@21:40, 4/3/15

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1

Opinion

The Conscience of a Corporation

By TIMOTHY EGAN | Apr 3rd 2015

They are saying, No, don’t give us the power to discriminate. We’d rather remain soulless purveyors of product to the widest possible customer base.

Agreed.
The sarcasm may not be enough. 

2

Opinion

Denmark’s Drug-Free Pigs

By BARRY ESTABROOK | Apr 3rd 2015

American farmers don’t need all those antibiotics.

Pork; Antibiotics; Livestock; Regulation and Deregulation of Industry; Factory Farming; Pigs 

I do not want to run a livestock operation.

Cutting antibiotic use seems a good idea.

3

U.S.

As Quakes Rattle Oklahoma, Fingers Point to Oil and Gas Industry

By RICHARD A. OPPEL Jr. and MICHAEL WINES | Apr 3rd 2015

Some in the industry believe the earthquakes are a natural phenomenon, but many scientists disagree.

Earthquakes; Oil (Petroleum) and Gasoline; Geology; Waste Materials and Disposal; Hydraulic Fracturing 

There are no external costs.

The oil and gas operations must pay the full present and future costs of their actions.

4

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What We’re Reading

By THE NEW YORK TIMES | Apr 3rd 2015

Get recommendations from New York Times reporters and editors, highlighting interesting stories from around the web. In this installment, great reads from Matt Apuzzo, Jenna Wortham and others.

Athletics and Sports; Cheating; Computer and Video Games; Education (K-12); Identification Devices; Newspapers; Suits and Litigation (Civil); Tennis; Xbox (Video Game System) 

Old code can run on an emulator.  Being slow and stupid is easy.

People continue to be human.

5

U.S.

Obama’s Passport Data Leaked in Australian Email Blunder

By PETER BAKER | Mar 30th 2015

Passport information for President Obama and the leaders of 30 other countries was accidentally emailed by an official in Australia’s immigration department.

Privacy; E-Mail; Passports 

Just noise.

6

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Scenes from a Sustainability Quest, from Leopard Skin Sales to Lionfish Sashimi

By ANDREW C. REVKIN | Apr 3rd 2015

A sustainability quest that includes leopard skins, road salt and lionfish sashimi.

Blogs and Blogging (Internet); Colleges and Universities; Computers and the Internet; Earth; Education; Environment; Reefs; Social Media; Sustainable Living 

Revkin is preaching to the quire.

About half of the U.S. will not understand that actions have consequential costs.

The purpose of government is the maintenance of the common.

7

Technology

Antitrust and Other Inquiries in Europe Target U.S. Tech Giants

By MARK SCOTT | Apr 2nd 2015

New developments offer the latest sign that American tech giants face intensifying scrutiny in Europe that could curb their profits in the region and affect how they operate around the world.

Computers and the Internet; Antitrust Laws and Competition Issues; Corporate Taxes; Music; Royalties; Video Recordings, Downloads and Streaming 

I wish the European governments good luck in regulating data collection and use.

I would like them to succeed.

Anonymity looks to be our best defense.

8

Business Day

Jobless Claims Drop to Lowest Level Since January

By REUTERS | Apr 2nd 2015

The labor report and figures that showed an unexpected increase in factory orders support views that a recent economic slowdown is probably temporary.

Unemployment Insurance; Factories and Manufacturing; United States Economy; Economic Conditions and Trends; Unemployment 

The signals are noisy.

The jobless claims could indicate a falling workforce.

Job creation is way down. 

9

Magazine

Letter of Recommendation: The Thomas Guide to Los Angeles

By MEGHAN DAUM | Apr 3rd 2015

To leave the house without it was to risk ending up on the Boulevard That Defies All Logic.

Navigation; Global Positioning System; Roads and Traffic

I like paper maps.
GPS systems can help.

10

Opinion

How to Encourage Healthier Eating

Apr 3rd 2015

Kevin Concannon, an under secretary of agriculture, and other readers respond to an Op-Ed essay about discouraging junk food consumption.

Food; Diet and Nutrition; Food Stamps; Vegetables

Removing the subsidies from "junk food" would help.

11

N.Y. / Region

Sheldon Silver’s Lawyers Again Ask Judge to Drop Indictment

By BENJAMIN WEISER | Apr 2nd 2015

Lawyers for Mr. Silver, who was forced to step down as the Assembly speaker after his arrest, argued that the conduct he is accused of “simply does not amount to any federal offense.”

Extortion and Blackmail; Frauds and Swindling

The judge will decide.

12

Business Day

European Central Bank Firm in Backing Stimulus

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Apr 2nd 2015

Top officials expressed determination to stick with the full 1.1 trillion euros, even though the eurozone economy shows signs of finally picking up.

Euro (Currency); Banking and Financial Institutions; Government Bonds

This form of "stimulus" is ineffective.

13

Opinion

Students and Parents in the Dark

By THE EDITORIAL BOARD | Apr 2nd 2015

The Department of Education should disclose the names of all schools that have been placed under student aid restrictions.

For-Profit Schools; Student Loans; Colleges and Universities; Editorials

If we had a way to measure education an efficiency number would be good.

Demanding accreditation for student aid might work. 
There will be screams.  
The problem is not trivial.

14

Business Day

Falling Corn Prices Bring Down Quarterly Profit at Monsanto

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Apr 1st 2015

Sales slid to $5.2 billion from $5.8 billion.

Company Reports; Corn

Monsanto is not guaranteed a profit.

15

N.Y. / Region

Rollout of New York City’s Taxi of Tomorrow Is Again Halted in Court

By EMMA G. FITZSIMMONS | Mar 31st 2015

The Greater New York Taxi Association has argued that the Bloomberg administration exceeded its authority in trying to force drivers to purchase a certain vehicle.

Taxicabs and Taxicab Drivers

The taxis make a successful business.

16

Science

A Farmer Ant’s Unique Fungal Crop

By SINDYA N. BHANOO | Mar 30th 2015

Newly discovered ants have domesticated a fungus deadly to other ant species.

Fungi; Ants

More evidence of evolution.

17

Opinion

The Price of Damming Tibet’s Rivers

By MICHAEL BUCKLEY | Mar 30th 2015

China’s control over the region’s waterways hurts countries downstream.

Levees and Dams; Rivers; Hydroelectric Power

China is not behaving well.

18

Opinion

Why the Trans-Pacific Partnership Matters

By ROGER C. ALTMAN and RICHARD N. HAASS | Apr 3rd 2015

If the Trans-Pacific Partnership fails, the national security of America will be severely harmed.

Trans-Pacific Partnership; International Trade and World Market; United States International Relations; Income Inequality; Currency; United States Politics and Government

I need more information to form an opinion.

19

U.S.

Obama Commutes Long Sentences of 22 Drug Offenders

By MATT APUZZO | Mar 31st 2015

The clemency was part of an effort to correct a disparity created by measures from the 1980s and ’90s and align penalties more with current law.

Amnesties, Commutations and Pardons; Mandatory Sentencing; Drug Abuse and Traffic; Sentences (Criminal); Prisons and Prisoners

The U.S. drug policy has been bad.
There is no foreseeable change from congress. 
This is a start on correcting the policy.

20

Business Day

Charter’s Deal May Not Be the Last Word on Bright House

By JEFFREY GOLDFARB | Mar 31st 2015

With Comcast-Time Warner Cable still in play, the cable landscape could still realign again.

Mergers, Acquisitions and Divestitures; Cable Television

High speed internet is enough.
We will get the best deal we can find.