the eye of Nova's mind

George Zimmerman accused of threatening to kill a man during road rage incident

Top Colleges That Enroll Rich, Middle Class and Poor -- I knew my alma mater would be featured in this article, just by the title alone.

Sophisticated Neanderthals may have made abstract art

Why Not Having Kids Makes Some People Crazy

Australian Man Awakes from Coma Speaking Fluent Mandarin

Man allegedly cooked dog, fed it to ex-girlfriend

I've been monitoring other situations & conditions, but mainly this is the news story of the moment.

Missouri Gov. Nixon Declares State of Emergency, Issues Curfew in Ferguson -- I don't expect any real news about this for another half hour. That said, I think this was a wrong-headed move which will only bring about further unrest.

Ferguson unrest reflects decades of racial tension in St. Louis area -- I remember visiting St. Louis twenty or so years ago with close friends. Some folks tried to warn me that the St. Louis area was rather racist. I was disinclined to believe them. I went with my friends (to an Irish bar, on St. Patrick's Day, of all things); nothing went down, though I did feel a background unspoken bit of tension. Now, if someone were to issue me that warning, I would take it at face value & wish my good friends safe travels.

Missouri names officer who shot unarmed black teenager

New Details in Ferguson Killing Make the Police Look Even Worse -- As someone on dKos says, the press conference the police chief held was a "bait & switch": You want the name of the rogue officer; we'll give you misinformation about the victim. The chief later admitted that the officer, Darren Wilson, had no idea that Michael Brown had anything to do with anything untoward. Wilson just ordered Brown, "Get the fuck out of the street."

Ferguson police have explaining to do -- "The nation always seems caught by surprise when its racial fault lines are exposed. Incidents like this — really, they could happen almost anywhere — remind us of the anger that can quickly well up when people who feel they have no power, no authority, believe they have been abused by people who have power, who have authority."

Anonymous tweets the name of the officer in Ferguson who shot unarmed teen

Four days of protests probably could have been shortened or even avoided if the city had reacted the way New York did after Eric Gardner's death at the hands of the police. Trying to hide the identity of the officer only inflamed an already incendiary situation.

Anonymous has been very busy with regards to this case: Anonymous hacks Ferguson, Mo., police site for dispatch tapes

Something else you might be interested in: Ferguson, Missouri: Video of unprovoked police attack on peaceful demonstrators

Riot erupts near St. Louis over police shooting of teen | more -- The FBI has launched a parallel investigation.

Amid pressure, New York releases half of Common Core test questions

Study: More coffee may prevent your ears from ringing

Babylon 5 reboot likely to become big-budget film: Original series creator will pen the script, possibly finance the film

Dear Johns: Actually, You Should Be Ashamed to Buy Sex -- There is a lot that is wrong in this article, or at least wrong-headed. The author (strangely enough, a woman) decries the industry by contrasting the relative freedom the customers enjoy (rarely prosecuted) with the restrictions sex workers endure (especially those trafficked into such work). The piece takes pot shots at everything, mainly casting aspersions. She does admit that "some woman [sic] do choose this line of work, and sex-workers unions argue that prostitution can be a freely made choice" but dismisses it in the same sentence. What the author fails to realize or acknowledge is that 1) it's not called the oldest profession for nothing--it's not going away, & 2) the illegality of the trade is the root cause of most of its problems. The best way to tamp down on most of the concerns is to pursue legalization or decriminalization, so the industry can be regulated.

US President Obama calls for death penalty review

Son accused of killing parents with samurai sword

Taxi driver convicted of raping female passenger, but jury acquits him of top count -- "Some members of the panel, which deliberated for over a day, tended to buy Singh's account that the back-seat sex was consensual."

High school student accused of serial sex assaults

Princeton student: 'White privilege' -- stop and think before you judge -- This is on Fox News, so be warned. (Also, who will think of the poor, derided white males in American society?)

Man Robs Southern Diner -- With a Pitchfork -- Really? A Waffle House?

NASA orders its staff to stop talking to Russia, because Crimea

Appeals court upholds NYC ban on worship services in schools

Man hits boy with truck, is severely beaten, robbed when stopping to help

Lawsuit: Woman frozen alive in L.A. hospital died trying to escape

Too much running tied to shorter lifespan, studies find

A Brain Region for Resisting Alcohol's Allure -- the lateral habenula

Mississippi high court halts woman's execution, orders a new trial -- Her son has repeatedly confessed to the killing.

Police chief: Officer shoving woman is concerning | Riot Cop Absolutely Levels an Unsuspecting Girl at Arizona State -- The video at the second link is shocking. I don't know what's going on in Albuquerque these days.

Heir's sentence raises questions in child rape case -- Affluenza strikes again. How does a man who admits to sexually assaulting a 3- to 5-year-old end up with probation? It helps if you're due to inherit millions, if not billions.

The Tin Ear of the #CancelColbert Brigades -- I presented pretty much the same argument when I was a student at Grinnell, when the campus became embroiled in a controversy regarding the campus' satirical rag. The argument is even more cogent in Colbert's regard, as he was in character when he made his remarks.

Chernobyl Trees Barely Decomposed, Study Finds

Life-and-Death Gunshot Victims to Be Frozen in Suspended Animation to Save Lives

Police: 12 razors glued to East Moline playground

4 in 10 high school boys, young men report coerced sex -- "[H]aving unwanted sex did not appear to affect the victims' self-esteem."

The pseudo-science of Alcoholics Anonymous: There’s a better way to treat addiction -- "Peer-reviewed studies peg the success rate of AA somewhere between 5 and 10 percent. That is, about one of every fifteen people who enter these programs is able to become and stay sober."

Danish Zoo Puts Down Family Of Four Lions, After Sparking International Outrage For Killing Giraffe Last Month -- "Last month, 18-month old giraffe Marius was shot and dissected in front of a live large audience. He was later fed to the lions."

This is your brain on knitting

White House withholds thousands of documents from Senate CIA investigation

How a Bunch of C-Words Got Into the Oxford English Dictionary -- Not a terribly well-written article in terms of analysis or thoroughness, but at least the author made an attempt.

Teen father arrested for biting nose off infant

Naked Florida man forgets he's naked, chases burglars

Governor of Washington halts executions in state while he is in office

Felons Should Regain Voting Rights After Sentences, Holder Says

Nevada Officials Won't Defend Gay Marriage Ban

China TV expose on sex workers sparks angry backlash

Delaware doctor in waterboard trial says slapped 'defiant' girl | Mother testifies in waterboarding trial

Two shot at Georgia supermarket as crowd shops for storm supplies