Saturday, December 28, 2013

@11:30, 12/26/13

11:30

1
U.S.

Under Seattle, a Big Object Blocks Bertha. What Is It?

Something unknown, engineers say, has blocked the progress of the biggest-diameter tunnel-boring machine in use on the planet.
Bridges and Tunnels; Geology; Roads and Traffic 

I keep wondering what is on your mind.
My new phone's voice ail is locked against me.  I will solve it  but have lacked the attention and the willingness to spend the minutes.
Merry Christmas. 
You may be stuck in Seattle.  It is not the worst place.  I could be happy there but would rather be out of commuting range of Seattle and .Redmond.

It is easier to work at the bottom of a well than under pressure.
The big volcanoes are the problem in Seattle.
They can and in the past have sent debris flows as far as the city.

2
World

American Held by Al Qaeda in Pakistan Asks Obama to Negotiate Release

Warren Weinstein, who was abducted in 2011, spoke in a video message.
Kidnapping; News and News Media 

Stalemate.
3
Opinion

Alternatives to Shopping 'Til You're Dropping

Exploring alternatives to shopping one’s way through life.
Consumer Behavior; Handicrafts; United States Economy 

I do that.
4
Multimedia/Photos

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


Awaiting developments.

5
U.S.

Poison Gas Kills Eight Left in Dark After Storm

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

Carbon monoxide kills quickly and quietly.  
People know about exhaust gas.
Every generator set carries a warning.
Every cook stove carries a warning.
Every grill and bag of charcoal carries a warning.

6
Fashion & Style

Video: Bill Cunningham | Red and White All Over

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

Bill Cunningham has skimmed the cream.
7
Sports

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

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

Yes.
8
N.Y. / Region

No Finger-Pointing on Metro-North Crash at M.T.A. Meeting

At its first public meeting since the derailment on Dec. 1, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority outlined safety changes, and the board refrained from criticizing its leadership.
Railroad Accidents and Safety; Deaths (Fatalities) 

Just fix it.
9
U.S.

Contracting Overhaul Is Promised for Navy

As allegations of overbilling for supplies expand, Navy Secretary Ray Mabus said he had ordered a team of officials to come up with changes to make the Navy less vulnerable to fraud.
Defense Contracts; Bribery and Kickbacks; United States Defense and Military Forces; Frauds and Swindling 

"In defending the Navy’s efforts to prevent overbilling, Mr. Mabus noted that after contract officials complained about contractors frequently overcharging for waste removal, the service installed flow meters on ships to verify contractors’ claims.
"I think we’ve done a lot, but I think we’ve still got a good bit more to do,” Mr. Mabus said."

10
N.Y. / Region

Metro-North Seen Lagging in Protection Against Crash

Changes significant enough to have thwarted the Bronx crash on Dec. 1, according to rail experts, were simple enough to have been completed within days.
Railroad Accidents and Safety; Transit Systems 

Metro North and the M.T.A. are fighting over which will pay the bill.
11
Business Day

Time Warner Cable, Bruised After Its Battle With CBS, Extends Viacom Deal

The cable company announced that it had reached a multiyear agreement to renew distribution for Viacom Inc., whose networks include MTV, Comedy Central and Nickelodeon.
Cable Television 

The division of the populations attention is in contention among the entertainment powers.

. . . brains;  brains . . .

12
Business Day

Surge Seen in U.S. Oil Output, Lowering Gasoline Prices

A report predicted that the world oil benchmark price over the next few years would slip from a 2012 average of $112 a barrel to $92 a barrel in 2017.
Coal; Greenhouse Gas Emissions; Energy and Power; Electric Light and Power; Oil (Petroleum) and Gasoline 

Some want to keep the oil economy.
 
13
Great Homes and Destinations

What You Get for... $800,000

Properties include a waterfront condo in Baltimore, a Craftsman-style house in Dallas and a cabin in South Dakota.
Real Estate and Housing (Residential) 

One can pay as much as desired.
14
Science

Best Places for Seafood? Follow a Gannet

Australasian gannets have a way of finding out, at communal bathing sites, where the fish are.
Birds; Fish and Other Marine Life 

The colony is hungry.
15
Great Homes and Destinations

Homes for $800,000

A look at a waterfront condo in Baltimore, a Craftsman-style house in Dallas and a cabin in South Dakota.
Real Estate and Housing (Residential) 

Really Bad times in the existing house market.
These are very cheap if they are sold furnished.
The climate of South Dakota is harder than I am.
The politics of Dallas are unbearable.
Baltimore has no excuse for existence this century.
16
Opinion

Hurricane Sandy and New Jersey’s Poor

Federal housing officials need to investigate whether the state is operating in a nondiscriminatory fashion.
Hurricane Sandy (2012); Discrimination; Minorities; Blacks; Hispanic-Americans; Affordable Housing; Editorials; Federal Aid (US)

No one wants to prove Christie crazy.
 
17
Real Estate

Same View, Less Money

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

Urban renewal is bleach.
 
18
U.S.

New Mexico: State Seeks to Block Horse Slaughter Plant

Attorney General Gary King is suing a Roswell company in an attempt to block a horse slaughter plant from opening next month.
Slaughterhouses; Horses; Food Contamination and Poisoning

"Not in our backyard."  Trying to cull horses is remunerative.
We know we should cull the herd.  There is no constituency for culling.
 
19
Movies

Adapting Big Questions for the Screen

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

Not easy to do and Melena Ryzik does not help.

20
Science

On New Caledonia, a Lone Survivor

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

Genetic doubling is a new concept to me.

The statement made in this story header must be false. 
There was an original flowering plant.
All flowering plants are direct descendents of that plant.
This flowering plant has not changed from that original plant.

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

@19:00

1
World

Amid Deep Mistrust, Deal to Supply Blockaded Syrian Town Falters

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

Expending resources on a neutral gives no benefit.

2
U.S.

Under Seattle, a Big Object Blocks Bertha. What Is It?

Something unknown, engineers say, has blocked the progress of the biggest-diameter tunnel-boring machine in use on the planet.
Bridges and Tunnels; Geology; Roads and Traffic

The Republican party.
 
3
N.Y. / Region

Museum of the City of New York’s Gelato Giveaway

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

This reads like fun.  I will not attend without a specific invitation.

4
Your Money

How Lucrative Thy Branches

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

My kind of crop.
 
5
Multimedia/Photos

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

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

The resolution of the N.S.A. will not be neat or easy.

6
U.S.

Poison Gas Kills Eight Left in Dark After Storm

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

Just a winter storm.  Carbon monoxide is a well understood problem.
 
7
Fashion & Style

Video: Bill Cunningham | Red and White All Over

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

Santa con is a pub crawl. 
The windows and their ornament are fun.

I do not spend enough time on the streets these years.

8
Sports

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

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

Deal with it.  If I can help let me know.
 
9
Education

Getting Out of Discount Game, Small Colleges Lower the Price

Many institutions that charge high tuition but also offer steep discounts are rethinking the allure of that model.
Colleges and Universities; Tuition; Financial Aid (Education)

The reality of our national economy intrudes on academic life.
 
10
N.Y. / Region

No Finger-Pointing on Metro-North Crash at M.T.A. Meeting

At its first public meeting since the derailment on Dec. 1, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority outlined safety changes, and the board refrained from criticizing its leadership.
Railroad Accidents and Safety; Deaths (Fatalities)

Blame is not the problem. 
Paying for the fix is the problem.

11
U.S.

Contracting Overhaul Is Promised for Navy

As allegations of overbilling for supplies expand, Navy Secretary Ray Mabus said he had ordered a team of officials to come up with changes to make the Navy less vulnerable to fraud.
Defense Contracts; Bribery and Kickbacks; United States Defense and Military Forces; Frauds and Swindling

This is a good time to take action.
 
12
N.Y. / Region

Metro-North Seen Lagging in Protection Against Crash

Changes significant enough to have thwarted the Bronx crash on Dec. 1, according to rail experts, were simple enough to have been completed within days.
Railroad Accidents and Safety; Transit Systems

Yes.
 
13
14
Business Day

Surge Seen in U.S. Oil Output, Lowering Gasoline Prices


A few percent.  This is expensive production.

15
Science

Best Places for Seafood? Follow a Gannet

16
Opinion

Hurricane Sandy and New Jersey’s Poor

17
Real Estate

Same View, Less Money

18
U.S.

New Mexico: State Seeks to Block Horse Slaughter Plant

19
Great Homes and Destinations

What You Get for... $800,000

20
Movies

Adapting Big Questions for the Screen


Not easy to do.

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

@20:00




2
Great Homes and Destinations

What You Get for... $800,000

3
Great Homes and Destinations

Say ‘Cheese’

4
Great Homes and Destinations

Homes for $800,000

5
U.S.

Under Seattle, a Big Object Blocks Bertha. What Is It?

6
N.Y. / Region

Museum of the City of New York’s Gelato Giveaway


7
Multimedia/Photos

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


8
Your Money

How Lucrative Thy Branches


My kind of crop.

9
U.S.

Poison Gas Kills Eight Left in Dark After Storm

10
Fashion & Style

Video: Bill Cunningham | Red and White All Over

11
Sports

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

12
Education

Getting Out of Discount Game, Small Colleges Lower the Price

13
U.S.

Upstart Groups Challenge Rove for G.O.P. Cash

14
N.Y. / Region

No Finger-Pointing on Metro-North Crash at M.T.A. Meeting

15
U.S.

Contracting Overhaul Is Promised for Navy

16
N.Y. / Region

Metro-North Seen Lagging in Protection Against Crash

17
18
Business Day

Surge Seen in U.S. Oil Output, Lowering Gasoline Prices

19
Science

Best Places for Seafood? Follow a Gannet

20
Technology

Creating Experiences to Sell Gadgets

Many consumer electronic companies are taking Apple’s cue in establishing their own retail stores that serve as emporiums of cool.
Electronics; Shopping and Retail 

This is not my view of gadgets.  I have to work for mastery.
I want to understand the problems I encounter.

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