Past Articles by Melissa Block
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The Low-Tech Way Guns Get Traced There is one place in the country where a law enforcement agency can trace a gun found at a crime scene back to a buyer: the ATF's National Tracing Center in West Virginia. But the tracing process is usually tedious, involving multiple phone calls and searching, by hand, through paper records. |
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On Gun Ownership And Policy, 'A Country Of Chasms' Paul Gwaltney and other gun owners don't understand why many Americans are so anti-gun. So Gwaltney assembled a group of friends and colleagues with divergent views on guns and gun control for a frank conversation at his home in Chantilly, Va. |
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Among Thousands Of Gun Deaths, Only One Charles Foster Jr. Charles Foster Jr., 24, died on New Year's Day in Columbus, Ga., just one of tens of thousands of Americans who will be killed by a firearm this year. While mass shootings like the one in Newtown, Conn., attract a frenzy of media coverage, most gun homicides, like Foster's, garner little news attention. |
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In 'According To What?' Ai Weiwei Makes Mourning Subversive   A Washington showcase of work by the Chinese dissident artist reveals his preoccupation with the tragic 2008 Sichuan earthquake: To create one of the pieces, Ai ran afoul of Chinese authorities, asking for help collecting the names of children who died when their schools collapsed. |
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In 'According To What?' Ai Weiwei Makes Mourning Subversive   A Washington showcase of work by the Chinese dissident artist reveals his preoccupation with the tragic 2008 Sichuan earthquake: To create one of the pieces, Ai ran afoul of Chinese authorities, asking for help collecting the names of children who died when their schools collapsed. |
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A Dash Of Latin Flavor On The Thanksgiving Table Chef Jose Garces' parents are immigrants, and while they embraced some traditional American Thanksgiving dishes, they also served Ecuadorean food, like humitas and quinoa soup. |
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In Wisconsin, Political Circus Leaves Voters Wounded Emotions are still raw in Wisconsin after the bitter fight over public unions and the unsuccessful vote to recall Gov. Scott Walker. As the presidential election approaches, many people are deeply pained by the divide between political extremes, and wishing they felt better about this race. |
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Senate Race Tough To Call As Wisconsin Swings  Former four-term GOP Gov. Tommy Thompson is facing off against seven-term Democratic Rep. Tammy Baldwin for an open Senate seat. With recent polls showing a Baldwin surge, one pollster says his state seems to be in the midst of an identity crisis. |
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Saving Calif. State Parks: The End Of Public Funding? California's budget crisis is creating a new class of private philanthropists who are stepping up to keep state parks open to the public. Henry Coe State Park, the state's second-largest, was recently saved by a large donation from a Silicon Valley engineer. Will California ever return to fully funding its state parks? |
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You Know You Want One: Personal Robots Are Coming, But Not Ready For You Yet  A Silicon Valley company hopes to make a Jetsons-style robot a reality in your home. But the personal robotics industry has a few hurdles to jump before you can have your own robotic maid. |
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Mark Kelly Tells Of Giffords' 'Courage' In Recovery The retired NASA astronaut, who has written the new book Gabby: A Story Of Courage and Hope, goes into detail about his wife Rep. Gabrielle Giffords' recovery since she was shot in the head on Jan. 8. His constant refrain is that she's "improving all of the time." |
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In Mozambique, A Fight To Keep Babies HIV-Free In one province of the southeastern African nation, 30 percent of women are HIV-positive. Pregnant women who seek prenatal care are routinely tested for the virus and, if infected, will be given anti-retroviral drugs to help prevent transmission to their babies. But drug shortages are preventing some women from getting the help they need. |
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Drug Given To New Mothers Sparks Controversy The leading cause of maternal death in the developing world is excessive bleeding after childbirth. The drug misoprostol can prevent the bleeding - but it can also be used to induce abortion. So it carries both a promise and a risk, especially in places like Mozambique. |
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Drug Given To Mothers At Birth Sparks Controversy The leading cause of maternal death in the developing world is excessive bleeding after childbirth. The drug misoprostol can prevent the bleeding - but it can also be used to induce abortion. So it carries both a promise and a risk, especially in places like Mozambique. |
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Drug Given To Moms After Childbirth Sparks Controversy The leading cause of maternal death in the developing world is excessive bleeding after childbirth. The drug misoprostol can prevent the bleeding - but it can also be used to induce abortion. So it carries both a promise and a risk, especially in places like Mozambique. |
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In Mozambique, Grim Prospects For Mother And Child Mozambique's rates of maternal and infant mortality are among the highest in the world. So the government is trying to encourage women to have their babies in maternity units. It's also training volunteers to help with basic medical care and nurses to carry out procedures like cesarean sections. |
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Mozambique's Struggles Fueled By The Price Of Bread Last year, when the Mozambican government announced that food subsidies would end and bread prices would rise 20 percent, people rioted. Some were killed. So the government reversed itself. But it's set to try again in July. Even with a new plan aimed at helping the poor, some are worried about the reaction. |
