Edward Snowden, Whistle-Blower  —  Seven months ago, the world began to learn the vast scope of the National Security Agency's reach into the lives of hundreds of millions of people in the United States and around the globe, as it collects information about their phone calls, their email messages …

“Duck Dynasty” launches its own line of guns  —  The family-owned business at the center of the hit TV show “Duck Dynasty” has launched its own line of guns.  —  The gunmaker Mossberg has teamed with Duck Commander, the company owned by “Duck Dynasty's” Robertson clan, to release nine different shotguns …

Historic Bible goes missing after de Blasio swearing in  —  The FDR bible used by Mayor Bill de Blasio for his swearing in vanished after the New Year's Day ceremony, sparking a panicked, hours-long search for the historic tome.  —  “They had the whole detail looking through blankets,” …

Men Are Obsolete  —  Five reasons we are definitely witnessing the end of men  —  How do I know men are finished?  I'll read you a quote that says it all: “Yes.  There have been times when I've been in a drunken stupor.”  Toronto's mayor, a shining example of modern manhood is what I would call …

The price of political ignorance: More government  —  It was naughty of Winston Churchill to say, if he really did, that “the best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.”  Nevertheless, many voters' paucity of information about politics and government …

The Bottom Of The Barrel  —  Conservatives are the party of hate.  This must be true, right?  I heard it on the News.  NBC News makes this point on its 24-hour cable news network at least 15 times per hour, and NBC is a “respected news source ...” right?  —  I mean ... right?

The resurgent progressives  —  The reemergence of a Democratic left will be one of the major stories of 2014.  Moderates, don't be alarmed.  The return of a viable, vocal left will actually be good news for the political center.  —  For a long time, the American conversation …

W.H. stands by birth-control rule  —  The Obama administration Wednesday said the Affordable Care Act contraceptive coverage regulations are fair - and they don't really hurt the Denver-based religious organization that got a temporary New Year's Eve reprieve from Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor.

U.S. education officials lobbied against Starr for New York City schools post  —  U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan and at least one other Education Department official urged New York Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio and his team not to choose Montgomery County Schools Superintendent Joshua P. Starr …

World's climate warming faster than feared, scientists say  —  Scientists say the world's climate is warming faster than feared because previous predictions were too “optimistic” and overestimated the cooling impact of clouds  —  As the planet marked its fourth hottest year on record …

Manly Faces and Aggressive Men  —  The men featured are young.  Most are white.  Many have tousled hair, a couple sport grizzly beards, and a few are tattooed.  As a rule, the men are good-looking.  Their cheekbones would make Derek Zoolander proud, but the models are not sitting for their “Blue Steel” close-ups.

Americans Can Now Start Using Their New Obamacare Coverage  —  On Wednesday, nearly four years after President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act, the major provisions of the health law that serve to expand coverage to millions of Americans officially took effect.

Ani DiFranco's faux-pology: White privilege and the year in race  —  With most white people not having to confront the true history of plantations, honesty about race remains elusive  —  We ended 2013, the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation …

Man deemed criminally insane arrested with van full of guns  —  TAMPA — A man who shot a trucker to death in 1992 but was judged to be criminally insane seemed nervous Saturday when stopped for speeding east of Gainesville, a deputy reported.  —  David Harris Dunaway, 58, was wanted by federal authorities, the deputy learned.

Boehner Is Said to Back Change on Immigration  —  WASHINGTON — Speaker John A. Boehner of Ohio has signaled he may embrace a series of limited changes to the nation's immigration laws in the coming months, giving advocates for change new hope that 2014 might be the year that a bitterly divided …

Chinese Helicopter Rescues 52 From Ship Trapped in Antarctic Ice  —  LONDON — In a dramatic operation displaying unusual international harmony in one of the world's most remote and inhospitable places, a red-and-white Chinese helicopter on Thursday rescued 52 passengers trapped …

Mayor of Flower Mound declares 2014 Year of the Bible, raising questions for some  —  Adapted for Web by: Sarah Crandall - email  —  FLOWER MOUND, Texas -  —  New years are known for new resolutions, but in one North Texas town, the mayor has proclaimed 2014 the Year of the Bible.

The Two Americas Will Be the Defining Trend of 2014  —  This morning, one of my editors suggested that I might comment on what I thought the big issues of the coming year are going to be.  When it comes to the things that will dominate political discussion, most of it we can't predict.