My cousin just died. He was only 19. He got stung by a bee - the natural enemy of a tightrope walker.

There are more Muslims in North America then Jews Now.

As someone who's been covering presidential campaigns since the 1950s, I have no delusions about political reporting. Candidates bargaining access to get the kind of news coverage they want is nothing new.

I know that this story is true.

I still love following and thinking about politics. I enjoy recommending important journalism I read or see from other sources.

Writing is the rock on which everything is built.

Music is important. It says things you heart can't say any other way, and in a language everyone speaks. Music crosses borders, turns smiles into frowns, and vice versa. These observations are shared with a hope: that, when schools cut back on music classes, they really think about what they're doing - and don't take music for granted.