1
Opinion
More Sex, Anyone?
I am always shocked that there are still a handful of defenders of the dubious practice of abstinence, surely the worst idea since chocolate-covered ants.
2
U.S.
Declared Legally Dead, as He Sat Before the Judge
Donald E. Miller Jr., declared dead in 1994 after he drifted away owing child support, was told that Ohio law did not allow a declaration of death to be reversed after three or more years have passed.
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U.S.
West Virginia: One Dead, Scores Injured in Collision
A logging truck and a train collided Friday on Route 250 about 160 miles east of Charleston, killing one person and injuring more than 60 others, officials said."At least six of the injured were hospitalized in serious condition after the accident, which came at the height of fall foliage season in the state's rugged Appalachian region about 160 miles east of Charleston, officials added.
Randolph County Sheriff Mark Brady said two of the train's passenger cars flipped on their sides after impact at a rail crossing with a mountain highway, the log truck was rendered a "total loss" and the truck driver was pronounced dead at the scene.
The truck driver was not immediately identified and news photographs from the scene at West Virginia's Cheat Mountain showed large, heavy logs jumbled beside the two toppled train cars amid a chaotic scene of first responders aiding shaken passengers leaving the train.
Brady said the accident occurred at a train crossing on U.S. Route 250 at a bridge on the mountain. The overturned passenger cars lay beside the tracks, roped off with yellow crime scene tape as police, firefighters and others looked on.
"The railroad crossing signals were flashing at the scene. As all emergency personnel arrived, we observed the signals flashing at the time," Brady said in a taped news conference held with hospital officials who emailed the audio recording to The Associated Press."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elkins,_West_Virginia
4
World
Anger Lingers in Sudan After a Crackdown
The government used what it called an “iron fist” to suppress protests over the lifting of gasoline subsidies, killing many and jailing hundreds. Now detainees are sharing accounts of the abuse they faced.
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World
Fifth Suspect Is Indicted in 2005 Killing of Ex-Lebanese Premier
An international tribunal handed down another indictment against a member of Hezbollah in the bombing that killed Rafik Hariri, the former Lebanese prime minister.
6
Sports
With a Huge Line to Cover, the Jaguars Can Still Hope
The game between the Denver Broncos and the Jacksonville Jaguars is shaping up to be a brutal mismatch, one that has become the talk of the N.F.L. — and of bookmakers.
7
World
In Indonesia, Environmentalists See a Disaster in the Making
Conservationists say rapid clearing of virgin forest in Aceh Province, which had one of the world’s richest ecosystems, threatens endangered species and could trigger flooding.
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Health
Beets for Breakfast, or Dinner
Martha Rose Shulman offers five new ways to eat beets, cooked and raw, sliced and in salsa. You can even have beets for breakfast.
9
Sports
Obama Points to ‘Legitimate Concerns’ Over Redskins’ Name
The long-simmering debate over the Washington Redskins’ name took a new turn when President Obama said that he would consider changing it if he owned the team.
10
Opinion
Neighborhood Watch Fantasists
Florida’s Senate Judiciary Committee has approved some revisions to the state’s notorious Stand Your Ground law. It’s a start.
11
Opinion
Unequal Wealth
A reader disagrees with an Op-Ed article suggesting that we must lower our expectations.
12
Opinion
The Villain in ‘Gravity’ Is Real
Space debris isn’t just a Hollywood fantasy. And so far, there’s no agreed upon way to remove it.
13
Your Money
When Converting a Roth I.R.A. Back to a Traditional One Makes Sense
Because going from a tax-deferred I.R.A. to a tax-free Roth has huge implications, the government gives people a chance to change their minds.
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N.Y. / Region
Schoolchildren at Their Most Generous, City Bureaucracy at Its Least
The Penny Harvest program, in which children collect pennies to help others, may end if the nonprofit group that runs it has to close.
15
Opinion
Schottenfreude
The German’s language’s ability to express the inexpressible explains why so many words have been embraced into English.
16
U.S.
Bay Area Averts a Transit System Strike, for Now
Negotiators for the main commuter railroad in the San Francisco area, BART, agreed to stay at the bargaining table in hopes of reaching a deal.
17
U.S.
Another Military Commander Is Fired
Maj. Gen. Michael Carey, who oversees the nation’s arsenal of intercontinental missiles, was fired on Friday for personal misbehavior, the Air Force said.Fraud for personal gain is serious at all levels.
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Business Day
Economists to Watch for the Nobel Prize
The award for economics will be made on Monday, and more than a dozen names are being mentioned as possible laureates.
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Business Day
Chicken Plants in Salmonella Outbreak Can Stay Open
The Agriculture Department said it would monitor facilities owned by Foster Farms that had been tied to illnesses in 17 states.
20
Travel
Detroit Film Festival Will Focus on the City
The Freep Film festival, scheduled for Detroit next March, will show films about the city (and one about Michigan craft beer).
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Business Day
Who Is Janet Yellen?
Janet L. Yellen, President Obama’s pick to head the Federal Reserve, is favored by Democrats and economists alike.Business and the GOP
Still no resolution on the debt ceiling,
and I think people are still too optimistic here. Republicans still
aren’t willing to walk away from this without some kind of trophy, so
they can claim victory; the whole point of Obama’s position is that you
don’t get anything, not even something trivial, as a reward for
threatening disaster.
Meanwhile, Republicans are getting a lot of pressure from business, which doesn’t like what’s happening. And some pundits are already speculating about the possibility either of a split within the GOP or a kind of coup in which the business-backed party elders take control back from the crazies.
So I’ve been thinking about this, and have managed to convince myself that it’s wishful thinking.
Now, it’s true that Republicans are bad for business — and they didn’t start being bad for business when the latest hostage crisis erupted. Ever since Republicans retook the House, federal spending adjusted for inflation and population has been dropping fast:
Real federal spending per capita
This is exactly the wrong thing to be doing in a still-depressed
economy with interest rates at zero; my back of the envelope says that
GDP would be at least 2 percent higher, and corporate profits at least 6
percent higher, if this wrong-headed austerity weren’t taking place. So
even before the current crisis Republican obstructionism was costing
corporate America a lot of money.
But here’s the thing: while the modern GOP is bad for business, it’s arguably good for wealthy business leaders. After all, it keeps their taxes low, so that their take-home pay is probably higher than it would be under better economic management.
Also, when you make as much money as the 0.1 percent does, it’s no longer about what you can buy — it’s about prestige, about receiving deference, about what Tom Wolfe (in an essay I haven’t been able to find) called “seeing ‘em jump.” And there’s clearly more of that kind of satisfaction under Republicans; under Democrats, as Aimai at No More Mister Nice Blog points out, tycoons suffer the agony of having to deal with people they can’t fire.
In a way, this is an inversion of the usual argument made by defenders of inequality. They’re always saying that workers should be happy to accept a declining share of national income, because the incentives associated with inequality make the economic pie bigger, and they end up better off in the end. What’s really going on with plutocrats right now, however, is that they’re basically willing to accept lousy economic policies from right-wing politicians as long as they get a bigger share of the shrinking pie.
This may sound very cynical — but then, if you aren’t cynical at this point, you aren’t paying attention. And I suspect that the GOP would have to get a lot crazier before big business bails.
Update: And my thanks to readers, who pointed me to that Tom Wolfe article, “The ultimate power: seeing ‘em jump,” which is as good as I remembered."
Meanwhile, Republicans are getting a lot of pressure from business, which doesn’t like what’s happening. And some pundits are already speculating about the possibility either of a split within the GOP or a kind of coup in which the business-backed party elders take control back from the crazies.
So I’ve been thinking about this, and have managed to convince myself that it’s wishful thinking.
Now, it’s true that Republicans are bad for business — and they didn’t start being bad for business when the latest hostage crisis erupted. Ever since Republicans retook the House, federal spending adjusted for inflation and population has been dropping fast:
Real federal spending per capitaBut here’s the thing: while the modern GOP is bad for business, it’s arguably good for wealthy business leaders. After all, it keeps their taxes low, so that their take-home pay is probably higher than it would be under better economic management.
Also, when you make as much money as the 0.1 percent does, it’s no longer about what you can buy — it’s about prestige, about receiving deference, about what Tom Wolfe (in an essay I haven’t been able to find) called “seeing ‘em jump.” And there’s clearly more of that kind of satisfaction under Republicans; under Democrats, as Aimai at No More Mister Nice Blog points out, tycoons suffer the agony of having to deal with people they can’t fire.
In a way, this is an inversion of the usual argument made by defenders of inequality. They’re always saying that workers should be happy to accept a declining share of national income, because the incentives associated with inequality make the economic pie bigger, and they end up better off in the end. What’s really going on with plutocrats right now, however, is that they’re basically willing to accept lousy economic policies from right-wing politicians as long as they get a bigger share of the shrinking pie.
This may sound very cynical — but then, if you aren’t cynical at this point, you aren’t paying attention. And I suspect that the GOP would have to get a lot crazier before big business bails.
Update: And my thanks to readers, who pointed me to that Tom Wolfe article, “The ultimate power: seeing ‘em jump,” which is as good as I remembered."
3
Science
Electric Water Droplets and a Secret to Long Life (in Rats, Anyway)
Recent developments in health and science news. This week: Researchers have found electric charges in water droplets that bounce off metal surfaces, and a secret to the longevity of naked mole rats.
4
Business Day
Seeking a Staredown With Google Glass
Spurred by Google Glass, rivals will offer their own smart glasses — many of which will have a different look and be geared toward specialized markets.
5
World
Fifth Suspect Is Indicted in 2005 Killing of Ex-Lebanese Premier
An international tribunal handed down another indictment against a member of Hezbollah in the bombing that killed Rafik Hariri, the former Lebanese prime minister.Huge Car Bomb Kills Lebanon's Former Prime Minister
A leading opposition figure was among the 10 dead. The White House's unusually strong reaction seemed aimed at Syria.February 14, 2005 - - International - Print Headline: "Huge Car Bomb Kills Lebanon's Former Prime Minister"
6
Opinion
The Villain in ‘Gravity’ Is Real
7
Opinion
Gambling on Loaded Language
A New York State judge should not allow lawmakers to skew the wording on a ballot in a way that tips the scales in favor of a pro-gambling outcome.
8
Opinion
The End of the Nation-State?
With rapid urbanization under way, cities want to call their own shots. Increasingly, they can.
9
Opinion
Berlusconi, Isolated
A reader from Ireland says the refusal of the former Italian prime minister’s party to back him in bringing down Prime Minister Enrico Letta’s government is good news for Italy and for Europe.
10
U.S.
Car Search Yields No Clues in Fatal Chase
The police found no weapon in the car of a Connecticut woman who was killed by officers after trying to ram her vehicle through a White House barrier, court papers said.
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12
World
Kerry Praises Syria’s Compliance
Secretary of State John Kerry said the United States and Russia were “very pleased” with progress in destroying chemical weapons.
13
N.Y. / Region
Cuomo Denounces Con Ed’s Proposed Rate Increase
In a letter to the state’s Public Service Commission, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said the utility should be denied the $450 million rate increase it was seeking.
14
Automobiles
They Like the Cars, but Love the Engines
The Slant Six Gathering in the San Francisco Bay Area brings together people devoted to that durable Chrysler engine.
15
N.Y. / Region
In New Jersey Debate, a State Senator Tries to Deflate a Confident Christie
Gov. Chris Christie and State Senator Barbara Buono faced off in the first debate of the race for governor Tuesday night, with Ms. Buono looking to make an impression.
16
Technology
U.S. Upholds Ban on Some Samsung Products
The move, which covers the company’s older smartphones and tablets, was originally requested by Apple in a patent fight.
17
N.Y. / Region
Hecklers Greet Hynes Effort to Renew Bid for Re-election
Charles J. Hynes, publicly announcing his re-election effort as the Republican and Conservative nominee, attacked the man who beat him in the Democratic primary.
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19
U.S.
Divide Narrows as Talks to Resolve Fiscal Crisis Go On
President Obama and Congressional Republicans on Friday showed greater flexibility but headed into the weekend without a deal to reopen the government and raise the debt ceiling.
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