AR-15, the Weapon of Choice in Mass Shootings
The type of rifle used in the attack on a gay club in Orlando has also been the gun of choice in several other mass shootings, including in Newtown, Conn., San Bernardino, Calif., and Aurora, Colo. Now several publications have taken a closer look at the history of this military-style assault rifle, known as the AR-15, which was first built in the 1950s. Manufactured by dozens of companies nationwide, the weapon has become very popular in the country, because it’s relatively light, fast and easy to use. Called “America’s rifle” by the National Rifle Association, the AR-15 is often marketed as a modern sporting weapon. [Washington Post & New York Times]
It Takes 7 Minutes to Buy an Assault Rifle in Philadelphia
Philadelphia Daily News columnist Helen Ubiñas was able to purchase a semi-automatic weapon in just seven minutes. “It likely will take more time than that during the forthcoming round of vigils to respectfully read the names of the more than 100 people who were killed or injured,” she writes. [Philadelphia Daily News]
Trump Pulls Credentials for Washington Post Following ‘Incredibly Inaccurate Coverage’
The campaign of Donald Trump announced Tuesday that they are pulling official press credentials for the Washington Post to cover the presidential candidate due to “incredible inaccurate coverage” of Trump. The Post has said they will continue to write about and report on his campaign, with or without official credentials. [Poynter]
Blue Feed, Red Feed
In the age of social media, political news outlets can build an audience based on users’ political leanings. The Wall Street Journal unveiled an interactive graphic, which shows liberal and conservative Facebook side by side based on topics. Scholars, the paper wrote, worry about “echo chambers” being created as a result of only seeing posts from like-minded sources and friends. [Wall Street Journal]
Inside the Underground Economy Propping Up New York City’s Food Carts
Hot dog and coffee cart vendors are being ensnared in a low-wage cycle, beholden to an underground — and illegal — practice of working under someone else’s vending license. [Crains]
The FBI Investigated the Orlando Shooting Suspect Twice Before He Attacked
The fact that the FBI twice investigated Omar Mateen for terror connections revealed a concerning weakness in the federal government’s ability to stop similar attacks, even when someone is on their radar. [New York Times]
How Late-Night Shows Reacted to Orlando Shooting
From Conan O’Brien to Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Fallon, late night hosts addressed the nation Monday night after news of the Orlando massacre with the same frustration and questions about what's “becoming routine events,” according to the New York Times.
On "The Tonight Show," Fallon said the world was looking to the U.S. now to see how “we will react” in the face of the country’s own incident, like that of Paris and Brussels.
Colbert, host of the “Late Show” on CBS, asked at the beginning of his segment: “What can you possibly say in the face of this horror?”
Despite the sober tone, the hosts all did provide a hope and inspiration and humor. O’Brien wrapped up his segment with “we’re going to take a [commercial] break and then go back to doing whatever it is we do here; I never figured that out.” [New York Times]
Chinese Doctor Plans Full-Body Transplant
It’s straight out of a sci-fi flick. Chinese doctor Ren Xioping of Harbin Medical University claims he’s assembling a team and conducting research in order to undergo the world’s first full-body transplant, the New York Times reports. He’s already got a volunteer for the controversial, dangerous and ethically troublesome surgery — a man who was paralyzed from the neck down while wrestling with a friend. Surgeons interviewed by the Times say it’s a procedure that means death for the volunteer. [New York Times]
Louis C.K. Talks About the Presidential Race, “Horace and Pete” and More
New York Magazine has published a new far-reaching interview with Louis C.K. in which the famed comic talks about issues ranging from his comparison of Donald Trump to Hitler, why he thinks his new show “Horace and Pete” was vital, and how fellow comedian Samantha Bee is killing it these days.
“She’s the next thing,” he said. “We’re all talking about the same s***, but there’s always somebody out there that’s hitting a chord like nobody else, and that person is her.” [Vulture]
The Most Aggressive Punctuation?
The period is mean, aggressive and sarcastic, experts say, and so its use is going out of style, according to the New York Times. Nowadays when people want to end a sentence, they simply end it and begin a new line — a change brought about through social media and instant messaging. If you use a period, it may seem like you’re insincere. [New York Times]
Three New York City Restaurants Named Among World’s 50 Best
Eleven Madison Park, Le Bernadin and Estela were honored in the list that was unveiled last night. Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare made the “long list” of 100 for the first time, the New York Times reports. [New York Times]
This column was compiled by DNAinfo reporters Ewa Kern-Jedrychowska, Gwynne Hogan, Eddie Small, Nikhita Venugopal, Rachel Holliday Smith, Shaye Weaver, Dartunorro Clark, Irene Plagianos, Danielle Tcholakian, Carolina Pichardo and Noah Hurowitz.
