December 21, 2012: Morning
- One in eight Americans believed the world would end today.
- Portraits of people preparing for the Mayan doomsday, and/or the end of civilization.
- Chart shows dates when the world was predicted to end by various prognosticators.
- The Times goes big and interactive on the Stevens Pass avalanche at Tunnel Creek.
- See also: Outside's accounting of the elite skiiers' disaster.
- Semi-automatics sold out at many Wal-Marts; Wal-Mart will keep selling them, but Dick's Sporting Goods has stopped.
- The problem of gun violence is not complex; the solution is very simple; we just need courage.
- Discovery Channel cans Ted Nugent and his gun show.
- Bret Easton Ellis lengthily explains his Twitter problems while apologizing to Kathryn Bigelow.
- Toobin on how the second amendment never gave individuals a right to own or carry weapons until the NRA came along.
- See also: Adam Gopnik on the science behind gun control.
- How one shotgun-loving West Texas girl learned to hate handguns and assault weapons for their ease of criminal use.
- Brief assessment of contemporary liberals' central vice: thinking everyone can be taken care of.
- See also: Primary vice assessed for contemporary conservatives.
- Video of eagle snatching child found to be an elaborate hoax.
- Hollywood height chart shows many actors you may not have realized were short.
- The xx covers Wham!'s festive classic, "Last Christmas."
- TMN-endorsed holiday shopping: Sympathy for the Deviled Eggs, an e-book of our greatest holiday hits.
- Related: Leslie Harpold's oldie-but-goodie guide on how to write a thank-you note.