News Round Up, two sides of the coin edition

There are days when you read some articles -- and you think, seriously!? Or other snarky thoughts.  Here are some that provoked those reactions.

Do you think this is why Lance will be spending time on Oprah's couch??

Bears need more friends with guns and less foes with them.

Despite the fact that the author of this piece seems to relish the irony, I am appalled by this story.  It is definitely on the list of things that I don't think we should be talking about - it does not advance the issues that we need to actually be discussing in my opinion.

Why is everyone so fascinated by this man's signature ... I saw this on the "world" news, the local news, and then the NYTimes.  Really? Is there no real news to discuss regarding who will be our new Treasury Secretary?!

Here are some news items represent the other side of the coin.  I think we should spend way more time and ink (or recording) on:

global warming ... stop debating, start dealing in reality. I like this piece in the NY Times about the hottest year on record.  But, I also thoroughly enjoyed this discussion on Moyers and Company.

Sensible - as in get a grip - discussions about guns, gun control and mass killings.  Yes, it includes discussions about mental health and how we *treat* it, but it also includes talk about regulating guns. As my friend has pointed out, and others in the news, no one should be able to own a gun for less paperwork than it takes to own a dog (legally).   And in an odd turn of events, I was drafting this when I read a short piece about another school shooting -- this time in California and the shooter did not kill, only wounded, and was arrested.  The next morning, this story about how the shooter was talked into giving up the gun by the teacher was in the paper.   It is a (thankfully) non-lethal answer to all of LaPierre's not sensible suggestions.  One last entry here from the parents of the Sandy Hook children ... this is a response I can get behind.

And while we are on the subject of what we should be discussing with regard to mass shootings, I am in agreement with this opinion piece -- stop naming the assailants, stop glorifying their actions with so much media attention. If there must be media, focus on those whose lives were taken... You can disagree and I welcome the discussion about this issue ... discuss!