Thursday, April 30, 2015

@13:30, 4/28/15

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1
The Upshot

Federal Push for Privacy Hampers Addiction Research and Care

By AUSTIN FRAKT | Apr 27th 2015
Medicare and Medicaid data offer the best available window into health outcomes and costs. Now a part of that information is hidden.
Health Insurance and Managed Care; Research; Privacy; Medicare; Medicaid; Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (2010) 

Ulterior motives.

2
Sports

Kei Nishikori Advances

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Apr 26th 2015
The defending champion Kei Nishikori is back in the final of the Barcelona Open in Spain after beating Martin Klizan, 6-1, 6-2.
Tennis

http://nytimes.stats.com/mlb/scoreboard.asp

3
Health

Routine Surgeries Could Save Millions of Lives, if They Were Available

By DONALD G. McNEIL Jr. | Apr 27th 2015
The need for operating rooms in poor and middle-income countries is more dire than previously noted, a report found.
Surgery and Surgeons; Deaths (Fatalities)

Surgery has been practiced for millennia.
The skills necessary to do surgery are known.
Trauma and battlefield surgery are still practiced.
Residencies could teach surgical procedure for primitive conditions.
A surgeon is first a medical doctor.
Then a surgeon is a mechanic.

4
U.S.

Training of Deputy in Tulsa Was Faulted in a Report

By RICHARD PÉREZ-PEÑA | Apr 24th 2015
In a 2009 internal investigation into Robert C. Bates, the volunteer reserve deputy who this month shot an unarmed man, officers said that he was unqualified for his post, but that commanders told them to ignore those concerns.
Murders, Attempted Murders and Homicides; Police

Training is required for a reason.
The "old boy" system is in trouble.

5
N.Y. / Region

A Contest in the Bronx Helps Young Scientists Explore

By WINNIE HU | Apr 24th 2015
Bronx SciFest, a competition created by Lehman College three years ago, gives students who might not otherwise get to a chance to pursue serious research.
Education (K-12); Science and Technology; Scholarships and Fellowships

Processing power is normally distributed in the entire population at birth.
Hierarchy is a product of culture.

6
Business Day

Hotels Embrace Sustainability to Lure Guests and Cut Costs

By AMY ZIPKIN | Apr 27th 2015
Hotels are looking to reduce their carbon footprints, including by rewarding guests who adopt green practices during their stays with loyalty points.
Hotels and Travel Lodgings; Energy Efficiency; Recycling of Waste Materials

Being fashionable is a great aid to sales.

7
World

Life Term for Captain in South Korea Ferry Disaster

By CHOE SANG-HUN | Apr 28th 2015
Lee June-seok was convicted of murder through willful negligence by a South Korean judge for his role in the sinking of the Sewol last April.
Maritime Accidents and Safety; Sentences (Criminal); Ferries

Canceling his captain's license and passport would have been enough.
The blame belongs to the ferry operating company and its managers.
Scapegoating is bad governance.

8 
Opinion

On the Export-Import Bank, the Numbers Come First

By JOE NOCERA | Apr 24th 2015
A conservative think tank makes the case for the Export-Import Bank.
International Trade and World Market; United States Politics and Government

Douglas Holtz-Eakin apparently approves of Thomas Piketty's results.
I do not.
The Export-Import Bank is useful.  Its charter should continue.

9
Opinion

When ‘Deadbeat Dads’ Are Jailed

Apr 28th 2015
Two readers say sending parents to jail for nonpayment of child support is counterproductive.
Child Custody and Support; Children and Childhood; Ex-Convicts; Unemployment; Poverty

Justice can never be automatic.

10
Fashion & Style

Bill Cunningham | Mercurial

By BILL CUNNINGHAM | Apr 24th 2015
The city parks and lawns exploded with magnolias, and the long-lost spring coat reappeared for the capricious weather.
Fashion and Apparel

http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2015/04/26/fashion/26STREET.html

It is good to see.

11
Sports

U.F.C. Fighter Sought After Car Crash

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Apr 28th 2015
Jon Jones, the light heavyweight champion in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, ran from a car crash in Albuquerque, N.M., that hospitalized a pregnant woman.
Mixed Martial Arts; Traffic Accidents and Safety

Jon Jones does not look like a role model.

12
N.Y. / Region

Summonses for Minor Crimes Keep Falling, Report Says, but Many Still Lead to Arrest Warrants

By J. DAVID GOODMAN | Apr 27th 2015
The findings land in the midst of a debate over how New York and its police should handle low-level offenses at a time of diminishing street crime yet increasing tension over police tactics.
Crime and Criminals; Minorities

Minor crimes are ignored by the people committing them.
The court system cannot ignore the summonses.
The court issues the warrant. 

13
Business Day

More Cases of Bird Flu Identified in Iowa

By REUTERS | Apr 27th 2015
Additional tests were pending, but if the tests are positive the contagious disease would be confirmed in more than nine million birds.
Avian Influenza; Agriculture and Farming; Chickens

Eggs will cost more.

14
Food

Tequila Is Getting Company: Sotol, Bacanora and Raicilla

By FLORENCE FABRICANT | Apr 24th 2015
There’s more to agave than tequila and mezcal. Sotol, bacanora and raicilla are increasingly showing up in New York bars and restaurants, and not just Mexican ones.
Alcoholic Beverages; Cocktails

I remember your mother.

15
U.S.

Obama Proposes That Medicare Be Given the Right to Negotiate the Cost of Drugs

By ROBERT PEAR | Apr 27th 2015
Efforts to create precision medicines that use genetic information to aid treatment can cost well over $50,000 and as high as $311,000, raising issues for users and the Medicare system.
Drugs (Pharmaceuticals); Health Insurance and Managed Care; Medicine and Health; Genetics and Heredity

The point of insurance is spreading the risk.
When spread over the insured population the individual cost of these specialty treatments is miniscule.

16
Business Day

Pepsi Drops Aspartame From Diet Pepsi Varieties

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Apr 24th 2015
Driving the decision is the fact that Americans are losing their taste for diet sodas and the perception by consumers that the sweetener is not safe.
Artificial Sweeteners; Sucralose (Artificial Sweetener); Soft Drinks; Aspartame

The profits of Pepsicola are unimportant to me.


17
Sports

A Wozniacki-Kerber Final

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Apr 26th 2015
Caroline Wozniacki will play Angelique Kerber in the final of the Porsche Grand Prix in Stuttgart, Germany.
Tennis

http://www.nytimes.com/pages/sports/baseball/index.html

Toronto1Final
Boston4
 

18
World

Brazil’s Power Dynamics Shifting Amid Political Scandals

By SIMON ROMERO | Apr 26th 2015
Despite having faced corruption accusations themselves, the men who command Brazil’s scandal-plagued Congress are actually increasing their power over the scandal-plagued president.
Frauds and Swindling; Elections, State Legislature; Tax Evasion

The Soap Opera continues.

19
Opinion

Studying the Humanities

Apr 25th 2015
Readers discuss a column by Nicholas Kristof touting the benefits of a liberal arts education.
Colleges and Universities; Education (Secondary); Humanities

The humanities will teach one to read, write ant figure.
They have a problem with original thought.
Everyone has a problem with original thought. 

20
World

South Korea’s Premier Resigns After Claims He Took an Illegal Cash Gift

By CHOE SANG-HUN | Apr 27th 2015
Lee Wan-koo, the second prime minister to step down under President Park Geun-hye, denied that he had received the money, but calls mounted for his resignation.
Gifts to Public Officials

There is a power struggle within the South Korean government.

http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/southkorea/index.html
 

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Tuesday, April 28, 2015

@20:08, 4/27/15

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1
Opinion

How to Attract Female Engineers

By LINA NILSSON | Apr 27th 2015
There are too few women in engineering, but we have seen that real-world programs can attract them to the field.
Engineering and Engineers; Women and Girls; Social Conditions and Trends; Colleges and Universities 

The social core of engineering has been present from the beginning of the profession.
The first engineers were military officers in charge of construction of siege engines.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_engine
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_engineering
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_engineering
Wikipedia has no entry for "traditional sex roles".
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Design_engineer

2
N.Y. / Region

15 Bison Escape From New York Farm, Cross Thruway, and Are Shot

By JESSE McKINLEY | Apr 24th 2015
A Wild West drama was enacted near Albany by an ill-fated herd and the gunmen its owners had hired.
Bison; Police 

A sad end to the owner's dream.

3
N.Y. / Region

Detective Kills Man During Attempted Arrest in the East Village

By MICHAEL SCHWIRTZ | Apr 25th 2015
A police detective fired one shot, which hit the man, a suspect in a robbery, in the abdomen, authorities said.
Murders, Attempted Murders and Homicides 

The detectives should have taken a sub-lethal weapon to the group home.
I think it was a bad shooting. 

4
World

China, in Suspending Woman’s Death Sentence, Acknowledges Domestic Abuse

By DIDI KIRSTEN TATLOW | Apr 24th 2015
The ruling means that after two years of good behavior, the sentence of Li Yan, who killed her husband, will be commuted to life in prison. Later, it may be reduced further.
Capital Punishment; Courts and the Judiciary 

Chinese culture is misogynist.

5
U.S.

Justices to Hear Challenge to Lethal-Injection Drug

By ERIK ECKHOLM | Apr 26th 2015 

Guillotine.  
Anesthetize the prisoners first.
There is no need to drop the axe while they watch.

6
Opinion

Think of Undocumented Immigrants as Parents, Not Problems

By ROBERTO SURO and MARCELO M. SUÁREZ-OROZCO | Apr 27th 2015


7
Real Estate

The Sutton Tries to Fit Into Midtown East

By AILEEN JACOBSON | Apr 24th 2015
The 30-story condominium towers over the traditional walk-ups nearby, but its brick design will also borrow from the neighborhood’s historic flavor.
Real Estate and Housing (Residential) 

Someone else can buy this dream.

8
Opinion

The Justices and a Botched Execution

By THE EDITORIAL BOARD | Apr 25th 2015
However the Supreme Court rules on Oklahoma’s lethal-injection drug protocol, support for the death penalty is on the decline.
Capital Punishment; Polls and Public Opinion; Eighth Amendment (US Constitution) 

The aesthetics of execution are always ugly.

Let us give it up.

9
World

Former Guantánamo Inmate Is Granted Bail in Canada

By IAN AUSTEN | Apr 24th 2015
A Canadian court ordered that Omar Khadr, a Canadian who was captured in Afghanistan in 2002 at age 15, be released on bail pending an appeal of his conviction by an American military tribunal.
Terrorism 

Good.

10
Real Estate

The 10 Most Cost-Effective Renovations

Apr 24th 2015

Looking good helps selling.
Fix the surfaces.
 
11
Real Estate

Renters Are Staying Put

By LISA PREVOST | Apr 24th 2015
High rents and more affordable mortgages are not persuading more renters to buy, according to a new study.
Real Estate and Housing (Residential); Renting and Leasing (Real Estate); Mortgages 

The renters are broke.  
The economic recovery is for the top only.

12
Science

New Study Links Weather Extremes to Global Warming

By JUSTIN GILLIS | Apr 27th 2015
Human emissions are responsible for about 75 percent of especially hot days and 18 percent of unusually heavy precipitation, according to a new report.
Weather; Greenhouse Gas Emissions; Global Warming 

Wrong and disingenuous.
The assumption is that the global temperature is not "noisy".
Global warming drives the baseline.  It does not drive individual weather events.
Money is talking in this paper.

13
Technology

System Crash for Starbucks Leads to Free Coffee for Some

By NICOLE PERLROTH | Apr 24th 2015


14
Business Day

Orders of Durable Goods Rise, but Report Shows Drop in Investment

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Apr 24th 2015
Excluding rising demand for commercial aircraft, orders for long-lasting manufactured goods fell for a sixth straight month.
United States Economy; Durable Goods (Economic Indicator) 

Cognitive dissonance.

15
Opinion

Junk Science at the F.B.I.

By THE EDITORIAL BOARD | Apr 27th 2015
Hair-sample analysis has led to many wrong convictions, and a review of the practice is long overdue.
Forensic Science; Hair; False Arrests, Convictions and Imprisonments 

Fix it.

16
Opinion

Nursing Home Care

Apr 27th 2015

Better does not mean good.
 
17
World

Chinese Officers Harshly Interrogated Women’s Rights Activist, Husband Says

By EDWARD WONG | Apr 27th 2015

Chinese culture is misogynist.
 
18
Travel

In Paradisiacal Nicaragua, Contemplating a Canal

By ELIZABETH ZACH | Apr 24th 2015
The largest freshwater lake in Central America and Ometepe, its main island, could be altered forever plans for a canal to accommodate larger ships.
Travel and Vacations; Canals; Eco-Tourism 

Panama was created out of Columbia as a place for the canal.
The engineering was good on the second attempt. 
The politics were terrible.

19
World

Russia: Chechen Leader Issues Warning

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Apr 23rd 2015
Ramzan Kadyrov has told his security forces to fire on Russian federal troops if they try to operate in the region without his approval.

Firing on the national police would be an act of revolt.
War is not a good thing.

I have been watching Wolf Hall on PBS.

20
N.Y. / Region

Program Aims to Reduce Energy Costs and Keep Rents Affordable in Bronx

By WINNIE HU | Apr 26th 2015
Aging apartment buildings in the Bronx offer some of New York City’s most affordable rents, and the city is starting a program to help finance their renovation and make them more energy efficient.
Rent Control and Stabilization; Affordable Housing; Energy Efficiency 

I wish the program the best of luck.
I do not think it will succeed. 

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Posted by at No comments:

@1:54, 4/26/15

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1
Opinion

Rats and Land Mines

Apr 27th 2015
Douglas J. Futuyma, a professor of ecology and evolution at Stony Brook, credits “rodent scholars” who “knew enough about rodent diversity to suggest the right species for the job.”
Rodents; Mines, Explosive; Research; Animals

nytimes.com/2015/04/19/opinion/sunday/nicholas-kristof-the-giant-rats-that-save-lives.html

Rats are not evil.
I prefer not to share my space with them most of the time.

2
Sports

Tour de France Champion’s Team Retains Status

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Apr 23rd 2015
The Astana team of Vincenzo Nibali, the defending champion in the Tour de France, has survived a review of its top-tier racing status ordered after several doping cases.
Tour de France (Bicycle Race); Bicycles and Bicycling

Cleared of drugging charges.

3
Business Day

Chipotle to Stop Serving Genetically Altered Food

By STEPHANIE STROM | Apr 26th 2015
Starting Monday, nothing sold by Chipotle, which has more than 1,800 restaurants, will contain any genetically modified ingredients.
Genetic Engineering; Restaurants; Mexican Food (Cuisine)

Chipotle faced a marketing problem.
Food there will cost more.

4
Real Estate

Homes for Sale in Manhattan and Brooklyn

By MICHELLE HIGGINS | Apr 24th 2015
This week’s properties include co-ops in Midtown East and the Upper West Side and a townhouse in Park Slope.
Real Estate and Housing (Residential)

I would rather not live in the city.
The choice is yours.
My objective is to live with you.
Sooner is better.  As soon as you can is best.

5
Opinion

Dangers of Drilling in Earthquake-Prone Areas

Apr 27th 2015
A Center for Biological Diversity official warns about fracking near active faults in California.
Hydraulic Fracturing; Earthquakes

Governor Jerry Brown needs income.
California needs better insurance.
Earthquakes will not drive species into extinction.

6
U.S.

Drought Frames Economic Divide of Californians

By ADAM NAGOURNEY and JACK HEALY | Apr 26th 2015
The persistent water shortage is illustrating parallel worlds in which wealthy communities guzzle water as poorer neighbors conserve by necessity.
Conservation of Resources; Water; Shortages; Drought

There is an amount of water necessary for living.
Flushing, reasonable showering, dish and cloths washing and general cleaning.
This amount is known and should be the base ration. it should be supplied at a base rate. additional water can be supplied for an increasing rate.
The rate can be multiplied upward until consumption falls the required amount.

7
Opinion

An Archaic Bail System

Apr 24th 2015
Steven Zeidman, a CUNY law professor, says that in New York if “you are poor, you languish in jail.”
Prisons and Prisoners; Poverty; Bail

I would rather many fewer were arrested in the first place.
Pretrial retention should not substitute for jail time after trial and conviction.

8
Opinion

For a Migrant Airlift to U.S.

Apr 24th 2015
A reader says Europe should not be solely responsible for aiding migrants.
Refugees and Displaced Persons; Middle East and North Africa Unrest (2010- )

We will not bring them here.
They could be dumped in Brazil if we want to be hated by all involved.

9
Opinion

Libraries, Still Relevant in the Digital Age

Apr 24th 2015
Readers respond to a news article about the deterioration of New York City’s libraries.
Libraries and Librarians; Science and Technology; Computers and the Internet

When exploring a subject a shelf of books works every time.
The conversation in a library is independent of time and space.
The internet only begins to serve as a library. 

10
Opinion

Are You Smarter Than an 8th Grader?

By NICHOLAS KRISTOF | Apr 25th 2015
American students are falling behind in reading and, especially, math. Just look at some of the math problems kids in other countries are doing a better job of solving.
Education (K-12); Mathematics

I am too fuzzy these days to work the truth tellers and liars problem.
The arithmetic is easy.

11
Real Estate

Homes for Sale in Connecticut and Long Island

By MICHELLE HIGGINS | Apr 24th 2015
This week’s properties include a three-bedroom house of dome construction in South Norwalk, Conn., and a four-bedroom ranch in Matinecock.
Real Estate and Housing (Residential) 

My objective is to live with you.
You must like your house.
You tell me what you want and we figure out how to get it.

12
Opinion

Nursing Home Care

Apr 27th 2015
The president of the American Health Care Association says the quality of care at nursing homes has improved.
Nursing Homes; Elder Care

Better is not good.
I will avoid them while I can.

13
Technology

‘Google Adventurer’ Dies on Mt. Everest

By CONOR DOUGHERTY | Apr 25th 2015
Dan Fredinburg helped Google’s Street View project document many of the world’s most majestic peaks before his death in Nepal in an earthquake-related avalanche.
Mountaineering

Random events.

14
U.S.

Justices to Hear Challenge to Lethal-Injection Drug

By ERIK ECKHOLM | Apr 26th 2015
Three convicted murderers are fighting the use of midazolam in executions, which experts say cannot reliably cause deep unconsciousness.
Capital Punishment; Sedatives; Suits and Litigation (Civil); Eighth Amendment (US Constitution)

Death is not a penalty.  It does not teach.

15
Technology

System Crash for Starbucks Leads to Free Coffee for Some

By NICOLE PERLROTH | Apr 24th 2015
In-store payment systems at Starbucks stores went down Friday across the United States and Canada.
Coffeehouses; Social Media

I am surprised it is Starbucks' problem.

16
Science

Ancient Collision Made Nepal Earthquake Inevitable

By KENNETH CHANG | Apr 25th 2015
More than 25 million years ago, India crashed into Asia. The two land masses are still colliding today, creating the world’s highest mountains and setting off major earthquakes about every 75 years.
Earthquakes; Geology

Yes

17
Real Estate

The 10 Most Cost-Effective Renovations

Apr 24th 2015
Here are some simple home improvements that may offer the most bang for the buck.
Real Estate and Housing (Residential)

Every project should be different.
Here my siblings are waiting on the court at last news.

18
Science

Nursing Homes Are Starting to Supplant Hospitals as Focus of Basic Health Care

By PAULA SPAN | Apr 24th 2015
Patients are saved the stress of hospital stays, and there are large savings. But reimbursement policies and a lack of nurses are slowing progress.
Nursing and Nurses; Hospitals; Elderly

It is not a new development.
The Republican party as it stands is attempting to starve Medicare and other Social Services.

19
Opinion

Think of Undocumented Immigrants as Parents, Not Problems

By ROBERTO SURO and MARCELO M. SUÁREZ-OROZCO | Apr 27th 2015
For children who are American citizens, the threat of mom or dad’s deportation exacts a terrible price.
Immigration and Emigration; Illegal Immigration; Parenting; Children and Childhood; Deportation

I am untroubled by the expressed view except that it is narrow.
The children and other dependents of prisoners are in the same situation.
The U.S. has not done "The Poor Laws" well as yet and shows no promise of improvement.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poor_relief

20
World

Associate of Zhou Yongkang, China’s Fallen Security Chief, Admits Taking Bribes

By MICHAEL FORSYTHE | Apr 24th 2015
A court in central China made clear that the real purpose of Li Chuncheng’s trial this week was to build a case against Mr. Zhou.
Bribery and Kickbacks; Corruption (Institutional)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Show_trial

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retributive_justice

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revenge

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Correctional_justice

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Posted by at No comments:

Monday, April 27, 2015

@20:40, 4/26/15

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1
Food

Salt Cod With an Iberian Point of View

By DAVID TANIS | Apr 24th 2015
For a stew that’s like comfort food in Spain and Portugal, add chickpeas for heartiness and clams to ensure a seal of approval.
Cooking and Cookbooks; Cod (Fish); Soups 

http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017371-salt-cod-potato-and-chickpea-stew

I know salt cod.
I like it and cook it.

2
Business Day

Another Ice Cream Company Issues a Recall of Its Products

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Apr 23rd 2015
Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams of Ohio said on its website that it had recalled all its frozen products.
Ice Cream and Frozen Desserts; Listeria Monocytogenes; Recalls and Bans of Products 

There is learning to be done.

3
N.Y. / Region

Mayor de Blasio Revives Plan for a Utica Avenue Subway Line

By EMMA G. FITZSIMMONS | Apr 22nd 2015
The de Blasio administration called the Brooklyn area prime for expansion, but its idea is not new — the line has been debated, shelved and debated again for over a century.
Subways 

The check is with the ownership, in Albany.

4
N.Y. / Region

Councilman Wants New York City’s Pools and Beaches Open Past Labor Day

By NIKITA STEWART | Apr 24th 2015
Councilman Mark D. Levine, citing global warming, wants the city to keep outdoor swimming facilities open until school starts and on all September weekends.
Swimming Pools; Summer (Season); Beaches 

The problem is liability.
The Polar Bear club swims on New Years day.

5
N.Y. / Region

New York City’s Environment Program Is Praised, but Details Remain Hazy

By MATT FLEGENHEIMER | Apr 22nd 2015
As Mayor Bill de Blasio called on New Yorkers to send no waste to landfills by 2030, and aimed to lift 800,000 people from poverty or near-poverty in a decade, attention quickly turned to a follow-up question: How?
Environment; Income Inequality; Sustainable Living 

The details must remain hazy as the conditions that will sharpen them do not exist yet.

6
U.S.

U.S. Maps Areas of Increased Earthquakes From Human Activity

By RICHARD PÉREZ-PEÑA | Apr 23rd 2015
The U.S. Geological Survey report identifies 17 regions with significant levels of “induced seismicity,” mostly from oil and gas drilling. The two worst hit areas are centered in Oklahoma.
Earthquakes; Oil (Petroleum) and Gasoline; Geology; Hydraulic Fracturing 

Waste disposal by deep injection has a cost.
The cost is becoming known.
Industries should pay their external costs.

7
Opinion

How I Got Converted to G.M.O. Food

By MARK LYNAS | Apr 24th 2015
We can’t deny the science: Biotech works — for good.

There is more to Genetic manipulation than profits for Monsanto corporation.
I would like better information on B.T.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacillus_thuringiensis
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacillus_thuringiensis#Mechanism_of_insecticidal_action
Mark Lynas has an argument to present.
I would like a different presentation of the evidence.
I am not his intended audience.

8
N.Y. / Region

Turning Over a New Leaf, New York Assembly Pushes Paper Out and Adopts Tablets

By JESSE McKINLEY | Apr 22nd 2015
In an effort to go paperless, the Assembly established itself as “an electronic chamber,” complete with tablet computers, touch screens and exceptionally limited web-surfing.
State Legislatures; Tablet Computers; Constitutional Amendments 

The tablets will not change much.  
Editing will be faster and easier.
Features like Spell check and grammar checking as well as syntax checking will be more available.  
Most markup is done in committee.

9
Your Money

Navigating the Thickets of Student Loan Counseling

By RON LIEBER | Apr 24th 2015
Studies show that the required counseling given to incoming college students often is dense, confusing and completed at the busiest time of the year.
Financial Aid (Education); Colleges and Universities; Credit and Debt; Student Loans; Personal Finances 

Student loans are a bad way to select an entering cohort.

10
Business Day

Democrats Are Rallying Around $12 Wage Floor

By NOAM SCHEIBER | Apr 22nd 2015
The measure is the latest indication of Democrats’ rising ambitions for lifting the wage floor, an issue with considerable popular support in an era of increasing income inequality.
Minimum Wage; Wages and Salaries; Law and Legislation; United States Politics and Government 

It would be better to seek a balance of power between labor and management.
Such a balance of power is not presently politically feasible.
A $12 minimum wage will help the plight of low wage workers.

11
World

Speeding in Finland Can Cost a Fortune, if You Already Have One

By SUZANNE DALEY | Apr 25th 2015
The Finnish “day fine” system, which factors in income when calculating penalties for infractions, is causing a debate in a nation with a strong egalitarian streak.
Fines (Penalties); Income; Police; Traffic and Parking Violations 

The Finnish system looks like a good one to me.

12
Technology

Cheaper Robots, Fewer Workers

By THE NEW YORK TIMES | Apr 24th 2015
This is the first episode in a video series that examines how robots are poised to change the way we do business and conduct our daily lives.
Robots and Robotics; Labor and Jobs; Factories and Manufacturing 

The one child per family policy is working as intended.

13
U.S.

Florida: Fraternity Expels 3 After Abuse of Veterans

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Apr 24th 2015
A University of Florida fraternity expelled three of its members Friday after allegations that they hurled insults and spat at a group of disabled military veterans at a Panama City resort.
Fraternities and Sororities; Veterans 

The fraternity acted to protect itself.
Frat boys are losing their immunity.

14
The Upshot

Economists Actually Agree on This: The Wisdom of Free Trade

By N. GREGORY MANKIW | Apr 24th 2015
Deals like the Trans-Pacific Partnership are widely supported in the profession, but Congress may still hold on to mistaken beliefs.
Trans-Pacific Partnership; International Trade and World Market; Labor and Jobs; Law and Legislation; United States Economy 

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/04/26/this-is-not-a-trade-agreement/

"This Is Not A Trade Agreement
 
OK, Greg Mankiw has me puzzled. Has he really read nothing about TPP? Is he completely unaware of the nature of the argument?
Personally, I’m a lukewarm opponent of the deal, but I don’t see it as the end of the Republic and can even see some reasons (mainly strategic) to support it. One thing that should be totally obvious, however, is that it’s off-point and insulting to offer an off-the-shelf lecture on how trade is good because of comparative advantage, and protectionists are dumb. For this is not a trade agreement. It’s about intellectual property and dispute settlement; the big beneficiaries are likely to be pharma companies and firms that want to sue governments.
Those are the issues that need to be argued. David Ricardo is irrelevant."

15
World

European Leaders Urged to Strengthen ‘Minimalist’ Approach to Mediterranean Migration Crisis

By NICK CUMMING-BRUCE | Apr 23rd 2015
United Nations officials joined the International Organization for Migration in asking Europe to address root causes of the problem.
Refugees and Displaced Persons 

Europe will not go crusading.

16
U.S.

Few People Lost Jobs With V.A. in Scandal

By DAVE PHILIPPS | Apr 22nd 2015
Internal documents show that the number of Veterans Affairs people removed from their jobs since the scandal over manipulated wait times is, at most, three.
Veterans; Labor and Jobs; Ethics and Official Misconduct 

Wait time manipulation was probably official policy.

17
World

Turkish College Student Convicted for Tweeting Satirical News Story

By ROBERT MACKEY | Apr 23rd 2015
A court in Turkey sentenced Meral Tutcali to one year in prison for the offense of “insulting a public official” by sharing a satirical news story.
Social Media; Sentences (Criminal); Freedom of Speech and Expression 

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan wants to be Sultan.

18
Health

Surge in Hospital Visits Linked to a Drug Called Spice Alarms Health Officials

By ALAN SCHWARZ | Apr 24th 2015
Health departments in three states have issued alerts about more users of the synthetic drug being rushed to hospitals, with some cases resulting in death.
Drug Abuse and Traffic 

Self slaughter should not be a crime.
The health officials should be alarmed.

19
World

Europe’s Migration Crisis Cannot Be Solved at Sea, Analysts Say

By JIM YARDLEY | Apr 24th 2015
Europe is struggling with how to save lives on the sea, prosecute human smugglers and deal with the causes of the migrant surge closer to their source.
Immigration and Emigration; Smuggling; Refugees and Displaced Persons; Maritime Accidents and Safety 

"Mare Nostrum" was not an acceptable program to the rest of Europe.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frontex
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Triton 

20
N.Y. / Region

Cuomo Says He Wants M.T.A. Chairman to Stay On

By EMMA G. FITZSIMMONS | Apr 24th 2015
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said he would reappoint Thomas F. Prendergast to lead the New York region’s transit agency, a move that needs legislative approval.
Subways; Railroad Accidents and Safety 

I hope the appointment is successful.
New York needs a rail system that works.

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On with the day.

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Posted by at No comments:

Sunday, April 26, 2015

@16:30, 4/25/15

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1
Opinion

Parents’ Role in the New York Test Protest

Apr 24th 2015
A reader says the focus on teacher opposition to state tests has overshadowed the efforts of parent groups.
Tests and Examinations; Education (K-12); Social Media; Parenting 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Child_Left_Behind_Act

Contents

 There are numerous "poison pills".

2
Opinion

Video: A Sustainable Chef

Brian McGinn | Apr 22nd 2015
This short documentary explains why one world-class chef overhauled his menu to emphasize sustainable ingredients.
Cooking and Cookbooks; Chefs; Sustainable Living; Seafood

Videos suffer from low information content.

3
Food

Video: Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Bread

Meghan Gourley | Apr 24th 2015
There is sweetness coiled in every bite of this moist white bread.
Cinnamon (Spice); Raisins; Cooking and Cookbooks; Recipes; Bread 

I have made it.
I am avoiding sugar.
I can't resist it if it is before me.
Add some orange peel.

4
Opinion

The Importance of Good Principals

Apr 23rd 2015
Readers discuss an Op-Ed essay that urged more attention to the quality of school principals in addition to teachers.
Principals (School); Education (K-12); Teachers and School Employees 

The school principal is the school's chief and often only executive.  They are the agents of the school board.
These letters display an ignorance of the duties of the office.

5
Books

Editors’ Choice

Apr 24th 2015
Recently reviewed books of particular interest.
Books and Literature

THE FALL OF THE OTTOMANS: The Great War in the Middle East, by Eugene Rogan. (Basic Books, $32.) Rogan offers an intricately worked but very readable account of a theocracy’s demise.

GALILEO’S MIDDLE FINGER: Heretics, Activists, and the Search for Justice in Science, by Alice Dreger. (Penguin Press, $27.95.) An academic who is an activist herself looks at the conflicts that arise when science challenges cherished beliefs.
I have little time to read.
They are all of interest.

6
Opinion

Homaro Cantu: A Chicago Chef’s Suicide

Apr 22nd 2015
Linda Suzu Kawano, a business colleague of Homaro Cantu, objects to speculation about his death by those who did not know him well.
Suicides and Suicide Attempts

None of us read others minds.
None of us can read the minds of the dead.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bipolar_disorder   ?

7
Opinion

Voice of America’s Mission

Apr 22nd 2015
Hans N. Tuch, a former deputy director of the Voice of America, writes that “it is incumbent on the Senate to reconfirm the Voice of America’s worldwide mission.”

Austerity is destructive in many ways.

8
Travel

A New Take on Tasmania

By SHIVANI VORA | Apr 23rd 2015
A new bike tour from Gray & Co. includes rides in the Huon Valley and Freycinet National Park in Tasmania.
Travel and Vacations

I would go.
This tour would not be my choice.

9
Real Estate

A Conversation With R. Byron Carlock Jr., Partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers

By VIVIAN MARINO | Apr 21st 2015
Mr. Carlock is the national real estate practice leader at PwC. His division provides audit, tax and advisory services to managers of real estate assets.
Real Estate Investment Trusts

I have never wanted to find my joy in business management.

Design in the broad sense has been my way of understanding my universe.

10
Opinion

‘A Sustainable Chef’

By BRIAN MCGINN | Apr 22nd 2015
This short documentary explains why one world-class chef overhauled his menu to emphasize sustainable ingredients.
Documentary Films and Programs; Food; Sustainable Living; Restaurants

"Mr. Shewry is deeply aware of the stress overfishing poses to our oceans. I find his willingness to fundamentally alter the way he cooks, and to position his restaurant at the vanguard of sustainability, an inspirational and vital lesson. With a bit of effort, we can all use our creativity to protect the world around us, satisfy our appetites and forge a better tomorrow."

There is a conflict between our duty to ourselves and our duty to the future.
I have not discovered a general solution.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tragedy_of_the_commons
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Practical_philosophy

11
U.S.

Answer Found to Mystery of Missing Bourbon, Kentucky Officials Say

By ALAN BLINDER | Apr 21st 2015
A grand jury charged nine people with engaging in organized crime, accusing them of being part of a syndicate that dealt in stolen bourbon and anabolic steroids.
Bourbon (Whiskey); Robberies and Thefts; Organized Crime

Profound incompetence is here displayed by the officials.
They should ask the F.B.I. for help.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bourbon_whiskey
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chromatography
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiocarbon_dating
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_spectrometry

Living there is not my choice.

12
World

Video: Italian Leader Urges Action for Migrants

Parliament TV, via Reuters | Apr 22nd 2015
Prime Minister Matteo Renzi of Italy addressed the lower house of Parliament on Wednesday in Rome and said the European Union must change its path to tackle the migrant crisis in the Mediterranean.
Immigration and Emigration; Legislatures and Parliaments

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/23/world/europe/europe-italy-migrants.html

Europe must take them in.
Killing them is not a choice.

13
Food

White Bread That’s Beyond the Ordinary

By MELISSA CLARK | Apr 24th 2015
One of the most forgiving, straightforward breads to make at home is just begging to be made into a PB&J or a BLT. (Article plus video.)
Cooking and Cookbooks; Bread

http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017369-excellent-white-bread

Skip the sugar.
 There is enough in the flour.

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

14
Health

Chinese Scientists Edit Genes of Human Embryos, Raising Concerns

By GINA KOLATA | Apr 23rd 2015
An experiment long dreaded by many researchers, with the goal of eradicating disease genes, failed in the ways that had been feared.
Genetic Engineering; Research; In Vitro Fertilization; DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid)

Proceed with the research.
Science must learn how to do the editing.
The religious can fight about doing it to themselves.
Civil governments have no duty to limit peoples right to learn.
Civil governments can try to have secrets. 

15
World

Where Poles and Russians Meet, Ideals and Profits Clash

By RICK LYMAN | Apr 24th 2015
For more than a year, since the Ukraine conflict erupted, European nations have been having an argument among themselves about how to respond to Russia.
Ruble (Currency); Embargoes and Sanctions

Yes.   The Poles have good reason to worry about the Russians and the Germans.

They also have issues with Ukraine. 

16
Arts

Review: ‘Chef’s Table’ Profiles Top Culinary Talents

By NEIL GENZLINGER | Apr 24th 2015
This six-part series goes inside the kitchens and the minds of some of the world’s best chefs.
Television

I have no ambition to cook commercially.
I have watched cooking shows.  I probably will again.

17
World

Facing Migration Crisis, European Leaders to Meet in Brussels

By DAN BILEFSKY | Apr 23rd 2015
The need for the European Union to come up with a response gained new urgency after a ship carrying African migrants capsized over the weekend, killing as many as 900 people.
Immigration and Emigration; Human Trafficking; Boats and Boating

There is no way to stop the influx at the border for long.
The refugees cannot return whence they came.
Under present circumstances they would be killed.
They will die if they do not make the crossing into the E.U.
The E.U. has no internal travel restrictions.
Once equipped with enough cash to buy a ticket the refugees will go where they wish.

The only way to stop them is to kill them or make their homes safe for them.
The European leaders are not ready to face that choice.
Neither am I.

18
Business Day

A Mayor’s Green-Power Moonshot

By ANTHONY DePALMA | Apr 22nd 2015
Mayor Bill Finch came into office with a commitment to sustainability, and he has built the largest fuel-cell generating station in North America.
Alternative and Renewable Energy; Greenhouse Gas Emissions

The fuel cell plant does better than the Rankin cycle coal plant.
It is not a renewable system as long as the feed is fossil carbon. 

19.1 megawatts will not replace the 400 megawatt coal plant.
Mayor Finch gets some boasting rights.
Fermentation methane is sustainable. 
5o megawatts of it is more flow than Bridgeport has or can get.

19
Sports

Two Share Lead in New Orleans

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Apr 23rd 2015
Boo Weekley had an eagle and seven birdies for an eight-under-par 64 and a share of the first-round lead with Brendon de Jonge in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans in Avondale, La.
Golf

We are starting baseball season.
http://www.nytimes.com/pages/sports/baseball/index.html
MLB Scoreboard
Interleague
NY Mets2Top
1st
NY Yankees0
American League
Cleveland6Final
Detroit8
 
Toronto1Final
Tampa Bay5
 
Boston7Final
Baltimore18
 
Kansas City2Final
Chi White Sox3
 
Kansas City3Final
Chi White Sox5
 
Texas5Final
11
LA Angels4
 
Houston7Final
Oakland6
 
Minnesota4Final
11
Seattle2
National League
Chi Cubs5Final
Cincinnati2
 
Washington2Final
Miami6
 
Atlanta4Final
Philadelphia5
 
St. Louis3Final
Milwaukee6
 
LA Dodgers1Final
San Diego3
 
San Francisco Postponed
Colorado 
 
Pittsburgh8Final
Arizona0
 
Boston:
http://nytimes.stats.com/mlb/teamstats.asp?team=02&type=teamhome

20
Your Money

How to Appeal College Financial Aid Offers

By ANN CARRNS | Apr 24th 2015
A student’s true financial status isn’t always reflected in an aid application, which is why an appeal can often persuade a college to give more.
Financial Aid (Education); Colleges and Universities; Scholarships and Fellowships

■ How long do I have to appeal a financial aid offer?
You can appeal anytime — even if something happens after you’ve enrolled and started classes. But your chances for success are best if you act as early as possible. Many schools ask for a commitment from students by May 1, so ideally you should file the request by then.

Not applicable for me.


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