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Times Insider Benjamin Norman for The New York Times

Truth in Subway Announcements

1. I happened to be going home on that line right after the suicide. My normal 10-minute ride home took 45 minutes, but everyone understood why for a change. All express trains became local, and so there were backups and delays. For once, no one was upset. Truth works.

— Sylvie Richards on The Times’s Facebook page, responding to an article about New York City subway operators being responsible for giving passengers updates about delays, preferably specific. Al Drago for The New York Times

Trump Threatens North Korea

2. The more we talk back in their language, the more the cooler heads will try to avert armed conflict. So, let’s all stop running around like Chicken Little.

— Bill in South Carolina, reacting to an article about Donald Trump’s threat to unleash “fire and fury” upon North Korea if they endanger the United States. Kimimasa Mayama / European Pressphoto Agency

3. Trump has been improvising since he got into office. Sadly, the presidency is not a job you can improvise on. His impulsive words have a huge impact on the way we are seen in the world and can start a war. Trump is not a leader but a reality TV personality with no aptitude for a job that requires calm, steady and intelligent leadership.

— Michele Calabrese on The Times’s Facebook page. Mike Blake / Reuters

Google Employee Fired Over Memo

4. That employee exercised his free speech. Employee was being deliberately provocative on company email; he intended to stir up trouble, probably not for the first time. The company exercised their right to fire an employee who contributed to a hostile workplace. Said employee also jeopardized the company’s ability to hire and retain top talent in their work field and created possible liability for company in employee relations.

— Cynthia Peterson on The Times’s Facebook page, responding to an article about a Google employee who was fired Monday after writing an internal memo questioning the abilities of women to succeed in the technology industry. The Times rounded up additional reactions to this story. Eric Risberg / Associated Press

5. I’m a decidedly left-leaning person, and I disagree with many of the platitudes, un-cited statistics, and statements of the leaked memo; but I can’t help but think that the widespread dismissal of this memo as the work of a backwards thinking evil-doer is a missed opportunity for discussion. It strikes me that the attitude toward this memo is exactly the type of condescension of which the “liberal elite” is so frequently accused and I wouldn’t be surprised if this memo ends up being a rallying flag for the Trump base.

I read the memo and it struck me that the author was genuinely interested in exploring different hypotheses for the inequality that exists at Google. His dismissal even seems to corroborate the intolerance for difference of ideological opinions that exists at the company. Maybe we should all take a step back from the cliff and calmly discuss the ideas written in the memo.

— Jon E. in Delaware.

This comment received more than 150 reader recommendations. According to the latest data by the National Center for Health Statistics, the American fertility rate has fallen to 62 births per 1,000 women between the ages of 15 to 44.
Jim Wilson / The New York Times

Not Having Kids. Not Necessarily Telling You Why.

6. So what if you didn’t have the ability to have children (and you wanted them) and people were constantly asking you why you don’t have any? You don’t think that would be a painful reminder each time? Or what if they had a child and lost it? What if they were dealing with mental health issues and their reason was due to that?

Or what if they simply don’t want to have any and are just sick of people asking why they don’t to then have them say “oh you will change your mind”. At the end of the day It’s NONE of your business and it’s an extremely personal/rude question to ask just because YOU are curious.

— Breanna Lynn on The Times’s Facebook page, responding to an article about what people who have made the decision to remain childless should say when others ask them questions. Jim Lo Scalzo / European Pressphoto Agency

Scientists Fear Suppression of Climate Change Report

7. I’ve shoveled snow less than 10 times in two years in Buffalo. Climate change is real.

— James Wood on The Times’s Facebook page, responding to an article about a government report on climate change compiled by scientists from 13 federal agencies whose authors fear their findings will be suppressed by the Trump administration. Tony Gutierrez / Associated Press

8. Climate change is just that, climate change, it’s not global warming. Volcanoes have been putting out toxic pollutants for centuries, and the insecure overly intelligent folks have no common sense what so ever. This planet is self-healing and when you understand that you will have made a great discovery.

— Johnny Boy in San Diego. Béatrice de Géa for The New York Times

The Benefits of Older Motherhood

9. My son turned 17 today. I will be 59 in December. There are positives and negatives to being an older parent. For me, I had a fulfilling career for many years so I did not feel that I missed out on my work life after I decided to stay home. I’m definitely more patient and empathetic than I was in my 20s, early 30s.

I haven’t fallen into a cultural rut so he and I can share our interests in music, art and movies (as well as sports). On the more difficult side, I sometimes find it hard to connect with moms who are 10-15 years younger than me. They are in a different stage of life so I often feel like a bit of an outsider.

I’m also juggling the care of elderly parents with the raising of a teen. I’m grateful that he came along when he did. He keeps me young and on my toes. I hope I’ve helped him see the world as a big, exciting adventure.

— Susan McGhee O’Brien on The Times’s Facebook page, responding to an article about the advantages of having children later. Phil Noble / Reuters

Justin Gatlin Takes the Crown From Usain Bolt

10. Even with the bronze medal as a curtain call, Usain Bolt remains without peer. But … Justin Gatlin can just as easily be seen as an exemplar of persistence and redemption. Under heavier scrutiny than most everyone else, he persevered into what is in track and field sprinting doddering old age, and yet prevailed. Why can’t he be given credit for coming clean and achieving victory beyond any reasonable expectation?

— Eric Caine in Modesto, Calif., reacting to an article about the sprinter Justin Gatlin, who defeated three-time Olympic champion Usain Bolt in the 100-meter race at the world track and field championships in London.

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