Tuesday, December 31, 2013

@12:00, 12/27/13

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1
World

No Aid Seen in Syrian Town Despite a Deal to Lift Barriers

Government officials and rebels blame one another as no aid is yet delivered to the civilians in Moadhamiya, just outside the city limits of Damascus.

There is no gain in aid.

2
U.S.

Considering War’s Toll in Debate on Death Row


He was not, sadly, legally insane.

Commutation of sentence could be considered.

3
World

Russian Inquiry Finds No Radiation Link to Arafat’s Death

Teams of scientists from France, Switzerland and Russia had been asked to determine whether polonium played a role in the 2004 death of Yasir Arafat, the former Palestinian leader.
Palestinians; Radiation; Poisoning and Poisons 

No surprise here.
4
N.Y. / Region

Museum of the City of New York’s Gelato Giveaway

Free gelato and hands-on activities at Museum of the City of New York and free concerts at Brooklyn Night Bazaar.

no.

5
Your Money

How Lucrative Thy Branches

Christmas trees are a small but highly profitable part of the timber industry, where profit can be decades in coming.
Christmas Trees; Prices (Fares, Fees and Rates); Agriculture and Farming; Small Business; Logging Industry 

My kind of farming.
6
World

Congo: Soldiers Retake Town Seized by Rebel Group

Soldiers in the Democratic Republic of Congo have taken back a town in eastern Congo occupied by a Ugandan rebel group, a government spokesman said.
Defense and Military Forces 

A better condition.
7
Sports

Asomugha, Former All-Pro, Is Set to Announce Retirement

Nnamdi Asomugha, a cornerback who starred with the Raiders, later played for the Eagles and the 49ers.
Football 

Double dipping?
8
Multimedia/Photos

Video: Times Minute | After the N.S.A. Ruling

Also on the Minute, political compromise in Tunisia and basketball diplomacy continues.

No faith.

9
Fashion & Style

Video: Bill Cunningham | Red and White All Over

Decorations and whimsical expressions transformed the city into smiles and joy for the annual SantaCon celebrants.
Fashion and Apparel; SantaCon (Festival) 

Bill Cunningham knows the city.
10
Sports

U.S.C. Coach May Have Brought Some Baggage With Him

New N.C.A.A. rules are designed to hold football coaches and their staffs more accountable for their actions, and the Trojans’ new leader is under scrutiny.
Football (College) 


11
Opinion

The Sidney Awards, Part 1

It’s the end of the year, so it’s time to honor some of the best magazine essays of 2013. Enjoy!
Elephants; Writing and Writers 


12
U.S.

Poison Gas Kills Eight Left in Dark After Storm

After hundreds of thousands spent Christmas without electricity, carbon monoxide from gasoline-powered generators was blamed for deaths in the Northeast and Midwest.
Power Failures and Blackouts; Electric Light and Power; Carbon Monoxide; Deaths (Fatalities); Weather; Traffic Accidents and Safety; Disasters and Emergencies 

Just a winter storm.
13
Education

Getting Out of Discount Game, Small Colleges Lower the Price

14
World

Indian Deaths Underscore Risks in U.N. Peacekeeping Missions

The conflict in South Sudan has expanded to attacks on civilians, straining the United Nations troops’ ability to protect the populace.
Awards, Decorations and Honors; Civilian Casualties; Deaths (Fatalities); Defense and Military Forces; Indian Rupee (Currency); International Relations; Names, Geographical; War Crimes, Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity 

If these projects were safe they would not be necessary.
15
Real Estate

Same View, Less Money

Properties built along the northern boundary of Central Park tap into the seemingly insatiable desire for skyline views.
Real Estate and Housing (Residential); Parks and Other Recreation Areas; Condominiums 

Gentrification.
16
N.Y. / Region

More Diversity in New York City’s Police Dept., but Blacks Lag

Critics charge that police behavior in minority neighborhoods has hindered efforts to attract black officers, and has sowed broader resentment of the police.
Minorities; Blacks; Wages and Salaries; Search and Seizure; Immigration and Emigration 

Soon to be Ex-Commissioner  Kelly is a racist.

17
Movies

Adapting Big Questions for the Screen

A look at the Oscar race for adapted screenplay.
Academy Awards (Oscars); Movies

It is a hard problem.
18
Science

On New Caledonia, a Lone Survivor

The Amborella plant is the only direct descendant of the ancestor of all flowering plants on earth. Scientists have sequenced its genome.
Flowers and Plants; Archaeology; Genetics and Heredity; DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid) 

This is a story because the reporter does not understand our world.
19
Business Day

$40 Million in Aid Set for Bangladesh Garment Workers

The fund for the Rana Plaza factory building collapse is considered a landmark in compensating families of garment industry victims, in terms of both the amount to be paid and the sophistication of the arrangements.
Rana Plaza Building Collapse, Bangladesh (2013); Factories and Manufacturing; Fashion and Apparel; Accidents and Safety 

Now to get it to those damaged by the building collapse.

20
Multimedia/Photos

Video: Times Minute | Egypt's Decision

Also in the Minute, an artificial intelligence upgrade and looking back at the Iran deal.
Demonstrations, Protests, and Riots; Middle East and North Africa Unrest (2010- ); Census; Muslims and Islam; Population 

The fight in Egypt is not Islam or not Islam but what flavor of Islam.


A day of network and heat troubles.



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@10:42, 12/29/13

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1
Technology

Empty Shelves Signal Revival in Game Consoles

Those sales bolster the view that the console business is turning into a two-horse race, with Nintendo a distant third.
Computer and Video Games; Shopping and Retail 

A game console is just a fast computer with a good video card.
The details can be researched on the net.
 
2
Style

A Season for Resolution: Approaching an I.V.F. Deadline

If our final I.V.F. doesn’t work, if I enter 2014 still not pregnant, it’s time for Plan B (or C or D, or whatever letter we’re up to by now).
Christmas; Holidays and Special Occasions; In Vitro Fertilization; Infertility; Parenting 

"And I will repeat to myself a mantra from the holistic guru Louise Hay:
“All is well.
Everything is working out for my highest good.
Out of this situation only good will come.
I am safe.”
Happy holidays."

3
Multimedia/Photos

Video: Times Minute | Post-Christmas Shopping

Also on the Minute, looking back at the top stories of 2013 including Detroit's bankruptcy and Lance Armstrong coming clean.
Christmas; Bankruptcies; Bicycles and Bicycling; Doping (Sports) 

A good idea.
 
4
World

Journalist Is Beaten in Latest Attack on Ukrainian Opposition

As protests continued, Tetyana Chornovol, who helped expose the opulence of the presidential compound, was brutally attacked outside Kiev, the capital.
Demonstrations, Protests, and Riots; News and News Media; Freedom of the Press; Assaults 

This will not end well.
 
5
Real Estate

A Condo for Art Collectors

A new eight-unit condominium in West Chelsea designed with reinforced walls and ceiling lights.
Art; Real Estate Brokers 

My buyers, not me.
6
Business Day

Winning Veterans’ Trust, and Profiting From It

Older veterans are being coaxed into paying for services or investments and signing contracts that lock them into long-term living arrangements.
Veterans; Pensions and Retirement Plans; Retirement Communities and Assisted Living; Frauds and Swindling; Series 

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/?s=cruelty

The confidence game operations are criminal.

They work because our conservative congress has made the veterans benefits an empty promise.

7
World

Killing and Retaliation at Gaza-Israel Border Continue Violent Cycle

The deaths of an Israeli laborer and a Palestinian toddler were the latest in a growing wave of Israeli-Palestinian violence.
Terrorism; Deaths (Fatalities); Palestinians; Civilian Casualties; Defense and Military Forces 

The Gaza Strip is a Palestinian  reservation.  
Any others will behave in much the same fashion.

Israel must accept their victory and conquest.

8
Business Day

In 2013: Rebounds, Traders and Rights

A look back at a year of change at Netflix and Exxon Mobil, the continuing insider trading case at SAC Capital Advisors and a bruising yet profitable year at Tesla Motors.

 Netflix has done the right thing.  Exxon Mobil makes empty gestures.
SAC Capital is still guilty.  Tesla will survive another year.
 
9
U.S.

As Food Programs Are Cut, Deer Hunters Share the Bounty

With recent cuts to the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the contributions of hunters to a food program are needed more than ever by Texas food banks.
Hunting and Trapping; Deer; Food Banks and Pantries 

The deer herd was not big enough in the nineteenth century.  
It is no bigger now.
Hunters do share.
 
 
10
U.S.

Mission Schools Opened World to Africans, but Left an Ambiguous Legacy

The potentially subversive nature of Christianity’s teachings found expression in the education of a generation of rebels against apartheid.
Missionaries; Colleges and Universities; Apartheid (Policy); Blacks; Education; Politics and Government 

Missionaries demand a steep price for education.  
They destroy the indigenous culture.
 
11
World

A Civil Servant in Mexico Tests U.S. on Asylum

Mexican officials have become frustrated by a local official who has provided residents with letters describing their area’s drug violence to help them seek asylum in the United States.
Asylum, Right of; Drug Cartels; Deportation 

The inmates are in charge of the asylum on both sides of our southern border.

This does not read like things are improving as has been reported.

I believe that C. Ramon Contreras Orozco is an honest man.
 
12
Science

Plants in Peril

Do plants feel pain? When a tree is pruned, for example, does it suffer?
Flowers and Plants; Pain; Gardens and Gardening 

It is not an applicable question.

http://awaytogarden.com/a-favorite-poem-to-mark-passings-in-the-garden

Why Did My Plant Die?
        Geoffrey B. Charlesworth

You walked too close. You trod on it.
You dropped a piece of sod on it.
You hoed it down. You weeded it.
You planted it the wrong way up.
You grew it in a yogurt cup
But you forgot to make a hole;
The soggy compost took its toll.
September storm. November drought.
It heaved in March, the roots popped out.
You watered it with herbicide.
You scattered bonemeal far and wide.
Attracting local omnivores,
Who ate your plant and stayed for more.
You left it baking in the sun
While you departed at a run
To find a spade, perhaps a trowel,
Meanwhile the plant threw in the towel.
You planted it with crown too high;
The soil washed off, that explains why.
Too high pH. It hated lime.
Alas it needs a gentler clime.
You left the root ball wrapped in plastic.
You broke the roots. They’re not elastic.
You walked too close. You trod on it.
You dropped a piece of sod on it.
You splashed the plant with mower oil.
You should do something to your soil.
Too rich. Too poor. Such wretched tilth.
Your soil is clay. Your soil is filth.
Your plant was eaten by a slug.
The growing point contained a bug.
These aphids are controlled by ants,
Who milk the juice, it kills the plants.
In early spring your garden’s mud.
You walked around! That’s not much good.
With heat and light you hurried it.
You worried it. You buried it.
The poor plant missed the mountain air:
No heat, no summer muggs up there.
You overfed it 10-10-10.
Forgot to water it again.
You hit it sharply with the hose.
You used a can without a rose.
Perhaps you sprinkled from above.
You should have talked to it with love.
The nursery mailed it without roots.
You killed it with those gardening boots.
You walked too close. You trod on it.
You dropped a piece of sod on it.

13
Fashion & Style

The Year in Fashion

Names that stood out: John, Raf, Baz and Marc.
Fashion and Apparel; Grammy Awards; New York Fashion Week 

Always fascinating
 
14
World

Militia Leaders in Benghazi

A list of the militia leaders in Benghazi and the roles they played.

I have paid no attention to Libya recently.

15
Business Day

Reading Your Palm for Security’s Sake

The use of biometric scans for consumer identification is growing, but some experts are concerned about the data being hacked or misused.
Identification Devices; Biometrics; Computer Security; Privacy 

Sympathetic human contact is worth the price.

Machines are as cold hearted as bankers.

16
Opinion

More Hunger for the Poorest Americans

Instead of alleviating hunger, Congress is working on a farm bill that would actually reduce crucial food assistance.
Food Stamps; Food Banks and Pantries; Farm Bill (US); United States Politics and Government; Law and Legislation; Unemployment Insurance; Editorials; Food; Crop Controls and Subsidies 

This is not worth the pain.  
Tell them to do it right.
 
17
Fashion & Style

The Year in Fashion

Fashion in 2013: ironic moments, left-field surprises and a few artists who refused to be complacent.
Fashion and Apparel; Art; Celebrities; New York Fashion Week 

Always fascinating.
 
18
Opinion

‘Christmas Icon Reform’

Santa has gone too soft on kids, argues this animated Op-Doc, prompting the need for more frightening holiday icons like the German Krampus.
Christmas; Education 

Do it if you can.

I will stick with Saturnalia.

19
Opinion

Confessions of a Columnist

Here is a look at my three biggest mistakes of 2013.
Shutdowns (Institutional); United States Politics and Government; Writing and Writers 

He is not contrite.
 
20
Opinion

Mistaken Ruling on Contraception

A federal judge did not recognize that the threat to religious liberty comes from employers trying to impose their religious views on workers.
Birth Control and Family Planning; Health Insurance and Managed Care; Religion and Belief; Freedom of Religion 

"[T]he threat to religious liberty comes from employers trying to impose their religious views on workers."


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

@22:50

1
Business Day

Economic Reports for the Week of Dec. 30

The consumer confidence survey for December will be released, Latvia will join the euro zone and Detroit will return to bankruptcy court.
Consumer Confidence (Economic Indicator); Euro (Currency); Bankruptcies 

2
Opinion

Mr. de Blasio Picks His Speaker

Melissa Mark-Viverito, who is expected to be the next City Council speaker, insists that she will be independent and fearless. We’ll see.
City Councils 

Things will be different.   They are rarely better.

Our nation must build a new economy.  
The one we had is gone and will not return.

3
Multimedia/Photos

Video: Times Minute | Post-Christmas Shopping

Also on the Minute, looking back at the top stories of 2013 including Detroit's bankruptcy and Lance Armstrong coming clean.
Christmas; Bankruptcies; Bicycles and Bicycling; Doping (Sports) 

A good idea.
 
4
Real Estate

A Condo for Art Collectors

A new eight-unit condominium in West Chelsea designed with reinforced walls and ceiling lights.
Art; Real Estate Brokers 

Home to my customers.
 
5
World

Journalist Is Beaten in Latest Attack on Ukrainian Opposition

As protests continued, Tetyana Chornovol, who helped expose the opulence of the presidential compound, was brutally attacked outside Kiev, the capital.
Demonstrations, Protests, and Riots; News and News Media; Freedom of the Press; Assaults 

Any way a government can keep control will be tried.
Democracy is more than a good idea.  Legitimacy is built in.
 
6
Health

A.D.H.D. Experts Re-evaluate Study’s Zeal for Drugs

Some authors of a 1990s study worry that it oversold the long-term benefits of medication, discouraging important therapy.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder; Therapy and Rehabilitation; Adderall (Drug); Ritalin (Drug) 

"Most recently, a paper from the study said flatly that using any treatment “does not predict functioning six to eight years later,” leaving the study’s original question — which treatment does the most good long-term? — largely unanswered.
“My belief based on the science is that symptom reduction is a good thing, but adding skill-building is a better thing,” said Stephen Hinshaw, a psychologist at the University of California, Berkeley, and one of the study researchers. “If you don’t provide skills-based training, you’re doing the kid a disservice. I wish we had had a fairer test.” 

8
Business Day

In 2013: Rebounds, Traders and Rights

A look back at a year of change at Netflix and Exxon Mobil, the continuing insider trading case at SAC Capital Advisors and a bruising yet profitable year at Tesla Motors.

9
U.S.

As Food Programs Are Cut, Deer Hunters Share the Bounty


Hunting will not carry our population.

10
World

A Civil Servant in Mexico Tests U.S. on Asylum

11
Science

Plants in Peril


"Why did my plant die?"

12
World

Militia Leaders in Benghazi

A list of the militia leaders in Benghazi and the roles they played.
13
Fashion & Style

The Year in Fashion

15
Business Day

Reading Your Palm for Security’s Sake

16
N.Y. / Region

Cost of Being Mayor? $650 Million, if He’s Rich

An analysis of Michael R. Bloomberg’s personal spending connected to his time and role as mayor found staggering totals on items from bagels to flights by private plane.
Finances; Philanthropy; Mayors; Campaign Finance 

He had the money and did not need to steal.

17
N.Y. / Region

Turning the City’s Wheels in a New Direction

New York’s transportation commissioner, Janette Sadik-Khan, has helped reimagine the city’s streets and how pedestrians, cyclists and drivers use roads.
Transportation; Bicycles and Bicycling 


18
Fashion & Style

The Year in Fashion

Fashion in 2013: ironic moments, left-field surprises and a few artists who refused to be complacent.
Fashion and Apparel; Art; Celebrities; New York Fashion Week19
Opinion

Mistaken Ruling on Contraception

20
Opinion

‘Christmas Icon Reform’




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Sunday, December 29, 2013

@22:48, 12/28/13

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1
Opinion

Congress’s Temerity on Gun Safety

The failure to pass meaningful gun safety laws is part of the tragedy of the Newtown school massacre.
Newtown, Conn, Shooting (2012); Gun Control; Editorials 

This editorial is crude emotional bludgeoning.
There will be action on gun controls.  
The conservatives among the population will fight it at every step.
 
2
N.Y. / Region

Despite New Evidence, Review of Conviction in 1989 Brooklyn Killing Stalls

Jonathan Fleming says he was wrongly convicted of murder, but his and other cases remain in limbo as Charles J. Hynes hands over the office to the incoming Brooklyn district attorney.
Murders and Attempted Murders; Witnesses; District Attorneys; False Arrests, Convictions and Imprisonments 

Prosecutors hate to admit error.  This example looks egregious.

3
U.S.

Considering War’s Toll in Debate on Death Row

A former Marine on death row for shooting his girlfriend and her brother has filed an appeal, arguing that the jury at his trial was not fully informed about his post-traumatic stress disorder.
Veterans; Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder; Capital Punishment; Murders and Attempted Murders 

I would consider reducing the sentence to life without parole.

4
N.Y. / Region

Tiny G.O.P. Minority Searches for Voice in New York City Council

The 51-member Council will have three Republicans starting in January, and they are trying to determine how they can have an impact.
Politics and Government 

On closely divided issues they can have great influence.

5
Business Day

Agreement Reached to Cut Power Use by Cable Devices

The cable TV industry agreed to reduce the electricity needed by set-top boxes even when they are turned off.
Cable Television; Energy Efficiency; Television 

Just pull the plugs.  The clocks
 
6
Technology

Empty Shelves Signal Revival in Game Consoles

Those sales bolster the view that the console business is turning into a two-horse race, with Nintendo a distant third.
Computer and Video Games; Shopping and Retail 

I have not found enough pleasure in computer games to keep me playing.
 
7
Automobiles

Plug In, Turn On, Pass Gas Station

Cars with plugs are finding more buyers, with sales doubling since 2012, but they were still a tiny fraction of the 15 million vehicles sold in 2013.
Automobiles; Electric and Hybrid Vehicles 

http://www.electricdrive.org/index.php?ht=d/sp/i/20952/pid/20952

I am not about to buy one soon.
If you are considering one think about how it would be used.  
There is no point in owning a vehicle that does not fit ones life.
Though I dream I do not know.
8
Automobiles

Maserati Recalls Cars; Mercedes-Benz Investigation Is Upgraded

Maserati will recall 63 vehicles for electrical problems, and an N.H.T.S.A. investigation of more than 250,000 Mercedes-Benz cars has been upgraded.
Automobiles; Automobile Safety Features and Defects; Recalls and Bans of Products 

Silly problems.  
Fix them because they need fixing.
 
9
Multimedia/Photos

Video: Times Minute | Post-Christmas Shopping

Also on the Minute, looking back at the top stories of 2013 including Detroit's bankruptcy and Lance Armstrong coming clean.
Christmas; Bankruptcies; Bicycles and Bicycling; Doping (Sports) 

It was not a good year in retail.

10
Health

Eating Nuts in Pregnancy Tied to Lower Allergy Risk in Offspring

A new study suggests that mothers who eat nuts during pregnancy can eat them without fear of causing nut allergies in their babies.
Babies and Infants; Nuts; Peanuts; Pregnancy and Childbirth 

One less worry for those who might be concerned.
 
11
N.Y. / Region

When a Politician’s Child Goes Astray

Political figures of all persuasions, in and out of office, have had to deal with the foibles of wayward family members.
United States Politics and Government; Youth; Drug Abuse and Traffic; Mental Health and Disorders; Alcohol Abuse; Video Recordings and Downloads; Depression (Mental) 

We can leave the children out of things unless the children insist.
 
12
Opinion

Antibiotics for Livestock

Farm Sanctuary criticizes a new Food and Drug Administration policy.
Factory Farming; Antibiotics; Livestock Diseases; Drugs (Pharmaceuticals); Agriculture and Farming 

More preaching.  
The antibiotics will be reduced in animal husbandry slowly.
Farmers must learn aseptic methods.
 
13
World

Killing and Retaliation at Gaza-Israel Border Continue Violent Cycle

The deaths of an Israeli laborer and a Palestinian toddler were the latest in a growing wave of Israeli-Palestinian violence.
Terrorism; Deaths (Fatalities); Palestinians; Civilian Casualties; Defense and Military Forces 

A state of belligerence continues.

14
U.S.

Massachusetts: Wynn Allowed to Bid for Casino

State gambling regulators have cleared Wynn Resorts to pursue a proposed $1.2 billion resort casino in Everett.
Casinos; Gambling 

Sad.
 
15
Business Day

Aiming to Reinvent Itself, Panasonic Moves Beyond the Living Room

As it backs away from consumer electronics, Panasonic is focusing on two less visible but more profitable areas — homes and cars.
Energy Efficiency; Real Estate and Housing (Residential); Factories and Manufacturing 

Say goodbye to Panasonic.
The battery company may survive.  It will be offshore.
16
Opinion

Dietary Supplements and Safety

A consumer, a pharmacist and an industry group respond to articles raising concerns about their use.
Dietary Supplements and Herbal Remedies; Drugs (Pharmaceuticals); Regulation and Deregulation of Industry 

As recommended, leave the supplements out of the diet.

17
Real Estate

A Condo for Art Collectors

A new eight-unit condominium in West Chelsea designed with reinforced walls and ceiling lights.
Art; Real Estate Brokers 

I do not want to live in a vault.
Even a nice vault on an upper floor.
 
18
U.S.

Hoping the Power of a Bush Can Draw in Hispanics

As a candidate for land commissioner, George P. Bush is a name to be reckoned with. But it is also a name that offers no hint of his Hispanic heritage to Republican voters.
United States Politics and Government; Hispanic-Americans; Elections 

George P. Bush has the wrong relatives.
 
19
World

Journalist Is Beaten in Latest Attack on Ukrainian Opposition

As protests continued, Tetyana Chornovol, who helped expose the opulence of the presidential compound, was brutally attacked outside Kiev, the capital.
Demonstrations, Protests, and Riots; News and News Media; Freedom of the Press; Assaults 

I am not optimistic about democracy's prospects.
 
20
U.S.

2,500 Pigs Join Debate Over Farms vs. Scenery

The installation of a 2,500-pig farm in a major tourist area has raised questions about the environmental impact of such operations.
Agriculture and Farming; Pigs; Environment; Water Pollution 

Enough.