STAMFORD ADVOCATE PUT GUN AD WHERE?

The Stamford Advocate did itself no favors by placing an ad for a gun show on the same page as a story about the Sandy Hook Elementary School reopening.

How this got to print is mind-numbing.

Having laid out newspapers for many years -- including ad placement and proofing, there's no excuse for this.

There are several cardinal rules in ad placement. Never place competitors on the same page. And never place a story on the same page as an ad that could cause an uproar such as this one.

What's worse -- this page was likely seen by a minimum of three sets of eyes -- likely more -- and not one caught it. I do understand, at times, mistakes will occur.

But nothing like this should happen -- ever.

Calculated guess: It won't happen again.

Not even close.

LaPIERRE'S REMARKS FOLLOWING NEWTOWN

LaPIERRE

The text of NRA's Wayne LaPierre's remarks following the shootings in Newtown, Conn.

Good morning.

The National Rifle Association -- 4 million mothers, fathers, sons and daughters -- join the nation in horror, outrage, grief, and earnest prayer for the families of Newtown, Connecticut, who have suffered such an incomprehensible loss as a result of this unspeakable crime.

Out of respect for the families and until the facts are known, the NRA has refrained from comment.

While some have tried to exploit tragedy for political gain, we have remained respectably silent. Now, we must speak for the safety of our nation’s children.

LAWRENCE O'DONNELL GETS IT – LaPIERRE DOESN'T

FACEBOOK AND TWITTER – A BLESSING & A CURSE

Man do I love Facebook.

Man do I love Twitter.

Wow do I hate Facebook.

Wow do I hate Twitter.


It hit me hard today. Among my 1,200 friends on Facebook -- much more so than Twitter -- are hoards of bigots and assholes. Among them are people I've never met before, and now know, for sure, I'd never want to meet.

Among those 1,200 (it's likely fewer than 1,200 now, actually) are people who absolutely don't get it that 20 children and seven adults were murdered in Newtown, Conn., on Dec. 14 -- and they don't get it that something, somehow, needs to be done to fix this.

As much as social media has been a blessing in so many ways -- hell, I met my half-sister and half-brother on Facebook for the very first time -- it's a curse, too. And as much as I appreciate the free-flow of ideas and opinions, perhaps I am just getting to old to accept that someone -- many someones -- think Wayne LaPierre, of the National Rifle Association, is a hero of some sort.

I saw his presser. You saw his presser.

A hero. Really?

NEWSPAPER COVERAGE OF NRA PRESSER

It's always intriguing to see how the newspapers cover press conferences differently. The headlines. Above the fold or below? Does it make the front page?

Here, then, is a look at how some major dailies handled the presser. Two things stick out.

First, the N.Y. Post took a pretty strong view that the presser was, let's just say, out of line.

And the Boston Herald didn't see much merit in it at all, apparently.

More front pages after the jump. Click below to see them.

THE SEARCH FOR ANSWERS: WHERE WAS GOD IN NEWTOWN?

The Canessa Commentary
By KEVIN CANESSA Jr.

NEWTOWN, Conn. -- 

There's this photo -- I've searched near and far for it, but can't find it -- where the people seen in this photo, taken Sept. 11, 2001, were fused together with a facsimile of Jesus, with Jesus's hands and arms extended, as if he were welcoming them into his kingdom. In the days following 9/11, the photo made its rounds, then on e-mail, since there wasn't social media back then.

The symbolism was striking. The people were real. And it was a rallying cry for those of us who were in great emotional pain following the terrorist attacks of that awful day. The idea was simple -- and it was one we used, as teachers at a Catholic school -- to answer the question the teens were bound to ask us: "How does a good and gracious God allow such awful things to happen?"