filibuster threat - Washington Times

If we can be told to register every motor vehicle we operate, why should we not be obliged to do the same with every firearm? That is no discernible infringement on anyone's right to "bear arms" if their inner macho child tells them they have to have a gun.

Josephine Fanning Dead: Wife Of Tennessee Sheriff's Deputy Killed By 4-Year-Old Boy

There are just too many guns in America.

West Virginia Sheriff Shot 'Right in Head' Outside Courthouse - ABC News

We simply have too many guns.

AP Drops Term 'Illegal Immigrant' From Style Guide (UPDATED)

The issue for me is whether the people in question violated a law of the US in coming here. If they allegedly did, then the correct way to handle this is to refer to them in just this way - alleged immigration law violator. What's the difference between that and "alleged securities law violator", for example?

Etiquette Returns for the Digital Generation - NYTimes.com

The Republicans’ Diversity Deserts - NYTimes.com

Time Is Past for Many of City’s Old Cobblestones - NYTimes.com

Gun store rescinds Mark Kelly's rifle purchase, questions his 'intent' | Fox News

This - KELLY's attempted purchase - is not helpful.

Anthony Lewis, Who Transformed Coverage of the Supreme Court, Dies at 85 - NYTimes.com

Erin Go Bragh, Shalom: St. Patrick's Day The Jewish Way : NPR

Motion Allowing Some Drinks Before Driving Draws Fire - NYTimes.com

Unhappy? Clean House - NYTimes.com

Saving Children From Guns - NYTimes.com

The Dark Side of the Expat Life - NYTimes.com

Ireland Recovers, and Recovers, and Recovers - NYTimes.com

Mary Robinson Doesn’t Need to Be Popular - NYTimes.com

Joe Biden challenges Irish Americans to help undocumented Hispanics become legal - Says discrimination against Irish generations ago same as against Hispanics today | Periscope Niall O'Dowd | IrishCentral

As much as I love Joe BIDEN, I still cannot accept this argument. My grandfather came to the US legally and became a US citizen by following the rules, i.e., the law. He was never here covertly; his identity was never hidden. I cannot accept that others - who come here in violation of the law - should receive special dispensation that somehow rewards their acts with a preferred place in line for citizenship. And I cannot accept that the first violations of US law committed on US soil can somehow be excused. We have lost the link between laws, enforcement and citizenship; it is possible to make them work together but only if violations of law are treated as such - even if a token penalty, and no preference is given toward citizenship as a result.

My New Office: A Parking Space - NYTimes.com

Senate Gun Bill Will Exclude Assault Weapons Ban - NYTimes.com

Why can't we have a Senator from NC with this kind of determination and commitment. Ours seem to wave weakly in whatever direction the political winds are blowing. Such a disappointment.

Battle over guns makes N.C. dangerous political ground for Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan | McClatchy

I hope we will find a new Senator - preferably a Democrat, but I will settle for a Republican if she or he takes the right position on issues such as this one. If I have to vote for Sen. HAGAN as the only choice - given her voting record - I will be at great pains to do so. Her views on guns do not represent me in any way, and I yearn for a Senator who feels as I do that we have too many guns in NC and the US; we need to focus sharply on reducing them. If I hear her say that, I may change my mind, but I view that as well beyond highly unlikely.

Trove of Irish Historical Artifacts in County Mayo - NYTimes.com

My Well-Being Powered by Humana

On my first visit to the Grand Ole Opry last Friday night, I was flabbergasted by the amount of advertising and promotion that greeted me. This site turned out to be one of the few items that resonated some. Other advertisers included Southwest Airlines, Dollar General, and Cracker Barrel. The RCC Root Barn "family" probably was the most memorable, with their 20 dolllar savings on boots at 149.99! The best song of the evening was "If I Knew My Nose Was Runnin' Money, Honey, I'd Blow it All on You", seconded only by "You Know You Can't Hurt Ham"! I think SCRUGGS sang the latter.

The Asheville Citizen-Times | Asheville news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Asheville, North Carolina | citizen-times.com

I'd like to use newspaper websites to see more of NC. This is one, for sure, that I will try to use. Will it work?

Study Finds Benefits From Observing CPR - NYTimes.com

Cellphones as a Modern Irritant - NYTimes.com

Disruptions: Thank You for Your 'Thank You' Comments - NYTimes.com

Rate of Gun Ownership Is Down, Survey Shows - NYTimes.com

In North Carolina?

Etiquette Redefined in the Digital Age - NYTimes.com

The Darkness of an Irish Morning - NYTimes.com

Drones

The current dust-up over use of drones in the US to target US citizens bothers me a lot. Why? Because I cannot in good conscience agree that one standard is acceptable for treating US citizens while another applies to "ferenners". How can anyone look her/himself in the mirror and say, "well, if someone is about to attack the US Capitol in an act of terrorism, it's ok to kill that person if he/she is a non-US citizen, but you must hold your fire if that person is a US citizen"? It is not only ridiculous; it violates my fundamental sense of equal treatment under the law. 

Anglo Celt

Perhaps I will look more like him in future years!

Cameron’s Party Humbled in Vote as Anti-E.U. Party Surges - NYTimes.com

Oklahoma - Curb on Texting While Driving Is Blocked - NYTimes.com

One of the reasons I'd never live in Oklahoma.

Finding Ways to Say Thanks, Other Than Apple Pie - NYTimes.com

Court Finds No Right to Conceal a Firearm - NYTimes.com

Yes!

From New York, Bloomberg Makes Guns the Issue in a Chicago Election - NYTimes.com

Photos : un calendrier trop hot pour une compagnie aérienne thaïlandaise... - Planet.fr : Accrochée à l'avion

I wonder what photos will go with the World Newspaper Congress in Bangkok in June?

Gun Advocates Push for More Access on Campus - NYTimes.com

Let's hope no progress is made in NC.

NC focus on news from elsewhere

We ought to be able to do this for an incredibly large number of stories. I'll cite some examples later. Here is one.

Outdoors retailer Gander Mountain to open firearms super center in Monroe, NC | CharlotteObserver.com

How discouraging.

Graphing the Great Gun Debate - ProPublica

Forty Years of Computer Dating • Damn Interesting

The Dawn of Computer Love

When Spell-Check Can't Help - NYTimes.com

Details emerge in LAPD's mistaken shooting of newspaper carriers - latimes.com

Thai Rice Subsidy Program Short of Money - NYTimes.com

Another great subject to address at the World Newspaper Congress in Bangkok this June.

Trouble With 'Like' - NYTimes.com

Ireland to Publish Report On Laundry Workhouses - NYTimes.com

Chris Kyle, Author of ‘American Sniper’ Reported Killed in Texas - NYTimes.com

Too many of them....

I continue to be surprised that so few are saying that we have too many guns in the US. The picture of President OBAMA today firing a rifle in skeet shooting surely does not help. What does help are comments from people like New York City Police Commissioner Ray KELLY on Face the Nation 27 Jan 2013 when he said simply that there are "too many of them" when referring to handguns. That's a good start, but nothing more.

Some in Rural Ireland Trying to Loosen Drunk-Driving Laws to Support Local Pubs | PRI's The World

Etats-Unis : un sénateur républicain justifie les armes semi-automatiques pour les mères de famille

It is impossible to reason with this mentality, or lack thereof. Of course, it makes no sense. The risks are too high that someone will steal the gun, use it against others or that even in defense, a homeowner will either misfire and injure a family member or that the gun will be seized by the intruder and used against the homeowner. This is not Hollywood.

At gun violence hearing, Giffords calls for action; NRA stands firm - CBS News

While I have huge respect for Ms. GIFFORDS and her husband, I find this argument ludicrous. We have too many guns and the only sane response to all of this misery is to reduce their number through legislation, persuasion and compensation, if needed.

"He stressed that both he and Giffords are gun owners, and that they support the "right to own a firearm for protection, collection and recreation."

"Gabby and I are pro-gun ownership. But we are also anti-gun violence," he said. "When dangerous people get dangerous guns, we are all the more vulnerable."

The Brewing Terror Threat in Thailand - NYTimes.com

The World Newspaper Congress this June in Bangkok is going to have a lot of Thai news to discuss.

Friday, December 21 - msnbc - The Ed Show | NBC News

"We have too many guns in this country. There is no question about
that. You know, 5 percent of the world`s population, 50 percent of the
world`s guns."

5 injured after firearms go off at Ohio, N.C., Indiana gun shows - CNN.com

Reduce the number of guns in America and this will happen less often.

Priest Is Planning to Defy the Vatican’s Orders to Stay Quiet - NYTimes.com

Two good people, one misguided church.

Please Take Away My Right to a Gun - NYTimes.com

It must have taken a lot of guts to write this. I have to commend her and chastise politicians and their constituencies that stand in the way of more aggressive measures to reduce the number of guns in America. She concludes with the core reason we need to do this: "I have a better chance of surviving if I never have the option of being able to pull the trigger."

Journal News Takes Down Gun Permit Map - NYTimes.com

I continue to contend that all of this should be public. We should know the name and address of everyone who chooses to have a firearm. The arguments against are simply not a match for knowing with some certainty which people and households around you have firearms. I think this is even more important than knowing the criminal records of everyone near you, including, of course, those who are convicted sexual predators. It is disheartening that the paper took this down and even more discouraging that the legislation has apparently enacted the provisions of the law noted in the story.

New Northern Ireland Violence May Be About More Than the British Flag - NYTimes.com

If there ever were a "it's complicated" situation, this is surely a prime candidate.

Australia Banned Assault Weapons. America Can, Too. - NYTimes.com

YES!

Guns, Abortion and Mistrust - NYTimes.com

A cogent argument, but I disagree with many of its premises. For example, I start from the position of not banning guns but simply recognizing we have too many of them. Some might argue the same for abortions.

For Travel Savings in 2013, Go Retro - NYTimes.com

Student Opinion | Did a Newspaper Act Irresponsibly by Publishing the Addresses of Gun Owners? - NYTimes.com

Bloomberg Takes on the N.R.A. - NYTimes.com

Digital Globes, a New Way to View the World - NYTimes.com

Disruptions: Smart-Gun Technology Could Prevent Massacres Like Newtown - NYTimes.com

Letter From the American West: Gun Debate Misses the Mark - NYTimes.com