Free Republic

Most purists would agree the standards applied to the field of journalism have declined during recent years. From tawdry periodicals to the proliferation of the Internet, the art of the written word has been spread thin. At one time, there were hard and fast rules adhered to by reporters, columnists and authors which gave the practice of journalism continuity. Today, as in other professional and artistic forms, rules no longer seem to matter and with this new paradigm has come a devolution of journalistic standards. A case in point regarding how the lines between journalism and gossip have become blurred...

A 9-year-old Arcola, North Carolina, boy shot and killed his mother before taking his own life, according to the Warren County Sheriff's Department. Tyler Jones apparently killed his mother, 38-year-old Glenda Pulley, shortly after midnight Saturday morning, the department said. He left a suicide note in which he apologized for her death. Authorities have not been able to determine a motive. "They were a very nice family. I never had any problem with none of them," said Warren County Sheriff John Williams, who said he knew the family personally. Tyler is said to have had a good relationship with his...