@7:20, 10/26/14

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1

Opinion

The Last Train

By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN | Oct 25th 2014

The last train has departed.

2

The Upshot

Americans Don’t Live in Information Cocoons

By BRENDAN NYHAN | Oct 24th 2014

A study asserts that liberals and conservatives get their news mainly from like-minded sources, but other research contradicts this finding.

News and News Media; Polls and Public Opinion; United States Politics and Government 

He may be mistaken.

3

U.S.

Three Supreme Court Justices Return to Yale

By ADAM LIPTAK | Oct 25th 2014

Justices Thomas, Sotomayor and Alito attended reunion weekend at the law school and discussed affirmative action, salsa dancing and spittoons.

Law Schools 

"Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., who has two Harvard degrees, was once asked whether it is healthy for the Supreme Court to consist of only justices with degrees from elite institutions.

“First of all, I disagree with your premise,” he responded. “Not all of the justices went to elite institutions. Some went to Yale.”"

4

Sports

Florida State’s Jameis Winston Performs Admirably Under Scrutiny, at Least on the Field

By WILLIAM C. RHODEN | Oct 19th 2014

Winston appeared unflappable in leading Florida State to a come-from-behind win over Notre Dame on Saturday, but he has not demonstrated the same maturity on campus.

Football (College) 

F.S.U. has not made a person of Jameis Winston.

5

U.S.

For Midterms, Betting on Feet and Good Apps

By ASHLEY PARKER and JONATHAN WEISMAN | Oct 25th 2014

In few states has the ground game been as intense as in North Carolina, where both sides are marshaling outside money and advances in data analytics to reach out to voters.

Elections, Senate; Midterm Elections (2014); Voting and Voters; Mobile Applications 

http://www.dailykos.com/blog/elections

It is a very quiet election for me.

6

World

South Korea Tears Down Christmas Tower on Border

By CHOE SANG-HUN | Oct 22nd 2014

North Korea had threatened to attack the steel structure, which used to be lit around the holiday as part of the nations’ psychological warfare.

Christmas; Christians and Christianity; Defense and Military Forces; Cold War Era

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_tree

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Korea#Demographics

"Freedom of religion and the right to religious ceremonies are constitutionally guaranteed, but religions are restricted in practice.^[192][193] According to Religious Intelligence, 64.3% of the population are irreligious adherents of the Juche idea, 16% practice Korean shamanism, 13.5% practice Chondoism, 4.5% are Buddhist and 1.7% are Christian.^[194] The cultural influence of Buddhism and Confucianism still has an effect on spiritual life, however.^[195][196] Buddhists reportedly fare better than other religious groups. They are given limited funding by the government to promote the religion, because Buddhism played an integral role in traditional Korean culture.^[197] Chondoism ("Heavenly Way") is an indigenous syncretic belief combining elements of Korean shamanism, Buddhism, Taoism and Catholicism that is officially represented by the KWP-controlled Chongu Party.^[198] In contrast, the Open Doors mission claims the most severe persecution of Christians in the world occurs in North Korea.^[199] Four state-sanctioned churches exist, but freedom of religion advocates claim these are showcases for foreigners.^[200][201] Amnesty International has also expressed concerns about religious persecution in the country.^[202]"

Faith will try anything.  Successful evangelism comes after 1953.

7

Business Day

Three More States Ban a Type of Highway Guardrail

By DANIELLE IVORY | Oct 23rd 2014

Ten states have now banned the ET-Plus system made by Trinity Industries, which is suspected of malfunctioning in crashes.

Traffic Accidents and Safety

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinity_Industries
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinity_Industries#Guardrail_controversy
The company is in financial trouble.

8

The Upshot

China Will Keep Growing. Just Ask the Soviets.

By NEIL IRWIN | Oct 24th 2014

Fluff
"Trees do not grow to the sky"

9

1914: Zeppelin Danger a Bluff

By INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE | Oct 22nd 2014

Highlights from the International Herald Tribune archives: A British press report discarded the threat of Zeppelin attacks in 1914.

Bombs and Explosives; Military Aircraft; World War I (1914-18)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeppelin#During_World_War_I

10

Business Day

Economic Gauge Shows a Solid Gain

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Oct 23rd 2014

Improved but not good.

11

N.Y. / Region

Building for the Next Big Storm

By ALAN FEUER | Oct 25th 2014

12

U.S.

Race Tests Democrats’ Viability in West Virginia

By TRIP GABRIEL | Oct 23rd 2014

Representative Nick J. Rahall II has defiantly held on to his seat in a district that faults White House policy for the area’s declining coal industry.

Coal; Midterm Elections (2014); Elections, House of Representatives

I can stand the place if you can.
I don't have to knock on doors.

Shenandoah Valley operations, May–July 1864

13

N.Y. / Region

In New York State Senator’s Case, Defining ‘Embezzlement’

By STEPHANIE CLIFFORD | Oct 23rd 2014

In seeking a dismissal of two of the 10 counts against State Senator John L. Sampson, his lawyers did not argue on Thursday that he did not embezzle from the government, but rather that he did it earlier than prosecutors have said.

Embezzlement; Statutes of Limitations; Foreclosures; Midterm Elections (2014)

State Senator John L. Sampson may not go to jail on these two counts. 
He will go to jail on the other eight.

14

N.Y. / Region

Report on Investigation Into Ambulance Dispatch Delay in Fatal Fire

Oct 21st 2014

The New York City Department of Investigation on Tuesday released a report concerning an April fire in Queens in which two children died.

Fires and Firefighters; Accidents and Safety

The breakdown was the communication between the dispatchers.
The people at the fire could call E.M.S.

15

U.S.

Pennsylvania: Justice Is Suspended

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Oct 20th 2014

The State Supreme Court on Monday suspended Justice Seamus P. McCaffery in a pornographic email scandal.

Supreme Courts (State); Pornography; Ethics and Official Misconduct

Let the Judicial Conduct Board decide.

16

Health

Ebola Vaccine, Ready for Test, Sat on the Shelf

By DENISE GRADY | Oct 23rd 2014

An Ebola vaccine effective in monkeys was not tested in humans until now, after the severe outbreak in West Africa forced governments to step in.

Ebola Virus; Vaccination and Immunization; Clinical Trials; Epidemics; Drugs (Pharmaceuticals)

There was no outbreak at the time the vaccine was ready for testing.
It was a good reason then.
Times have changed. 

17

World

Iranian Photojournalist Reportedly Detained After Covering Protest Against Acid Attacks

By ROBERT MACKEY | Oct 24th 2014

18

Opinion

In India, Revealing the Children Left Behind

By TINA ROSENBERG | Oct 23rd 2014

A nationwide, door-to-door testing initiative has become a mobilizing force for better-quality education.

Children and Childhood; Education (K-12); Illiteracy; Tests and Examinations

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Literacy#United_States

"In 1820, 20% of the entire adult white population was illiterate, and 80% of the African American population was illiterate^{[citation needed]}. By 1900 the situation had improved somewhat, but 44% of African American people remained illiterate. There were significant improvements for African American and other races in the early 20th century as the descendants of former slaves, who had had no educational opportunities, grew up in the post Civil War period and often had some chance to obtain a basic education. The gap in illiteracy between white and black adults continued to narrow through the 20th century, and in 1979 the rates were about the same.^[36]
Full prose proficiency,^[37] as measured by the ability to process complex and challenging material such as would be encountered in everyday life, is achieved by about 13% of the general, 17% of the white, and 2% of the African American population.^[38][39] However 86% of the general population had basic or higher prose proficiency as of 2003, with a decrease distributed across all groups in the full proficiency group vs. 1992 of more than 10%, consistent with a general decline."

The British East India company had no interest in a literate general population.
They did require a literate civil service and officer corps and arranged to have one.

19

U.S.

Before Bigger Stage, Walker Must Win Wisconsin

By MONICA DAVEY | Oct 19th 2014

Scott Walker’s job as governor is not all that is at stake: His currency as a presidential contender will surely vanish if he cannot win a second term.

Presidential Election of 2016; Elections, Governors; Midterm Elections (2014)

I have some hope Walker will lose.
I can find no statistics.

20

N.Y. / Region

Dispatchers Faulted for Delayed Medical Call to Fatal Fire in Queens

By J. DAVID GOODMAN | Oct 21st 2014

It took 21 minutes for an ambulance to arrive at a fire that killed two children in April in Far Rockaway, Queens.

"The Fire Department said it had already introduced stopgap measures that will be replaced next year with a more direct alert system between fire and medical dispatching systems.

When a 911 caller reports a fire, it sets into motion a process that involves multiple dispatchers, and when a fire is confirmed by firefighters in the field, it leads to the dispatching of an ambulance.

But the report found that to get an ambulance to a fire, information must be passed among no fewer than seven people."


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