@11:50, 1/30/15

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1

Science

Left Means Less, Even for Chickens

By ERICA GOODE | Jan 29th 2015

Scientists found that newborn chicks, like people, seem to map numbers spatially, associating smaller amounts with the left and larger ones with the right.

Numbers; Chickens; Research 

Point not proven. 

The experimenter's assumptions can easily enter the training.of the chicks.

2

U.S.

Obama to Unveil Research Initiative to Develop Tailored Medical Treatments

By ROBERT PEAR | Jan 30th 2015

Plans include collecting genetic data on one million Americans so that scientists can suit drugs and treatments to patients’ specific traits, officials said.

Genetics and Heredity; Medicine and Health; Research 

Now that the insurance companies are less powerful the proposed program is less risky.

3

N.Y. / Region

Dog Missing for Months Is Rescued Amid Snowstorm

By J. DAVID GOODMAN | Jan 27th 2015

Burt, a gray whippet who disappeared from his Harlem home, was discovered months later and miles away by a resourceful Fire Department lieutenant.

Dogs; Fires and Firefighters 

A sweet story.

4

N.Y. / Region

More Special-Needs Students Remain at Charter Schools, Report Finds

By ELIZABETH A. HARRIS | Jan 29th 2015

New York City’s Independent Budget Office found that 53 percent of charter school kindergartners with disabilities were still in the same schools four years later, compared with 49 percent in traditional schools.

Education (K-12); Special Education; Charter Schools; Disabilities 

Eight percent of the students attend charter schools.

About half the students with disabilities are retained in all schools.

Selection makes about a four percent difference.

5

U.S.

Arizona: Suspect Awaited Deportation

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Jan 27th 2015

A man awaiting a deportation hearing was out on bond when he killed a Phoenix-area convenience store clerk over a pack of cigarettes, federal authorities said.

Murders, Attempted Murders and Homicides; Deportation; Immigration and Emigration

Apolinar Altamirano could not stay out of trouble

6.

Travel

Video: 36 Hours in Belfast

Fritzie Andrade, Max Cantor, Chris Carmichael and Will Lloyd | Jan 28th 2015

Belfast has been coming into its own in the last few years, developing a vibrant restaurant scene, award-winning architecture and a new cosmopolitanism.

Travel and Vacations; Bars and Nightclubs

I know nothing of that group of my relatives.
Cities work better when.people are not shooting random individuals.

7

N.Y. / Region

Motorcyclist Pleads Guilty to Assault in 2013 Attack on S.U.V. Driver in Manhattan

By JAMES C. McKINLEY Jr. | Jan 28th 2015

Christopher Cruz, 29, will serve four months in jail for his role in a confrontation along the Henry Hudson Parkway that ended with the beating of a motorist.

Assaults; Sentences (Criminal)

An s.u.v. offers no immunity.

8

Science

In the Way Cancer Cells Work Together, a Possible Tool for Their Demise

By CARL ZIMMER | Jan 29th 2015

Research on the cooperation that goes on in a cancerous tumor could point to a new strategy for fighting the disease.

Tumors; Cancer

A report of a phenomenon.
There is no more than that as yet.

9

Science

Video: Counting by Chickens

Jan 29th 2015

Researchers demonstrated that chickens naturally order numbers left to right. When the number five is in the middle, chickens naturally go left for lower numbers and to the right for higher numbers.

Case: not proven.

10

U.S.

Keystone XL Pipeline Bill Advances to Final Vote in Senate

By CORAL DAVENPORT | Jan 29th 2015

The Senate voted to end debate on the bill with a final passage of the bill allowing construction of the oil pipeline expected later on Thursday.

Keystone Pipeline System; Law and Legislation; United States Economy; Oil (Petroleum) and Gasoline

There will be a veto.

11

Opinion

Can Students Have Too Much Tech?

By SUSAN PINKER | Jan 30th 2015

The wired classroom may actually widen the learning gap.

Education (K-12); Computers and the Internet; Research 

Susan Pinker is of the opinion that students can have too much tech.
I disagree.
Let the children's curiosity drive them.  They will learn.
It will look like fun and games but each game requires skill.
All learners are self taught
and self motivated.

12

Business Day

Showtime Plans a Global Push, Starting With a Canadian Deal

By EMILY STEEL | Jan 29th 2015

It will be the first time Showtime’s programming will be distributed and marketed under the Showtime umbrella outside the United States.

Television

Just ugly.
Television is mostly unwatchable now.

13

The Upshot

A ‘Rich’ Person Is Someone Who Makes 50 Percent More Than You

By JOSH BARRO | Jan 29th 2015

To grasp why President Obama’s plan to end tax benefits for college savings plans died a quick death, take a closer look at the “merely affluent.”

Income Tax; Tax Credits, Deductions and Exemptions; Colleges and Universities; Tuition

Loss of a benefit will evoke screams.

14

U.S.

Pennsylvania: Man Accused of Killing a State Trooper Pleads Not Guilty

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Jan 29th 2015

Eric Frein, 31, was charged with first-degree murder, terrorism and other offenses in the Sept. 12 ambush that killed Cpl. Bryon Dickson and severely wounded Trooper Alex Douglass.

Attacks on Police; Murders, Attempted Murders and Homicides

ok

15

N.Y. / Region

New York City Is Spared the Worst Effects of Snowstorm

By MARC SANTORA and EMMA G. FITZSIMMONS | Jan 27th 2015

The National Weather Service said the blizzard warning for the city had been canceled, as the dire warnings that it could be one of the worst storms in the city’s history failed to materialize.

Snow and Snowstorms; Weather; Delays (Transportation)

Proper action.
Storm tracks are hard to predict with precision.

16

The Upshot

Why Spending Is Back in Season in Washington

By JOHN HARWOOD | Jan 28th 2015

The deficit is down, for now, and the sense of budgetary crisis has vanished as bipartisan pressure is rising to increase spending.

Federal Budget (US); United States Politics and Government; Taxation; United States Economy; Social Security (US)

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/01/30/i-see-very-serious-dead-people/

"In the long run, of course, when we’re all dead.

I’m scrambling on last-minute course prep, so not much blogging today. But yesterday’s Steve Rattner article, misuse of labor cost data aside, had me thinking about an issue that has had me annoyed ever since this crisis began: the constant efforts on the part of Very Serious People to turn discussions away from monetary and fiscal policy, recessions and sluggish recoveries, to the supposedly more fundamental issues of structural reform and long-term growth. Rattner dismisses the austerity/stimulus debate as “simplistic”; Jeff Sachs calls Keynesian concerns “crude”; many, many people (I’d guess an especially large fraction of those at Davos) are eager to get away from all this deflation stuff and talk about how what they imagine to be, or wish were, the really important issues like Big Data and a world that’s even flatter.

There were people like that during the Great Depression too — dismissing as naive any notion that you could put the unemployed back to work just by spending more, and surely technological unemployment was the real story, and anyway we should be looking at the broad sweep of history and institutions, right?

So, a few points.

First, we’re now in year eight of a massive setback to economic growth, to living standards; US per capita GDP has barely surpassed 2007 levels, while median income is still far below, and Europe is doing much worse. Technology hasn’t retrogressed; institutions haven’t suddenly gotten far worse. This is about the business cycle, and about business cycle policy. If you want to ignore all that, because in the long run it’s the fundamentals that matter, you’re exactly the kind of person Keynes was mocking:

But this long run is a misleading guide to current affairs. In the long run we are all dead. Economists set themselves too easy, too useless a task if in tempestuous seasons they can only tell us that when the storm is long past the ocean is flat again.

Second, more or less Keynesian macroeconomics — the macroeconomics of short-run fluctuations driven by aggregate demand — has worked very well in this long slump. While people were very seriously intoning that it was simplistic and crude to think that those little models could be of any use in a changing world yada yada, macroeconomists were making remarkable, counterintuitive predictions — about inflation (or the lack thereof), about interest rates, about the effects of austerity — that came true and were, if you think about it, an intellectual triumph. Yes, good macro tends to be simple, at least conceptually; but simple and simplistic aren’t the same thing, and by and large people who solemnly declared that things are more complicated than that ended up with lots of egg on their faces.

Third, what’s really striking about all the talk about how long-run structural issues are the real thing is how fuzzy the thinking is. In a world that is short of demand, how, exactly, is structural reform that enhances the supply side (if it does) supposed to solve the problem? If Europe’s problem is lack of competitiveness, why doesn’t a weaker euro solve it — and for that matter, why is Europe as a whole, and Germany in particular in trade surplus? For people who are supposedly so serious, the Very Serious seem remarkably casual about thinking things through.

Finally, I know that people who airily dismiss the austerity debate and all that and demand that we focus on the long run think they’re taking a brave stand; but you know, they aren’t. In fact, they’re ducking the truly hard issues — because let’s face it, stimulus and austerity, QE or not, are politically charged issues where taking any kind of stand will get you attacked. And since they are also important issues, pretending that they aren’t is a form of moral cowardice."

N.Y. / Region

System That Powers City Is Shut Down by Threat of Snow

By JIM DWYER | Jan 27th 2015

In the 110-year history of the New York City subway system, it had never been shut down over an impending snowstorm. Despite the precaution, the storm delivered little in the city.

Snow and Snowstorms; Subways

For Republicans Democrats can do nothing right.

18

Science

Snowstorm’s Forecast Was Mostly Right, Even if It Felt Wrong in New York

By HENRY FOUNTAIN | Jan 27th 2015

Meteorologists said their computer models correctly predicted a major snowfall in the Northeast, but it intensified 50 to 100 miles farther east than expected, mostly sparing New York City.

Snow and Snowstorms

Yes.

19

U.S.

Budget Office Slashes Estimated Cost of Health Coverage

By ROBERT PEAR | Jan 26th 2015

Changes to the predicted price tag for coverage under the Affordable Care Act resulted from many factors, including a general “slowdown in the growth of health care costs.”

Health Insurance and Managed Care; Federal Budget (US); Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (2010)

Yes.

20

U.S.

Utah Court Strips Criminal of Right to Counsel, and Some Lawyers Object

By JACK HEALY | Jan 28th 2015

The Utah Supreme Court recently ruled that it was justified in cutting off a white supremacist’s access to public defenders after he had behaved so badly with so many of them.

Legal Profession; Public Defenders and Court-Appointed Lawyers (Criminal)

I agree with the lawyer.
The judge has overstepped in this case.

|

@4:00, 1/29/15

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1

Science

Cleaning Up Water by Running It Through Dirt

By NICHOLAS BAKALAR | Jan 26th 2015

Storm runoff can be toxic to aquatic life, but a study suggests that filtering the water through dirt before it enters streams, rivers or the ocean is a solution.

Filters; Water; Water Pollution

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_treatment
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_purification
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_purification#Slow_sand_filters
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slow_sand_filter

2

Science

New Phase of Space Travel Hopes to Set Sail on Sunlight

By KENNETH CHANG | Jan 26th 2015

The Planetary Society announced that it would send the first of two small spacecraft testing the technology of solar sails into orbit in May.

Space and Astronomy; Rocket Science and Propulsion; Sunlight

The project is begun.

"The meek shall inherit the earth.  The rest of us will go on to the stars."
            Larry Niven

3

World

British Data Echoes U.S. Climate Report

By REUTERS | Jan 26th 2015

Last year tied with 2010 as the hottest on record, in a new sign of long-term global warming stoked by human activities, British researchers said Monday.

Global Warming

Confirmation that the discrepancies are meaningless.
The world is warmer due to human efforts. 

4

World

Two Japanese Hostages, as Different as Can Be, Linked by Fate in Syria

By MARTIN FACKLER | Jan 25th 2015

The surviving hostage is a respected journalist, while the other man was a lost soul who had attempted suicide and seemed to become unhinged by setbacks in life.

Kidnapping and Hostages

ISIS seeks victory.

5

Science

Hoping to Set Sail on Sunlight

By KENNETH CHANG | Jan 26th 2015

Yes.

6

U.S.

Marcus Borg, Liberal Christian Scholar, Dies at 72

By LAURIE GOODSTEIN | Jan 26th 2015

Professor Borg was among a group of scholars, known as the Jesus Seminar, who set out to discern which of Jesus’ acts and utterances could be confirmed as historically true, and which were merely myths.

Christians and Christianity; Deaths (Obituaries); Religion and Belief

"Do as you would be done by. The rest is commentary."
 Maimonades.
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maimonades.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elaine_Pagels
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elaine_Pagels#Books

• Reading Judas: The Gospel of Judas and the Shaping of Christianity together with Karen L. King, (2007), Viking Press, 224 p., ISBN 0-670-03845-8

7

Science

New Report Urges Western Governments to Reconsider Reliance on Biofuels

By JUSTIN GILLIS | Jan 28th 2015

An environmental think tank says turning plant matter into liquid fuel or electricity is so inefficient that the approach is unlikely ever to supply a substantial fraction of global energy demand.

Bioenergy and Biofuels; Solar Energy

"Moreover, biofuels are an inefficient way to convert sunlight to fuel, meaning an immense amount of land would be required to supply a significant fraction of global energy demand, Mr. Searchinger said.

That land will also be needed to help meet a global appetite for food that is expected to rise 70 percent or so by 2050, he said.

“We’ve only got one planet, with only so much land,” Mr. Searchinger said. “If you use land for one purpose, you can’t use it for another.”"


8

World

Russia: Court Rules for Rights Group

By ANDREW ROTH | Jan 28th 2015

Russia’s Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed a government effort to shut down Memorial, the country’s oldest human rights advocacy group.

Decisions and Verdicts

Russia may not be ready for war.   Still . . .  don't poke the tiger.

9

Opinion

Czar Putin’s Next Moves

By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN | Jan 28th 2015

Is anyone paying attention to the awful things President Vladimir Putin of Russia is doing to Ukraine, not to mention his own country?

Embargoes and Sanctions; United States International Relations 

Russia will continue suffer from inflation and trade isolation.

The Saudis will keep Europe warm.

Putin's next move is to the south of France.

10

World

Michelle Obama Praised for Bold Stand She Didn’t Take in Saudi Arabia

By ROBERT MACKEY | Jan 28th 2015

The first lady observed longstanding diplomatic protocol by not covering her hair during a visit with the new Saudi leader this week.

United States International Relations; First Ladies (US); Women and Girls

No news here.

11

Health

Hold the Drug, Go Straight to the Source

By DONALD G. McNEIL Jr. | Jan 26th 2015

The ground-up plants from which the anti-malaria drug artemisinin is derived appear to work better that the drug itself, new research shows.

Malaria; Parasites; Medicine and Health

An interesting fact is noted but not yet explained.

12

N.Y. / Region

Joan Rivers’s Doctor Denies Accusations That She Fled Procedure Room

By ANEMONA HARTOCOLLIS | Jan 28th 2015

A malpractice lawsuit filed by Ms. Rivers’s daughter claims that Dr. Gwen Korovin panicked and abandoned Ms. Rivers when she went into cardiac arrest during a procedure on Aug. 28.

Malpractice

I have nothing to contribute in this argument.
We do not know the facts.

13

Opinion

Good Riddance to the Foam Take-Out Carton

By MARK BITTMAN | Jan 28th 2015

Containers that don’t lend themselves to recycling are on the way out, if not via national legislation or the E.P.A. then through local and state laws.

Foam; Waste Materials and Disposal; Plastics; Plastic Bags

Mark Bittman is correct.
I slip. 

14

The Upshot

We Can’t Blame a Few Rich People for Global Poverty

By JUSTIN WOLFERS | Jan 28th 2015

The world’s richest 80 people hold as much wealth as the poorest half of the entire planet, but that says more about the poor than the rich.

Third World and Developing Countries; Poverty 

The equality should not exist.
Blame does not enter the problem.

15

U.S.

Virginia: Ex-Governor Free During Appeal

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Jan 26th 2015

Former Gov. Bob McDonnell will remain free while he appeals his corruption convictions, a federal court ruled Monday.

Sentences (Criminal)

I will be surprised if Gov.McDonnell's appeal is successful.

16

Technology

Avoiding Botnets With a Mac

By J. D. BIERSDORFER | Jan 28th 2015

Windows PCs are often the main targets of malicious software that loops infected computers into remote-controlled networks called botnets, but Macs are not immune.

Computers and the Internet; Cyberattacks and Hackers; Cameras; Computer Security; Mobile Applications

Memory cards are not large or expensive.
Buy another.
Memory cards are much less expensive than lost pictures.

17

U.S.

Iowa: Governor in Hospital for Flulike Symptoms

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Jan 26th 2015

Gov. Terry Branstad was hospitalized Monday after he fell ill at an event.

Hospitals

I object to his politics.  I know nothing of the man.

18

U.S.

As in 2012, Romney Can Do No Right in Murdoch’s Eyes

By AMY CHOZICK and MICHAEL BARBARO | Jan 27th 2015

As Mitt Romney considers a 2016 presidential run, he again finds ill will instead of favor from Rupert Murdoch, a reality that has pained and angered Mr. Romney’s allies.

Presidential Election of 2016; News and News Media

Rupert Murdoch does not contribute to the political debate.

19

World

In Pakistan, a Charity Project Points to Official Tolerance of Militants

By SABA IMTIAZ and DECLAN WALSH | Jan 28th 2015

On Monday, Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, the founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba, the group that waged the deadly 2008 Mumbai attacks, inaugurated an ambulance service run by the group’s charity wing, Jamaat-ud-Dawa, in Karachi.

Terrorism; Ambulances

It is not our problem.

20

U.S.

Texas: Case Against Perry Stands

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Jan 27th 2015

Judge Bert Richardson refused Tuesday to dismiss a felony abuse-of-power case against former Gov. Rick Perry, rejecting arguments that Mr. Perry was acting within his rights as chief executive when he carried out a veto threat.

Rick Perry will not be president.

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

@10:30

1

Science

Study Suggests Earlier Use of Tools by Hominids

By DOUGLAS QUENQUA | Jan 26th 2015

Human ancestors developed hands that were better suited to holding tools than climbing trees up to 600,000 years earlier than previously thought.

Bones; Archaeology 

Humanity is older than I thought.

2

U.S.

States Move to Make Citizenship Exams a Classroom Aid

By RICK ROJAS and MOTOKO RICH | Jan 27th 2015

Arizona became the first state to require its high school students to pass the test that is given to immigrants who want to become United States citizens.

Tests and Examinations; Education (K-12); United States Politics and Government; Citizenship and Naturalization; Education 

An interesting act.

3

Science

New Phase of Space Travel Hopes to Set Sail on Sunlight

By KENNETH CHANG | Jan 26th 2015

4

Opinion

Continued Assaults on Health Reform

By THE EDITORIAL BOARD | Jan 28th 2015

Republicans in Congress are trying to dismantle the Affordable Care Act piece by piece.

Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (2010); Working Hours; Law and Legislation; Labor and Jobs; United States Politics and Government

yes

5

Automobiles

Video Review: The 2015 Nissan Murano, Dressed Up and Looking Good

By TOM VOELK | Jan 26th 2015

The company doesn’t tend to play it safe with design, and the new Murano has elements, like its flowing brightwork, that are bold and refreshing.

Automobiles

It is nothing I want.

6

Science

Cleaning Up Water by Running It Through Dirt

By NICHOLAS BAKALAR | Jan 26th 2015 

7

The Upshot

Hearing From Your Congressman, and Hearing and Hearing

By DEREK WILLIS | Jan 27th 2015

A look at the congressional franking privilege, a survival from Colonial days, updated for the Internet era.

Franking Privilege; United States Politics and Government 

Congress should support the Post Office.

8

World

Brazil: Drastic Water Rationing May Be Put in Place in São Paulo

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Jan 28th 2015

The worst drought to hit São Paulo, Brazil’s biggest city, in decades may leave many residents with water service only two days a week.

Water; Rationing and Allocation of Resources; Reservoirs 

Five days off would count as a disaster. 

10 gallons per person, four persons per house,  forty gallons. 

9

Business Day

Using Smartphones and Apps to Enhance Loyalty Programs

By JOHN GROSSMANN | Jan 28th 2015

Small businesses can now target specific customers, influence their behavior and keep track of the results, while offering better rewards.

Mobile Applications; Customer Loyalty Programs; Small Business; Advertising and Marketing 

I would rather pay full price.

10

The Upshot

The Goal Was Simplicity; Instead, There’s a Many-Headed Medicaid

By MARGOT SANGER-KATZ | Jan 28th 2015

Medicaid has become less uniform and more complicated, with variations across states, but researchers will be able to watch many experiments bloom.

Medicaid; Health Insurance and Managed Care; States (US); Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (2010)

Punishing the poor for their poverty.

The programs look sadistic.

11

U.S.

Plan to Protect Refuge Has Alaskans Offended and Fearful Over Money

By KIRK JOHNSON | Jan 26th 2015

Bitter reaction to the Obama administration’s proposal to protect a huge portion of the Arctic goes beyond political divisions over oil and environmental policy.

Oil (Petroleum) and Gasoline; United States Politics and Government; Offshore Drilling and Exploration 

Oil income is not an entitlement.

12

Science

How the Smell of Rain Bubbles From the Ground

By JAMES GORMAN | Jan 26th 2015

13

N.Y. / Region

Weather Briefings Put Focus on Mayor de Blasio’s Sign-Language Interpreter

By MICHAEL M. GRYNBAUM | Jan 28th 2015

Jonathan Lamberton’s expressive style, an innovative form of interpreting that can be easier for some hearing-impaired people to understand, has created awe and amusement on social media.

Sign Language; Translation and Interpreters; Language and Languages; Deafness; Disabilities 

I have not noticed.

14

Opinion

‘Moonshot’ Medicine Will Let Us Down

By MICHAEL J. JOYNER | Jan 29th 2015

The connections between genes and disease remain murky.

Genetics and Heredity; Tests (Medical); Research; DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid); Medicine and Health

"Sour grapes"

We will learn by the effort.

15

Movies

Video: Dressing the Hawkings

Eugene Yi, Channon Hodge, Rachel Lee Harris and Hazel Thompson | Jan 28th 2015

Steven Noble, the costume designer for “The Theory of Everything,” tried to echo the characters’ long emotional journeys in increasingly muted, heavy and oversized clothes.

Movies; Costumes

The blog:

• Blog: Clothes and Character: ‘Theory,’ ‘Selma’ and ‘Hobbit’ 

A thoughtful consideration of costume design. 

16

Opinion

Farming Science, Without the Conscience

By THE EDITORIAL BOARD | Jan 26th 2015

The taxpayer-financed U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, home to sickening experiments, should be reformed — or shut down.

Animal Abuse, Rights and Welfare; Research; Factory Farming 

I would rather see the work done well.

17

Your Money

After a Bad Decision, Avoid the Shame and the Blame

Jan 26th 2015

When talking about money, couples should make the commitment to avoid blaming each other for past decisions that went awry.

Personal Finances 

Sooner is better.  As soon as you can is best.

18

Automobiles

Video: Driven | 2015 Nissan Murano

Tom Voelk/Driven | Jan 26th 2015

19

U.S.

New England’s Next Task: Digging Out

By KATHARINE Q. SEELYE | Jan 28th 2015

The region is struggling to get back to normal after receiving record amounts of snow from the first major winter storm of the year.

Snow and Snowstorms; Power Failures and Blackouts 

Abandoning the town would be rational.

Beach residents are not noted for rationality.

20

Science

Hoping to Set Sail on Sunlight

By KENNETH CHANG | Jan 26th 2015

Tell us after the test.

|

@15:20, 1/27/15

|



1

World

Israel: Dissident Reservists Dismissed

By JODI RUDOREN | Jan 26th 2015

The military on Monday terminated the service of 43 reservists who in September signed a letter refusing to participate in “actions against Palestinians” for moral reasons.

Palestinians

Netanyahu wants victory.

2

Opinion

Shifting Realities in Syria

By THE EDITORIAL BOARD | Jan 24th 2015

The greater threat is the Islamic State, not President Bashar al-Assad. America will have to live with him, at least for now.

United States International Relations 

There is no plan for Syria and Iraq.

3

U.S.

Obama to Request Research Funding for Treatments Tailored to Patients’ DNA

By ROBERT PEAR | Jan 24th 2015

President Obama’s budget will seek hundreds of millions of dollars for “personalized medicine,” a proposal that is expected to receive bipartisan support in Congress.

Genetics and Heredity; Drugs (Pharmaceuticals); Federal Budget (US) 

Personalized medicine gets a tentative ok.

4

Health

Autism Diagnosis in Siblings Serves as Poor Indicator of Risk

By BENEDICT CAREY | Jan 26th 2015

Most siblings with a diagnosis do not share the same genetic risk factors for the disorder and are as distinct in their behaviors as any brothers and sisters, scientists reported.

Autism; Genetics and Heredity; Research

Medicine is still looking for an analytic cause.  

5

U.S.

Obama to Seek to Protect Millions of Acres of Arctic Habitat

By CORAL DAVENPORT | Jan 25th 2015

The move to increase environmental protections for pristine animal habitat in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge already has triggered fierce opposition from Alaska’s Republican lawmakers.

United States Politics and Government; Wilderness Areas; Oil (Petroleum) and Gasoline; Offshore Drilling and Exploration 

The problem is always the price congress will demand of Obama.

 

6

Business Day

Supreme Court Rules Against Retirees in Health Benefits Case

By ADAM LIPTAK | Jan 26th 2015

The unanimous decision reversed a lower court ruling that found the benefits had vested for life.

Decisions and Verdicts; Health Insurance and Managed Care; Collective Bargaining 

Returned to the appeals court.  

The retiree's benefits should vest.

7

World

Flydubai Jet Hit by Gunfire as It Lands in Baghdad

By KAREEM FAHIM | Jan 27th 2015

The attack, which took place on Monday, added to fears that Iraq’s airports are increasingly vulnerable to militant attacks.

Airlines and Airplanes; Aviation Accidents, Safety and Disasters

A "golden BB".

The plane was ten minutes from landing.  

It would have been half a mile up and traveling several hundred miles per hour.

It was more than fifty miles from Baghdad.

8

Science

Video: Unlikely Friends

Erica Goode and Ashley Maas | Jan 26th 2015

Videos of unlikely animal friendships are popular on social media. Scientists are now considering how to define such relationships and why they are so fascinating to us.

Social Media; Animals 

• Article: Learning From Animal Friendships

There is no physical problem to friendship between cultures.

The problem is the cultures.

 9

World

Malaysia: Airline Website Is Hacked

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Jan 25th 2015

Malaysia Airlines’s website has been hacked by a group that posted a message proclaiming support for the Islamic State militant group.

Airlines and Airplanes; Cyberattacks and Hackers 

Simply noise.

10

Opinion

President Obama Protects a Valued Wilderness

By THE EDITORIAL BOARD | Jan 27th 2015

A new proposal would protect 1.5 million acres of coastal plain in the Arctic by barring oil-and-gas exploration.

Oil (Petroleum) and Gasoline; Wilderness Areas; Offshore Drilling and Exploration; United States Politics and Government; Land Use Policies 

Protection is the proper thing to do.

11

U.S.

Video: White House Says Device Poses No Threat

AP | Jan 26th 2015

Josh Earnest, the White House press secretary, says that a small electronic device found on the White House lawn overnight is not thought to pose a threat to anyone within the building.

Drones (Pilotless Planes) 

There are bigger drones.

12

U.S.

White House to Propose Allowing Oil Drilling off Atlantic Coast

By CORAL DAVENPORT | Jan 26th 2015

While backing a decades-old effort by the energy industry, the Obama administration is also expected to ban drilling in some areas off Alaska.

Oil (Petroleum) and Gasoline; Offshore Drilling and Exploration 

A price asked and given.

13

U.S.

Obama Plan Calls for Oil and Gas Drilling in the Atlantic

By CORAL DAVENPORT | Jan 27th 2015

An ocean area stretching from Virginia to Georgia would be open to drilling, but bans would be placed on some drilling in Alaska under the proposal.

Offshore Drilling and Exploration; Oceans and Seas; United States Politics and Government

It will never be easier to not drill.

14

U.S.

Alabama: State Will Contest Ruling for Gay Marriage

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Jan 26th 2015

The state on Monday began the process of appealing a federal judge’s decision that overturned the state’s ban on same-sex marriage.

Same-Sex Marriage, Civil Unions and Domestic Partnerships

"We hope that we can stay cool and calm when Alabama gets the bomb."

15

Business Day

In Emergencies, Companies Are Turning to Employee-Tracking Services

By JANE L. LEVERE | Jan 26th 2015

Businesses are placing more emphasis on making sure they know exactly where their workers are, especially when they are working in remote or dangerous areas.

Business Travel; Terrorism; Evacuations and Evacuees

companies can monitor their employees.  American governments cannot monitor arbitrary citizens.

16

Opinion

How Did Politics Get So Personal?

By THOMAS B. EDSALL | Jan 28th 2015

One study shows that from 1960 to 2010 the percentage of Republicans and Democrats who would be upset if their children married across party lines shot up.

Conservatism (US Politics); Liberalism (US Politics) 

Politics has always been personal and tribal.
The leadership of the G.O.P. has made the tribal central.

17

N.Y. / Region

By Blocking View of the Brooklyn Bridge, a Building Incites a Battle

By LISA W. FODERARO | Jan 25th 2015

A development in Brooklyn Bridge Park has affected the view of the Brooklyn Bridge from the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, causing controversy in the neighborhood.

Zoning; Buildings (Structures)

Tragic could describe the situation.
Greed usually wins these contests.

18

World

Botched Philippine Police Raid Jeopardizes Peace Deal With Rebel Group

By FLOYD WHALEY | Jan 28th 2015

The operation to capture a leading terrorism suspect killed 44 elite officers, and some congressmen have withdrawn support for a law to formalize the March peace agreement.

Attacks on Police; Law and Legislation

There was no botch.  
A flawed agreement has failed.

19

Technology

Verizon’s Mobile ‘Supercookies’ Seen as Threat to Privacy

By NATASHA SINGER and BRIAN X. CHEN | Jan 25th 2015

Advertisers, and possibly other third parties, are finding ways to exploit a hidden tracking mechanism that Verizon Wireless users cannot delete.

Wireless Communications; Advertising and Marketing; Computers and the Internet; Telephones and Telecommunications; Data-Mining and Database Marketing

A big operation behaving badly.
This is a reason for regulation.

20

N.Y. / Region

Hostos College in Bronx to Offer a Food Studies Program

By WINNIE HU | Jan 27th 2015

A new program at Hostos Community College will go beyond culinary classes to offer students a broad overview of food policy, social justice and business.

Diet and Nutrition; Community Colleges

The knowledge is necessary.

I think it is not sufficient.

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@20:50, 1/27/15

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false

A Climate Hawk Separates Energy Thought Experiments from Road Maps

By ANDREW C. REVKIN | Jan 27th 2015

A progressive “climate hawk” says simplified road maps for solving the climate challenge are counterproductive.

Air Pollution; Alternative and Renewable Energy; Carbon Capture and Sequestration; Carbon Dioxide; Electric Light and Power; Environment; Global Warming; Greenhouse Gas Emissions; Innovation; Solar Energy

The tasks are first, invention, then development.
The invention is not done.

2

Business Day

Myriad Genetics Ending Patent Dispute on Breast Cancer Risk Testing

By ANDREW POLLACK | Jan 27th 2015

The biotech company, the subject of a 2013 Supreme Court ruling that genes cannot be patented, said it was giving up trying to stop other companies from offering tests.

Inventions and Patents; Genetics and Heredity; Breast Cancer; Tests (Medical); Decisions and Verdicts; Suits and Litigation (Civil); Cancer; Biotechnology and Bioengineering

The panic over cancer will be reduced.

3

World

Video: Netanyahu Defends Speech to Congress

Reuters | Jan 27th 2015

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel defended his coming speech before Congress about Iran after critics accused him of trying to win an election scheduled two weeks after the trip.

Elections, House of Representatives; Midterm Elections (2014)

Netanyahu calls for victory.

4

U.S.

Lynch to Cast Herself as Departure From Holder

By CARL HULSE and MATT APUZZO | Jan 27th 2015

Loretta E. Lynch is expected to present herself as an apolitical career prosecutor when the Republican-controlled Senate Judiciary Committee opens hearings Wednesday on her nomination as attorney general.

Attorneys General

She will not be confirmed.

5

U.S.

Obama Relents On Plan to Alter College Savings

By JONATHAN WEISMAN | Jan 27th 2015

The president, facing pressure from both parties, dropped from his budget a proposal to effectively end college savings accounts known as 529s.

Colleges and Universities; Savings; Tax Credits, Deductions and Exemptions; Tuition

Congress remains in deadlock.

6

Business Day

Job Licenses in Spotlight as Uber Rises

By EDUARDO PORTER | Jan 27th 2015

Regulations for many occupations create bottlenecks in the economy, raise the prices of goods and services and put good jobs out of reach of many Americans.

Car Services and Livery Cabs; Labor and Jobs; Consumer Protection; Taxicabs and Taxicab Drivers; Regulation and Deregulation of Industry; Accreditation

The regulations in question are acting as intended.
They are preventing races to the bottom.

7

U.S.

Massachusetts: Judge Unfazed by Pace of Bomb Trial

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Jan 26th 2015

The judge in the federal death penalty trial of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, the defendant in the Boston Marathon bombing, said Monday that he was not discouraged by the slow pace of jury selection.

Boston Marathon Bombings (2013); Jury System

A fair trial on that bombing is nearly impossible.

8

Science

Treatment of Overdose Will Cost Cities Less

By SABRINA TAVERNISE | Jan 26th 2015

The Clinton Foundation on Monday announced that it had negotiated a lower price for an emergency treatment that can prevent heroin overdoses with a company that makes it.

Drug Abuse and Traffic; Naloxone (Drug); Heroin; Pain-Relieving Drugs; Emergency Medical Treatment; Prices (Fares, Fees and Rates)

As stopgap measure.

9

Opinion

Save the New Ukraine

By BERNARD-HENRI LÉVY and GEORGE SOROS | Jan 27th 2015

The pro-European reformers desperately need financial aid to survive Russia’s assault.

Bribery and Kickbacks; Politics and Government

The Putin regime must be broken.

10

Opinion

Is Vaping Worse Than Smoking?

By JOE NOCERA | Jan 27th 2015

You wouldn’t discover the correct answer from reading the latest study on e-cigarettes.

Smoking and Tobacco; Cancer; Formaldehyde; E-Cigarettes; Research

To me it does not matter.
Addiction is objectionable in itself.

11

U.S.

Reid Is Home After Surgery for Injuries

By ALAN RAPPEPORT | Jan 26th 2015

Senator Harry Reid of Nevada was back at his home in Washington on Monday after surgery for injuries sustained in an exercise accident on Jan. 1.

United States Politics and Government

Every vote counts.

12

Business Day

S.E.C. Faces Challenges Over the Constitutionality of Some of Its Court Proceedings

By PETER J. HENNING | Jan 27th 2015

Defense lawyers say the Securities and Exchange Commission’s push to bring more cases before its administrative law judges rather than in federal district courts is not just unfair but also unconstitutional, Peter J. Henning writes in White Collar Watch.

Courts and the Judiciary; Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (2010); Fines (Penalties); Securities and Commodities Violations; Suits and Litigation (Civil)

Lawyers like their fees.

13

Food

The North Carolina Way

By KIM SEVERSON | Jan 27th 2015

Women are prominent in every part of the state’s food operation, from farms to restaurants.

Food; Agriculture and Farming; Women and Girls; Restaurants

Closer to the farm is better.
Macrobiotics has a point.

14

Opinion

Egypt’s War on Atheism

By MONA ELTAHAWY | Jan 27th 2015

Persecuting minorities in the name of public morality is a tried and tested technique of authoritarian regimes.

Atheism; Social Conditions and Trends; Religion and Belief; Muslims and Islam; Homosexuality and Bisexuality

Witch hunting is always popular.

15

Opinion

A New Level of Refugee Suffering

By ANGELINA JOLIE | Jan 27th 2015

I have visited camps before, but this time the pain left me speechless.

Refugees and Displaced Persons; War Crimes, Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity

Yes.

16

The Upshot

Fight the Temptation to Pay Attention to Polls

By BRENDAN NYHAN | Jan 27th 2015

Asking people which presidential candidate they prefer this early is about as useful as consulting a Magic 8-Ball.

Presidential Election of 2016; Polls and Public Opinion; Presidential Elections (US); United States Politics and Government

The polls measure the campaigns.

17

Opinion

Diagnosis: The View of the Psychiatric Association

Jan 27th 2015

The president of the American Psychiatric Association responds to an Op-Ed essay, “Redefining Mental Illness.”

Mental Health and Disorders; Psychiatry and Psychiatrists; Research

The brain is only part of the problems.
Psychiatry  is an art rather than a science.

18

Technology

Twitter Adds Group Messaging and Video Recording

By VINDU GOEL | Jan 27th 2015

In an effort to catch up to rival services like Facebook, Twitter will now allow people to shoot, edit and post video directly from its mobile apps. Also, private messages on the service can now be sent to as many as 20 people.

Instant Messaging; Mobile Applications; Social Media; Video Recordings, Downloads and Streaming

I see no advantage.

19

World

Top Officials Join Obama in Brief Visit to Saudi King

By MICHAEL R. GORDON and PETER BAKER | Jan 27th 2015

A group of prominent current and former officials joined President Obama as he offered his condolences on the death of King Abdullah and sought to reinforce relations.

United States International Relations

It is required.

20

U.S.

U.S. Aid Agency Suspends Group From New Contracts

By RON NIXON | Jan 26th 2015

One of the United States Agency for International Development’s largest contractors, International Relief and Development, will not be awarded any new contracts over questions about its spending oversight.

Foreign Aid; United States Politics and Government; Nonprofit Organizations

The action is probably proper.

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