Gun Sales Surge in US to Record Numbers for Christmas, Tops 1.5 Million Background Checks in December

Eugene Robinson

• Romney is no economic savior May 14, 2012
  Republicans say they’re eager for the presidential campaign to turn away from “distractions” and focus instead on the economy. Someone should warn them that if they’re not careful, they might get their wish. Read full article >> […]
• In Obama’s stance on gay marriage, a return to hope May 10, 2012
  President Obama’s evolutionary leap on same-sex marriage is a historic advance in the nation’s long march toward equality and justice. It is also a bold political gambit that sacrifices some votes in exchange for potentially renewing his image as a leader of vision and hope. Read full article >> […]

Paul Krugman

• Not a Greek Problem May 17, 2012
  It's a European problem; does Berlin get it? […]
• Spending and Growth May 17, 2012
  Guess who's a star performer? […]

Maureen Dowd

• Dancing With Derivatives May 15, 2012
  Othello learned that reputation is all. Now, after a $2 billion trading blunder, Jamie Dimon is learning that. […]
• Seeking Original Bliss May 12, 2012
  Oops, he did it again. Joe Biden speaks truth to power (the president) on gay marriage. […]

Kathleen Parker

• Obama’s popularity contest May 16, 2012
  Apresidential race recently focused on high school has come to resemble a popularity contest of the same vintage. Hence, we read that women like Barack best (except when they don’t). This week, a New York Times/CBS News poll shows women tilting toward Mitt and voters overall favoring him by 46 percent to 43 percent. But you know how girls are. A month ago, a […]
• A gay marriage proclamation? Bullying? Much ado about the wrong things. May 11, 2012
  This past week’s news cycle has produced two narratives: One, Barack Obama is an evolutionary, 21st-century hero who supports equality for all. Two, Mitt Romney is a gay-bashing bully mired in the previous century who also supports a war on women and, oh yeah, hates dogs. Read full article >> […]

Robert Reich

• The Dog That Didn't Bark: Obama on JPMorgan May 16, 2012
  The dog that didn’t bark this week, let alone bite, was the President’s response to JP Morgan... […]
• ROMNEY HAS PUBLIC AND PRIVATE MORALITY UPSIDE DOWN Mitt... May 15, 2012
  ROMNEY HAS PUBLIC AND PRIVATE MORALITY UPSIDE DOWN Mitt Romney’s reaction to J.P. Morgan Chase’s mounting losses from reckless trades is “the market will take care of it.” His spokesman says “no taxpayer money was at risk” so we don’t need more financial regulation. Romney has even promised to repeal Dodd-Frank if he’s elected president. Yet at the same time […]

Memeorandum

• NPR sees sharp downturn in advertising revenue, leading to talk of cuts (Paul Farhi/Washington Post) May 17, 2012
  Paul Farhi / Washington Post: NPR sees sharp downturn in advertising revenue, leading to talk of cuts  —  NPR's new chief executive is signaling that there may be some static ahead for the radio and digital news organization.  —  Halfway through its fiscal year — and six months into Gary Knell's tenure as chief executive … […]
• Autopsy of Trayvon Martin reportedly shows fatal bullet fired from 'intermediate range' (Fox News) May 17, 2012
  Fox News: Autopsy of Trayvon Martin reportedly shows fatal bullet fired from ‘intermediate range’  —  Trayvon Martin, pictured on left, was shot and killed by George Zimmerman on Feb. 26 outside a gated community in Sanford, Fla. Zimmerman, 28, has pleaded not guilty to a second-degree murder charge … […]
• Obama-Clinton? That's the ticket (Carol Marin/Chicago Sun Times) May 17, 2012
  Carol Marin / Chicago Sun Times: Obama-Clinton?  That's the ticket  —  Secretary of State Hillary Clinton delivers the keynote address to the New York Women's Foundation breakfast Thursday in New York.  Marion Curtis~Starpix via AP  —  All eyes will be on Barack Obama as he comes home to Chicago this weekend for the NATO Summit. […]
• Ben Stein: Obama's not very smart (Caitlin McDevitt/Politico) May 17, 2012
  Caitlin McDevitt / Politico: Ben Stein: Obama's not very smart  —  Is President Obama smart?  Ben Stein wouldn't put his money on it.  —  During an appearance on Fox News, the economist and actor said he doesn't consider the president to be very intelligent.  —  “Barack Obama is a smart man, you would say that, right?” host Bill O'Reilly […]

REUTERS ELECTION 2012

REUTERS BUSINESS NEWS

• S&P set to sink for 5th day on data, Europe May 17, 2012
  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks fell on Thursday, with the S&P 500 poised for a fifth straight day of declines as already nervous investors were greeted by a round of weak domestic economic data while the euro zone remained turbulent. […]
• Facebook to price IPO, demand seen strong May 17, 2012
  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Facebook Inc is expected to price its initial public offering to raise more than $16 billion on Thursday, as strong demand, particularly from retail investors, fuels anticipation for a big pop in the stock when it begins trading on the Nasdaq. […]
• Warren Buffett to buy Media General newspapers May 17, 2012
  (Reuters) - Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc is boosting its bet on the newspaper industry, with a deal to buy the majority of Media General Inc's papers for $142 million in cash, making him one of the largest publishers in the United States. […]
• Analysis: Will mild winter mean summertime blues for retailers? May 17, 2012
  NEW YORK (Reuters) - With the meteoric jump in shares of Apple Inc and turmoil in the bank sector garnering the spotlight in recent months, one group managed to fly under the radar despite strong gains - retailers. […]

REUTERS POLITICS

• Senate confirms Harvard economist Stein for Fed May 17, 2012
  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Senate confirmed Harvard economist Jeremy Stein to the Federal Reserve Board, the first vote on one of two nominees to the central bank expected on Thursday. […]
• Senate to vote on tough new Iran sanctions May 17, 2012
  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Senate is set to vote on a tough new round of economic sanctions on Iran's oil sector on Thursday, including measures meant to shut down any financial deals with the country's powerful state oil and tanker enterprises. […]
• White House cybersecurity official stepping down May 17, 2012
  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - White House cybersecurity coordinator Howard Schmidt, who was instrumental in developing the administration's legislative proposal on cybersecurity, will retire at the end of this month, the White House said on Thursday. […]
• Obama says to retain US investment sanctions on Myanmar May 17, 2012
  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama has decided to extend for another year certain U.S. sanctions on investment and trade with Myanmar, saying Washington supports the reform process but remains concerned about human rights and conflict with ethnic groups. […]

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

• Bahrain's Khawaja well, to continue hunger strike: lawyer May 17, 2012
  Jailed Bahraini dissident Abdel Hadi Khawaja, on hunger strike for more than three months, is well but still continues his fast to protest a life sentence, his lawyer said on Thursday."Abdel Hadi can walk. He is conscious and moves around normally," the lawyer, Mohammed al-Jishi, told AFP after meeting with his client for the first time in more tha […]
• Bulgaria extends smoking ban to cafes, stadiums May 17, 2012
  Lawmakers in Bulgaria approved on Thursday last-minute changes to the country's health bill to ban smoking in stadiums and all enclosed public spaces such as cafes and restaurants as of June 1.The small Balkan country, home to Europe's second-heaviest smokers after Greece, had already banned smoking in all government buildings, public transport, tr […]
• Obama eases investment curbs on Myanmar, names ambassador May 17, 2012
  President Barack Obama Thursday eased investment curbs on Myanmar and named the first US ambassador to the country in more than 20 years, hoping to reward a "nascent" political reform drive.But Obama, seeking maximum leverage on Myanmar's nominally civilian government and to preserve his options in case of "backsliding," maintained w […]
• Clash in US on mobile privacy protection May 17, 2012
  Law enforcement officials and civil liberties advocates clashed Thursday at a US congressional hearing on a proposed law to protect the "location privacy" of people using mobile phones.A House of Representatives panel called the hearing on the Geolocational Privacy and Surveillance Act, aimed at protecting people from being tracked by police throug […]

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE WORLD NEWS

• BURMA: Obama eases ban on Burma investment, but sanctions on junta remain May 17, 2012
  In an effort to encourage reform, US President Barack Obama on Thursday eased bans on investment in Burma's financial services industry and on doing business in the country but kept sanctions against "individuals associated with the former regime". […]
• FRENCH ELECTIONS 2012: New French foreign minister faces baptism of fire May 17, 2012
  Almost three decades after becoming France’s youngest ever Prime Minister Laurent Fabius, (left) returned to government this week as the new French Foreign Minister. With Syria, Iran and Afghanistan high on the agenda, Fabius faces a baptism of fire. […]
• OBITUARY: Grammy-winning disco icon Donna Summer dead at 63 May 17, 2012
  US disco legend Donna Summer died Thursday in Florida from cancer at age 63, her family said in a statement. The Grammy-winning artist had a string of hits in the 1970s and '80s, including "I Feel Love" and "She Works Hard for the Money". […]
• POLITICS: French Presidency: A break with the past? May 17, 2012
  It was a week of handovers. On Tuesday, France's first Socialist president in 17 years made his way up the red carpet and into the history books, becoming only the second Socialist since 1958 to take up residence at the Élysée palace. […]