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In North Carolina, a state where the constitution promises an education as close to free "as practicable," students at the state's institutions of higher learning might well ask, "Who's defining 'practicable' these days?" Because substantial increases in tuition and fees over the last decade and then some have made the hill, the financial hill, steeper for students at all campuses of the University of North Carolina system.

Editorial:  Debate over what should or should not be done to speed along our slow recovery from the Great Recession is all over the lot, much of it partisan and often bitter, and intensified by a presidential election year.

Editorial:  Jack Frost was spotted the other day, doing the backstroke on one of the Great Lakes and then playing some tennis in his Bermuda shorts. "Winter?" he said. "Used to nip at a lot of noses myself. But the winter business has been a little too slow."

Editorial:  When the planned Lightner Public Safety Center came before the public in Raleigh, with a $175 million price tag, the reaction was the dreaded sound of one hand clapping.

Editorial:  A courtroom in Fayetteville is the arena where a battle over the fairness of North Carolina's death penalty is unfolding.

Editorial:  Wouldn't you know, it was a Super Bowl ad that wasn't selling beer, soda or sex that created this year's Super Commercial controversy. The honor goes to Chrysler and its ad narrator, Clint Eastwood.

Editorial:  One month and a slight decline in the nation's unemployment rate do not an economic recovery make.

Editorial:  As controversies go, this one went quickly. In a span of three days the Komen foundation said it was breaking its ties with Planned Parenthood, faced fast-spreading opposition to that decision and wisely reversed it.

Editorial:  It's the Girl Scouts' 100th anniversary year, and it's also their cookie-sales season. Here's hoping the Scouts' suppliers will have to bake up record-breaking batches of Thin Mints, Samoas and (new this year) Savannah Smiles.

Editorial:  The cost of the program would be covered, by a tax on America's biggest banks.