Monday, August 10, 2015

@20:06, 8/09/15

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1
Opinion

The Abortion Debate: Strong Views All Around

Readers discuss Katha Pollitt’s idea that women who have had abortions should speak out.

Abortion is an established right.
Individuals need not exercise it.
Religions can brand it as sin.
The state should not attempt to regulate it beyond "safe and effective"
The state has no interest in an unborn child.
The fourteenth amendment specifies "born". 

2
N.Y. / Region

New York Ordering Tests of Water-Cooling Towers Amid Legionnaires’ Outbreak

Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York said building owners had two weeks to test and disinfect the towers, as the death toll from the disease rose to 10.

Politics as usual.

3
N.Y. / Region

City Denies Pregnant Police Officer a Makeup Date for Sergeant’s Exam

Officer Akema Thompson was in the hospital recovering from giving birth to her first child on exam day, but officials said her request for a makeup test was “not approvable.”

Good for her.   I must side with the officials.
Their problem was to limit the numbers.

4
Fashion & Style

At Givenchy’s Men’s Shop in Paris, the Two Sides of Riccardo Tisci

Joining the parade of men’s boutiques in the Marais, Givenchy shows off its mix of haute history and sharp detailing.

I do not want to pay the necessary close attention.
I am happy to work to specifications.

5
N.Y. / Region

Restaurant Review: Charritos in Weehawken Is a Family Affair

At Charritos in Weehawken, several aunts and the boss’s mother help make this spot ideal for enjoying Oaxacan specialties.

Say when.

6
Opinion

Free Puerto Rico, America’s Colony

The island is broke because of an oppressive economic system.

The Republicans are breaking our promises.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/03/opinion/paul-krugman-americas-un-greek-tragedies-in-puerto-rico-and-appalachia.html

. . . "What this tells us, in turn, is that even for a part of the United States, too much austerity can be self-defeating. It would, in particular, be a terrible idea to give the hedge funds that have scooped up much of Puerto Rico’s debt what they want — basically to destroy the island’s education system in the name of fiscal responsibility.
Overall, however, the Puerto Rican story is one of bad times that fall well short of utter disaster. And the saving grace in this situation is big government — a federal system that provides a crucial safety net for American citizens in times of need, wherever they happen to live."

7
Travel

City Tours Becomming More Children-Friendly

For hard-to-please young travelers, companies are creating more interactive and entertaining versions for those between the ages of 6 and 12.

Petting zoos have a place.

8
Magazine

Female Visibility Matters

Narratives of police brutality often exclude women, but the scourge of racism doesn’t belong to a single gender.

There are at least two problems involved.
Racism and misogyny.  They are independent  and mutually reinforcing.
Solving one will not solve the other. 

9
N.Y. / Region

$25,000 Fine Proposed in Taxi Driver’s Snub of Black Family

A judge ruled that the driver, Baqir Raza, violated a section of city human rights law when he drove away from a black family to pick up two white women.

Cabbies  do not get to make these decisions.


10
Business Day

Abercrombie & Fitch to End On-Call Shifts for Workers

The retailer had been one of 13 investigated by the New York State attorney general’s office over the practice of unpredictable scheduling and staffing.

The practice is abusive.

11
Books

Editors’ Choice

Recently reviewed books of particular interest.

I will attempt to read almost anything.
These would probably spend years on the shelf unread.

12
Sports

Pinkman Holds Off Filly to Win the Hambletonian

Pinkman held off Mission Brief down the stretch and won the biggest event in harness racing, preventing her from becoming the first filly to win the race since 1996.

I do not follow the game.
It reads like it is worth the attention.

13
N.Y. / Region

Cuomo Rejects Federal Offer to Lend Money for New Hudson River Tunnels

A loan to build the tunnels, estimated to cost billions, was “not viable,” Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo of New York said, urging the government to get money from the Obama administration or Congress.

If Amtrak  is going to use the tunnels Amtrak should pay for them.
They can charge tolls to New Jersey transit.and other users.

14
U.S.

An Indelible Black-and-White Line

The Section 8 voucher program, a tool meant to provide low-income residents with access to high-opportunity communities, has fallen short of its goal.

Yes it exists.

15
N.Y. / Region

Man Dies After Being Shocked With a Taser by a Hartford Police Officer

The Connecticut State Police are investigating the death of a 26-year-old man after a call reporting a medical disturbance.

Tasers are less deadly than guns.
The police should get their billy clubs back.
The violence is more controllable.

16
Real Estate

The Doorman’s Dilemma: What To Do With All Those Packages?

With the increased popularity of online shopping, New York co-ops, condos and rental buildings are being forced to reconsider their delivery policies.

The buildings staff understand the problem.
Costs will go up.

17
Travel

In Papua, Indonesia, a Visit to the Welcoming Dani People

A trek that ends up in a visit to the Dani people proves to be an enlightening experience as the villagers share their customs.

I would rather read the texts.
I do not have the language or the time.
I will accompany you if you need to go.

18
Books

Letters: The Rediscovered Manuscript

Readers respond to a recent review of Dr. Seuss’ “What Pet Should I Get?” and more.

Dr. Seuss is a joy from his first to his last.

I will take Malthus as ur-truth.
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/ur-
The baseline keeps changing. 

19
U.S.

Chicago Stop-and-Frisk to Be Monitored

The independent evaluation follows a scathing March 2015 report from the A.C.L.U. of Illinois that found Chicago officers disproportionately targeted blacks and other racial minorities in encounters.

The police should stop complaining and deal with the problem.

20
Opinion

Shackling of Children

A psychiatrist writes that it adds to “the trauma many of these young people have already experienced.”

Teachers must learn to deal with the children.
Packing them off to the principal is a possibility. 

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