RALEIGH -- It hardly came as a surprise that, after gaining control of the North Carolina General Assembly, Republicans moved quickly to loosen gun laws in the state.

Republicans have always been more closely aligned to gun rights activists.

That the legislature would approve some version of the Castle Doctrine, which provides more legal protections to people who shoot intruders entering their home, became a foregone conclusion.

Legislation allowing concealed handgun permit-holders to take their guns into restaurants serving alcohol and parks has met more resistance. The same is true for a bill that would bar employers from keeping their employees from locking their guns away in a car on a company parking lot.

RALEIGH – It would be easy enough to poke fun at Glen Bradley.

Bradley is a first-term Republican state legislator from the Franklin County town of Youngsville. He has filed a bill to create a legislative commission to study having North Carolina issue its own currency.

He's also considering legislation to require state government to accept gold and silver in payment of taxes and other bills. That way the state can begin backing that new currency with precious metals.

And he's filed bills aimed at restricting federal regulation of guns and agricultural goods produced and sold solely within North Carolina.

Congress votes on no-fly zone for National Public Radio

The day the United Nations Security Council passed UN Resolution 1973 authorizing military action in Libya, our own House of Representatives were busy passing H.R. 1076 – a bill to defund National Public Radio. This new and improved Congress really has their hand on the pulse of the American heartbeat.

Relief organizations across the globe are working to offer aid to the country of Japan, which was devastated by an 8.9 earthquake on March 11. The quake spawned a tsunami that slammed into the nation’s east coast, leaving a path of devastation in its wake.

Nuclear catastrophe currently threatens the island nation, as a result of the quake and tsunami. President Barack Obama has released a a statement sending his “deepest condolences” and promising support the the stricken country.

Japan has often donated when other countries have experienced disasters, such as when Hurricane Katrina impacted the United States. The response of disaster relief efforts have been slower around the world than when Haiti was devastated by its earthquake. Below are organizations that are working on relief and recovery in the region. Those interested in contributing to Japan’s relief efforts can refer to the list below.

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