Friday, January 3, 2014

@1:50, 1/1/14

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1
Automobiles

Lawrence Ulrich’s Top 12 of 2013

In 2013, the best new models included many stellar sports cars, perhaps signaling that good times are about to roll.
Automobiles 

Sticker  shock

2
Fashion & Style

‘Interactive’ Gets a New Meaning

The next generation in sex toys — in the vein of “Her,” starring Joaquin Phoenix — is taking high-tech high jinks to a futuristic level, at warp speed.
Sex; Computers and the Internet; Virtual Reality (Computers); Movies 

How very gay.

People tell me I should participate in these developments.

There is no joy in it for me.
Touch, temperature, texture and scent along with the visuals make the experience.  Words are foreplay.

Steam Punk:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Steam_engine_in_action.gif

3
N.Y. / Region

At a Vestige of El Barrio’s Past, Hope Is Still for Sale

Jorge Vargas sells religious objects and incense at a botanica in gentrifying East Harlem to those seeking prosperity and spiritual cleansing.
Gentrification; Santeria Faith 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chango_Macho - - D'jango?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Django_Reinhardt
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Django_Unchained
4
Opinion

Preserving Wireless Competition

A combination of Sprint and T-Mobile could raise prices and hurt consumers.
Cellular Telephones; Mergers, Acquisitions and Divestitures; Antitrust Laws and Competition Issues; Wireless Communications 

I think equal footprints compete better.
The article is AstroTurf.

Everybody has compatibility issues.

The different coding schemes will keep the combination less than dominant for a time.  
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cell_phone
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sprint_Corporation
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sprint_Corporation#Wireless_networks
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T-Mobile_US
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T-Mobile_US#Wireless_networks
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rain_fade
Frequency against normalized attenuation presented as a graph was desired.  It would be better if cell phone bands were marked on that graph.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verizon_Wireless
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verizon_Wireless#Radio_Frequency_Summary

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AT%26T_Mobility
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AT%26T_Mobility#Network


5
Sports

Fantasy Football: Week 17 Matchup Breakdown

In general, the key to succeeding in Week 17 is to have a firm grasp on which teams still have something to play for, whether it’s a playoff spot or something more.
Football; Fantasy Sports

I still consider time with you a prize.
 
6
Multimedia/Photos

Video: Times Minute | Second Blast Hits Russia

Also on the Minute, Schumacher remains in a medically induced coma, and looking back at the N.S.A. and Edward Snowden.
Disasters and Emergencies; Bombs and Explosives; Surveillance of Citizens by Government; Railroad Accidents and Safety; Traffic Accidents and Safety; Automobile Racing; Coma; Commuting; Consciousness - decreased; Whistle-Blowers; Head injury; Stations and Terminals (Passenger)

There is nothing to be done about walking bombs.
One could halt all travel for the critical period.
The riots would be more destructive than any man portable chemical bomb or bombs.
It would be ineffective if the halt were anticipated.

7
Opinion

The Elected Bullies

The archetype of the politician who uses power to punish enemies and reward supporters is well known in politics. Here are some examples.
Bullies; Editorials; United States Politics and Government

YES.
8
Automobiles

Dream Boats

The most noteworthy design studies of 2013.
Automobiles

The automobile designers do good work.
The production people have problems.
 
9
N.Y. / Region

Owner of Forgotten Clock Finds a Name (and Hands) to Put With the Face

Barry Lubetkin was researching Homer and Langley Collyer, brothers known in the 1930s and ’40s as the Hermits of Harlem, when he spotted a familiar artifact.
Hoarding; Watches and Clocks; Auctions

Most of my hoard gets trashed.
 
10
Opinion

DeBlasio's First Move: Carriage Horses

What makes him think this subject is important enough to occupy his first days in office?
Carriages; Horses

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/05/opinion/some-carriages-should-not-be-horseless.html

Once all cabs were horse drawn.
The mounted police are very effective.

11
Opinion

When a Court Said N.S.A. Spying Is Lawful

Two readers react to a judge’s upholding of N.S.A. surveillance methods.
Surveillance of Citizens by Government; September 11 (2001); Espionage and Intelligence Services

Agreed.
 
12
Business Day

Spain Tightens Rules for Bottled Olive Oil

The rules are aimed at improving food hygiene, by banning refillable bottles at restaurants, but oil producers also hope to build stronger brand recognition.
Olive Oil; Restaurants; Hygiene and Cleanliness; International Trade and World Market; Containers and Packaging

This will sell bottles.
The price of honest oil will not rise significantly.
I think Spain has not emerged from depression.

13
Opinion

A Small Step Toward More Mercy

President Obama’s sentence commutations are welcome, but they are too few.
Amnesties, Commutations and Pardons; Drug Abuse and Traffic; Mandatory Sentencing; Editorials

The Drug laws need to be rethought.
That is important but not vital.
We probably should treat addiction rather than punish it.
My first thought was that it is rather like homosexuality.  That is wrong.
Addiction can be treated though probably not cured. 
There should be a way to reset the brain chemistry.
That has never worked with the gay.

14
World

Gunmen in Greece Attack German Ambassador’s Residence

No one claimed responsibility for the shooting on Monday but anti-German sentiment has been festering over a harsh austerity plan linked to Greece’s bailout.
European Sovereign Debt Crisis (2010- ); Crime and Criminals; International Relations; Diplomatic Service, Embassies and Consulates

Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, Germany's other man in Athens.
 
15
Automobiles

James G. Cobb’s Top 12 of 2013

It was a good year for car buyers, as postrecession investments paid off, bringing interesting models to showrooms.
Automobiles

"CHEVROLET CRUZE DIESEL ($25,695 base; $25,795) America’s highest-mileage nonhybrid car with an internal-combustion engine, the Cruze Diesel impresses with its 46 m.p.g. highway rating — I got 50-plus on some stretches — 720-mile range" . . .

Why not? 
I learned a good deal about diesel power with an old 190D and large pickup.
I can fix them at need.

16
N.Y. / Region

Final Report on Sandy Hook Killings Sheds New Light on Gunman’s Isolation

A State Police report containing hundreds of photographs and hours of videos was heavily redacted, but provided the most complete account of the shooting in Newtown, Conn.
Newtown, Conn, Shooting (2012)

Nothing I need to know.
 
17
Opinion

State Feminists vs. 343 Bastards

In Europe, activists are creating a schism between those who see prostitution as a form of male oppression and those who see it as a possible means of female empowerment.
Prostitution; Women and Girls; Law and Legislation

I take the position that prostitution is never voluntary.
Exiting that life is nearly impossible.

Pimping is criminal.
 
18
Sports

Rangers Overcome Miscue to Top Panthers in Shootout

Brad Richards had the lone goal in a shootout after defenseman Dan Girardi, whose earlier blunder cost the Rangers a goal, scored with 2:10 left to send the game to overtime.
Hockey, Ice

19
Sports

Bettman Upholds Thornton’s Long Suspension

Calling Boston’s Shawn Thornton’s pummeling of Pittsburgh’s Brooks Orpik a reckless act, N.H.L. Commissioner Gary Bettman refuses to reduce his 15-game ban.
Hockey, Ice

The formal fighting must stop.
 
20
Sports

Devils Prevail in Overtime; Jagr Ties Messier in Goals

The Devils trailed 3-1 after two periods but staged a rally to defeat Washington on Saturday.
Hockey, Ice

Hockey; a substitute for politics.


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@20:12


1
Magazine

Need Some Greens? Then Eat This Pork Belly

How they do it at a nose-to-tail restaurant in London.
Pork; Cooking and Cookbooks; Meat 

I can lust after this but the dish is bigger than my audience.
I will do bacon in smaller quantities.  I like hickory smoke.
Comfit will be a new adventure when I get there.
Bittman is right,  
uncured pork belly is not that common in the markets I visit.  

2
Multimedia/Photos

Video: Times Minute | Second Blast Hits Russia

3
World

European Labor Market Opens for Romanians and Bulgarians

Citizens of two of Europe’s poorest states became officially eligible to seek jobs in Germany, France, Britain and several other countries on Jan. 1.
Immigration and Emigration; Labor and Jobs 

Another fork full of straw on the proverbial camel.
 
4
Fashion & Style

A New Take on the Avon Lady

While the trend in marketing has been toward social media, some dermatologists and skin care retailers are returning to informal, in-person beauty schooling.
Skin; Beauty; Customer Relations 

You could replicate an old alligator; I would want your touch.

We know that skin is individually unique.
It will need individual attention.
 
5
Sports

Rangers Overcome Miscue to Top Panthers in Shootout

Brad Richards had the lone goal in a shootout after defenseman Dan Girardi, whose earlier blunder cost the Rangers a goal, scored with 2:10 left to send the game to overtime.
Hockey, Ice 

"THORNTON WON’T APPEAL The Bruins’ Shawn Thornton will not make a second appeal of his 15-game suspension for his attack on the Penguins’ Brooks Orpik, being quoted in multiple news media reports as saying he would prefer to focus on his return."

6
Opinion

Fiscal Fever Breaks

The scolds may keep scolding, but they no longer control the conversation.
United States Economy; Federal Budget (US); National Debt (US); Economics (Theory and Philosophy); Income Inequality 

Truth is strong medicine.

"January 1, 2014, 10:17 am

The State of the Euro, In One Graph

Happy New Year! I’m trying to organize my thoughts and data on matters European, and I think I’ve come up with a useful way to summarize what has been happening in the euro area. In the figure below I compare the ratio of government debt to GDP (from the IMF — year-end number) with the 10-year interest rate (from the ECB) for a number of euro nations; I show two dates, the peak of the euro crisis in 2011 and a relatively recent observation:
What you see here is that borrowing costs for the troubled euro countries have dropped a lot. But it’s not because austerity policies have brought their debt under control — debt ratios are still rising, in large part because of shrinking economies and deflation. Instead, there has been a dramatic flattening of the relationship between debt and interest rates.
Why has this happened? The timing strongly suggests that it’s mainly the Draghi effect — that the ECB’s signal that it will, in a pinch, act as sovereign lender of last resort has removed much of the fear of self-fulfilling liquidity panics. It’s possible that there has also been some reduction in the political risk premium, because European nations are proving amazingly determined to stay on the euro at almost any cost.
So is the euro crisis over? No — it’s not over until the debt dynamics sing, or perhaps until the debt dynamics sing a duet with internal devaluation. We have yet to see any of the crisis countries reach a point where falling relative wages are generating a clear export-led recovery, or in which austerity is actually paying off in falling debt burdens.
But as a europessimist, I do have to admit that it’s now possible to see how this could work. The cost — economic, human, and political — will be huge. And the whole thing could still break down. But the ECB’s willingness to step up and do its job has given Europe some breathing room."

7
Business Day

Rise in Twitter’s Stock Reflects Exuberance in Silicon Valley

Tech stocks may not quite have returned to the anything-goes dot-com era, but Twitter shares’ rapid rise is a sign of giddiness in the industry.
Stocks and Bonds

It is late to buy the bet.  
It is not yet profitable so it is early to buy a sure thing.

8
World

Russian Inquiry Finds No Radiation Link to Arafat’s Death

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

Russia is not interested in chaos just now.
 
9
World

Q. and A.: U.S. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker on China Trade Talks

Following annual trade and commerce talks with China, a senior Obama administration official discusses hopes for economic reforms announced in a Communist Party conference last month and progress on a government procurement deal and protection of trade secret and patents.
Government Procurement; Industrial Espionage; International Trade and World Market; United States International Relations 

"And third, on patent protection, is to not invalidate patents. And then also to work on current outstanding patent issues with a number of companies where their patents have been invalidated, to address those."

Efforts are being made to let us manufacture again.
So far I see no change.
 
10
Real Estate

Philadelphia Forges Plan to Rebuild From Decay

City officials hope to bring a disparate jumble of properties together to streamline acquisition and development, and entice developers to rebuild.
Real Estate (Commercial); Real Estate and Housing (Residential); Urban Areas; Affordable Housing

"If you build it they will come" was always fantasy.
Philadelphia is playing on the supply side. 
Their problem is a lack of demand for this property.

11
Fashion & Style

No Time to Lose for Michelle Bridges

The race to make Ms. Bridges a U.S. fitness brand.
Exercise; Weight 

Ok.
 
12
U.S.

Daunting Calculus for Maine Shrimpers as Entire Season Is Lost

Regulators took the unusual step of closing the entire Maine shrimping season to give a historically low supply time to recover, worrying those whose livelihoods depend on it.
Shrimp; Fishing, Commercial; Seafood 

The truth, no fish and so no fishing.
 
13
N.Y. / Region

De Blasio Draws All Liberal Eyes to New York City

Bill de Blasio has energized the national left, which is hoping that an assertive, tax-the-rich liberal can transform the nation’s most prominent municipal office into a laboratory of populist theories of government.
Liberalism (US Politics); Local Government; Mayors; Appointments and Executive Changes 

MICHAEL M. GRYNBAUM lost me at his spin on Rudolf Giuliani's policing.

14
N.Y. / Region

Video: Bloomberg Legacy: Education

Javier C. Hernández, a Times education reporter, assesses Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg's record on education.
Education; Charter Schools 

Charter schools are not public schools.
 
15

Crazy.

16
Business Day

Vote on Monte dei Paschi’s Future Is Postponed

A decision on the timing of a €3 billion share issue at the Italian bank, which is also the world’s oldest, was delayed after too few shareholders turned up to vote.
Stocks and Bonds 

Fighting bankruptcy.
 
17
Travel

Mapping a Darker Side of New York

Terence Winter, creator of “Boardwalk Empire,” talks about crime and locations in the city.
Organized Crime; Travel and Vacations 

Not much to see.
 
18
Opinion

China Must Purge Mao's Ghost

Looking backward will lead the country away from what it needs today: real political reform.

Yes.
19
Home & Garden

For Punch or Porridge

From a woodworker in upstate New York, a versatile ladle.
Kitchens; Wood and Wood Products; Tableware 

A good price.
20
Opinion

A Better Way to Teach

Randi Weingarten of the American Federation of Teachers champions the Program for International Student Assessment.
Education; Tests and Examinations; Teachers and School Employees 

Fine words.




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