Talk of the Nation

After a loved one dies, it's becoming more common to offer and receive condolences through a Facebook post or an email. New York Times contributor Bruce Feiler discusses the new customs that are evolving to guide the grieving process in the digital age.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals declared California's same-sex marriage ban, known as Proposition 8, unconstitutional on Tuesday. This paves the way for a U.S. Supreme Court case that could have far-reaching implications for gay marriage around the country.

A year after recovering from malignant melanoma, Salon.com writer Mary Elizabeth Williams found out it had returned in the form of metastatic, Stage 4 cancer. In October 2011, she started a clinical trial for a new melanoma drug. Halfway through the trial, she discusses her "life as a lab rat."

St. Louis, Mo. held a parade for veterans of the Iraq War in January 2012 that drew an estimated 20,000 participants and 100,000 spectators. Fifteen other cities are considering similar parades, but some argue that such celebrations should not be held while the war in Afghanistan continues.

The claims airline passengers make about flights are often embellished. During turbulence, for example, passengers may think a plane is dropping hundreds of feet, when it's never typically more than 20. Airline pilot Patrick Smith, writes the Ask The Pilot column for Salon.com. He sets the record straight on common air travel myths.