This is an emotional time and we all need to think through these issues with a care that recognizes the need for change but also respects the complicated history of the Civil War.  The Confederate Battle Flag has wrongly been used for racist and other purposes in recent decades.

A Special Announcement From Bobby Jindal  —  My name is Bobby Jindal, and I am running for President of the United States of America.  There were three people I think you would agree my wife Supriya and I had to tell first. … Puppy  —  My daughter Selia cut to the chase: she wanted a puppy.

The Righteous Logic of the Neo-Confederate Watershed  —  I think this is the third post I've started with some version of this incredulity.  But I still cannot believe the Charleston Massacre has triggered quite this total a collapse of support, not just for flying the Confederate battle flag …

Anesthesiologist trashes sedated patient — and it ends up costing her  —  These audio clips are excerpts from conversations between a gastroenterologist, an anesthesiologist and a medical assistant during a colonoscopy.  This was entered as evidence in a lawsuit filed by the patient for defamation and medical malpractice.

Fox dumps Sarah Palin  —  Fox News will not renew its contract with Sarah Palin, whose bombastic appearances have been a cable staple since the former Alaska governor's failed run on John McCain's ticket in the 2008 presidential election cycle.  When asked for comment, a Fox News spokesperson confirmed …

Obama Tosses Heckler From LGBT Event: 'You're In My House' … President Obama had a heckler tossed from a White House reception in celebration of LGBT pride month after the woman refused to stop interrupting the president.  —  “Listen, you're in my house,” Obama said, to the applause of the crowd …

Judge blocks federal fracking rule  —  A federal judge in Wyoming has temporarily blocked implementation of the Obama administration's regulations for hydraulic fracturing on federal land, hours before they were set to take effect.  —  The late Tuesday decision in the U.S. District Court …

Supreme Court Guide: Six Big Decisions Remain  —  The Supreme Court is scheduled to issue decisions Thursday, with six major cases remaining on the docket, and is expected to release opinions again on Friday and perhaps next week.  Still to be decided are the health-law subsidies and gay-marriage cases …

Chilling letters from ‘The Watcher’ force NJ family to flee $1.3M dream home  —  WESTFIELD, N.J. - It was a million-dollar dream home for one New Jersey family, located in picturesque Westfield, New Jersey — until the letters started showing up.  —  The threatening notes were signed …

Harvard professor who covered up Ben Affleck's slave roots could be dropped from PBS after he is slammed by broadcaster for ‘breaching standards’  —  The Harvard professor who covered up Ben Affleck's slave-owning ancestors has been condemned for breaching a broadcaster's standards and his future with PBS thrown into doubt.

Five Hostages  —  Families whose children were held captive in Syria felt that U.S. officials had abandoned them.  So they secretly joined forces. … BUY THE PRINT » … The five hostages, from left: Kayla Mueller, Steven Sotloff, Peter Kassig, James Foley, and Theo Padnos.

Fox News guest: ‘Liberals created this kid that shot up this church’ (Updated)  —  Last week on CNN, a South Carolina lawmaker recklessly blamed “things like Fox News” for inspiring Dylann Roof to allegedly shoot up the Emanuel AME church in Charleston.  —  This morning, the wacky Charleston …

Rep. William Chumley ‘regrets’ self-defense comment  —  An Upstate lawmaker opposed to removing the Confederate battle flag from the Statehouse has apologized for seeming to question why the victims of last week's Emanuel AME Church attack did not do more to defend themselves.

Apple Music Signs Beggars Group, Merlin: Sources  —  Beggars comprises the labels 4AD, XL, Matador and Rough Trade and has had a hand in the careers of Adele, Radiohead and Arcade Fire, among others; Merlin represents 20,000 labels and distributors worldwide.

Shawskank had closet sex with killer at least 100 times: ex-inmate  —  Joyce Mitchell (left), Richard Matt (top right) and David Sweat (bottom right).  —  Prison worker Joyce “Tillie” Mitchell had sex at least 100 times in a sewing-shop storage closet with one of the convicted killers she helped spring …

GRAPHIC LANGUAGE: Charleston cop appears to respond to cursing kids with, 'Don't go to church and get hurt'  —  Charleston Police are investigating a Facebook video of an apparent interaction between one of their officers and a group of African-American children.

'I am sorry for the lives that I've taken': Boston bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev stuns court as he APOLOGIZES to his victims as he is sentenced to death  — Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was today formally sentenced to death for the 2013 attacks in federal court in Boston

Hagan's Decision Leaves Democrats With Few Options in North Carolina  —  With the former senator passing on a chance to run again, Democrats' list of potential candidates looks dangerously thin.  —  Kay Hagan wasn't necessarily the best possible candidate Democrats could have run for Senate in North Carolina next year.