Sunday, December 2, 2012

@19:33, 12/1/12 2

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1
Style

'Worst Toy Awards' Target Lego Friends

By KJ DELL'ANTONIA | Nov 29, 2012
If a Lego battleship building set is still a good toy, then how can the Lego Friends Beauty Shop be one of the "worst toys of the year?"
Advertising and Marketing; Children and Childhood; Gender; Parenting; Toys; 

I don't know what makes a worst toy.  
It is not the gender steriotypes

Overprotective parents?  Paranoid school boards?  Tiger Moms?

2
Opinion

The U.N. To Vote on Palestine

Nov 28, 2012
U.N. member states will vote Nov. 29 on a resolution to grant “non-member observer state status” to Palestine.
Palestinians; Voting and Voters; 
The general assembly voted as expected.  Palestine has observer status.
3
N.Y. / Region

Putting the Bounce Back in Your Step

By DANIEL KRIEGER | Nov 30, 2012
Dance classes with Kangoo Jumps, bouncy spring-loaded shoes designed for running and jumping without offending the joints.
Exercise; Sneakers; 

I came across them about five years ago.  I was not impressed.
4
World

Should Health Care for the Very Poor Be a Fast-Growth, For-Profit Business?

By HEATHER TIMMONS | Nov 30, 2012
As excitement heats up in India about the "affordable healthcare" industry, some questions remain.
Health Insurance and Managed Care; Microfinance; Private Equity; Reform and Reorganization; Venture Capital; 

No
5
Opinion

Turning Points

By NIALL FERGUSON | Nov 30, 2012
History, like an oil tanker, turns slowly. So let’s not exaggerate how much of a crisis we are actually in.
Middle East and North Africa Unrest (2010- ); European Sovereign Debt Crisis (2010- ); Third World and Developing Countries; Economic Conditions and Trends; Social Conditions and Trends; 

I have no confidence in Niall Ferguson.
6
Business Day

Airbnb Responds to Questions About Hosts Breaking Local Laws

By RON LIEBER | Nov 30, 2012
Why doesn't Airbnb give users more information about local zoning laws? And does it want hosts to take down all listings where they are violating the law?
Customer Relations; Real Estate and Housing (Residential); Renting and Leasing (Real Estate); Urban Areas; 

A timely warning.
7
Opinion

A Climate Scientist Braves the Wilds of YouTube

By ANDREW C. REVKIN | Nov 29, 2012
A climate scientist explains his penchant for online climate communication.
Blogs and Blogging (Internet); Computers and the Internet; Global Warming; Weather; 

I do not need to be sold the reality or climate change or the necessity of action.
8
U.S.

Government Report Supports Closing Guantánamo

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Nov 29, 2012
The report says the 166 detainees being held at the military prison could safely be housed in prisons in the United States.
Shutdowns (Institutional); Prisons and Prisoners; Terrorism; United States Defense and Military Forces; 

The GOP would not tolerate the transition to "war criminals". 
9
Business Day

For Small Businesses, More Than Income Tax Rates Are at Stake in Deficit Talks

By ROBB MANDELBAUM | Nov 29, 2012
While most of the discussion about taxes is focused on the expiring Bush-era tax cuts, a host of other deductions and credits that directly affect small businesses are on the line - and on the table.
Capital Gains Tax; Corporate Taxes; Income Tax; Small Business; Tax Credits, Deductions and Exemptions; 

I do not expect a deal.  The GOP will get their cliff and then proceed to try to rescind most of it.

10
Arts

Spare Times for Nov. 30-Dec. 6

By THOMAS GAFFNEY | Nov 30, 2012
A listing of noteworthy events and activities in the New York area.
Poetry and Poets; Culture (Arts);

These are a bust.  I would happily spend some hours at the Met. Museum.
The Modern is a second choice.  I do not like their new building.
 
11
U.S.

Ohio: ‘Heartbeat Bill’ Curbing Abortion Is Sidelined

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Nov 28, 2012
The leader of the Ohio Senate put a stop Tuesday to a bill that would have imposed the most stringent restriction on abortions in the nation.
Abortion; Law and Legislation; 

A good result for a terrible reason.
12
World

Christmas Tree Controversy Fires Multicultural Belgium

By HARVEY MORRIS | Dec 1, 2012
Belgian traditionalists are up in arms over a decision to replace the annual Christmas tree in the main square of Brussels with a structure of steel-framed cubes. But the controversy has also stirred some racist reactions with an undercurrent of Islamophobia.
Christmas; Christmas Trees; Muslims and Islam; 

"Which is the proper end of a soft boiled egg to open?"  Swift
13
World

Ethnic Hatred Tears Apart a Region of Myanmar

By THOMAS FULLER | Nov 30, 2012
In western Myanmar, clashes have left at least 167 people dead and 100,000 people homeless, most of them Muslims.
Muslims and Islam; Buddhism; Freedom of Religion; Religion and Belief; 

I will be silent on this.
14
U.S.

Under One Roof, Building for Extended Families

By PENELOPE GREEN | Nov 30, 2012
Multigenerational living, a throwback to the past, is a growing trend in the struggling economy, and major homebuilders are designing flexible layouts.
Families and Family Life; Real Estate and Housing (Residential); United States Economy; 

I would be happy to consider such features.
15
Business Day

To Save H.P., Break It in Two

By BILL GEORGE | Nov 28, 2012
Bill George, a Harvard business professor, contends that after a decade of turmoil at the company, it is time to split Hewlett-Packard into two businesses: enterprise systems and computer hardware.
Computers and the Internet; Enterprise Computing; Mergers, Acquisitions and Divestitures; 

H.P. has been a technology company.  
Technology is a big enough world to dominate.
Engineering is their core business.  Sales and manufacturing are subservient to engineering excellence.

16
Technology

Losing in Court, and to Laptop Thieves, in a Battle With NASA Over Private Data

By NATASHA SINGER | Nov 29, 2012
A former astronomer at the Jet Propulsion Lab in California sued NASA, claiming its background checks violated his privacy rights. He lost the case, but his claim now has proved true.
Privacy; Computer Security; Identity Fraud; Suits and Litigation; 

Strong encryption would make the records useless.
weaker encryption would not protect the information.
The solution that occurs to me is to centralize the file.  Information could then be passed out on a need to know basis.  These records could be setup to evaporate in a set amount of time or when the job was completed.
The desired result is minimal exposure to risk of loss of control of access.

17
Opinion

Let’s Stick Together

By GORDON BROWN | Nov 30, 2012
The world is at risk of a race to the bottom in financial standards. Where are the global voices that can do something about it?
European Sovereign Debt Crisis (2010- ); International Trade and World Market; Economic Conditions and Trends; Global Warming; Millennium Development Goals; Protectionism (Trade); 

The needs are obvious.  
So are the costs.  
There will have to be more pain before there is action.
18
N.Y. / Region

Group May Sue Over Money Owed to Poor New York School Districts

By DANNY HAKIM | Nov 29, 2012
Campaign for Fiscal Equity contends that the state has exacerbated the financing gap between rich and poor schools despite a court ruling six years ago.
Education (K-12); Budgets and Budgeting; 

We will see them in court.
19
Opinion

End Federal Flood Insurance

By JUDITH KILDOW and JASON SCORSE | Nov 29, 2012
It is long past the time that the government stopped subsidizing people who live and build in dangerous flood zones.
Hurricane Sandy (2012); Insurance; Floods; 

"There is no such thing as a bad risk.  There are only bad premiums."
Let the premium depend on the risk and the risk pool.
Offer a buyout for those who cannot afford repeated losses or higher premiums.  There is no need to end the program. only the losses.

20
N.Y. / Region

Post-Storm Cost May Force Many From Coast Life

By DAVID M. HALBFINGER | Nov 29, 2012
Insurance premiums will increase as standards for rebuilding become stricter and costlier, posing a serious threat to low- and middle-income enclaves.
Hurricane Sandy (2012); Insurance; Floods; Homeowners Insurance; Coastal Areas; 
Risky areas are cheap areas.  
Do not risk what you can't afford to lose.
Low incomes do not grant special rights.



1
Business Day

MegaFon Shares Fall After I.P.O.

By ANDREW E. KRAMER and MARK SCOTT | Nov 28, 2012
The initial offering of the Russian cellphone operator MegaFon raised $1.7 billion, making it Europe's second-largest offering this year, but the market seem unimpressed on the first day of trading.
Cellular Telephones; Initial Public Offerings; Stocks and Bonds; Telephones and Telecommunications; Wireless Communications; 

This was not unexpected.
2
Opinion

Learning History at the Movies

By GARY GUTTING | Nov 29, 2012
Films like "Lincoln" can contribute to our understanding of past events, but on their own, they are no substitute for the work of historians.
Civil War (US) (1861-65); History (Academic Subject); Movies; 

The movies are only motivation.
3
Style

'Worst Toy Awards' Target Lego Friends

By KJ DELL'ANTONIA | Nov 29, 2012
If a Lego battleship building set is still a good toy, then how can the Lego Friends Beauty Shop be one of the "worst toys of the year?"
Advertising and Marketing; Children and Childhood; Gender; Parenting; Toys; 

Fond a better target.
4
Opinion

The U.N. To Vote on Palestine

Nov 28, 2012
U.N. member states will vote Nov. 29 on a resolution to grant “non-member observer state status” to Palestine.
Palestinians; Voting and Voters; 

Palestine is now an observer.
5
N.Y. / Region

Putting the Bounce Back in Your Step

By DANIEL KRIEGER | Nov 30, 2012
Dance classes with Kangoo Jumps, bouncy spring-loaded shoes designed for running and jumping without offending the joints.
Exercise; Sneakers; 

Cute but a bad idea.
6
World

Should Health Care for the Very Poor Be a Fast-Growth, For-Profit Business?

By HEATHER TIMMONS | Nov 30, 2012
As excitement heats up in India about the "affordable healthcare" industry, some questions remain.
Health Insurance and Managed Care; Microfinance; Private Equity; Reform and Reorganization; Venture Capital; 

No.
7
Opinion

Turning Points

By NIALL FERGUSON | Nov 30, 2012
History, like an oil tanker, turns slowly. So let’s not exaggerate how much of a crisis we are actually in.
Middle East and North Africa Unrest (2010- ); European Sovereign Debt Crisis (2010- ); Third World and Developing Countries; Economic Conditions and Trends; Social Conditions and Trends; 

It is not that black or that hopeful.
8
Business Day

Airbnb Responds to Questions About Hosts Breaking Local Laws

By RON LIEBER | Nov 30, 2012
Why doesn't Airbnb give users more information about local zoning laws? And does it want hosts to take down all listings where they are violating the law?
Customer Relations; Real Estate and Housing (Residential); Renting and Leasing (Real Estate); Urban Areas; 

Fair warning.
9
Opinion

A Climate Scientist Braves the Wilds of YouTube

By ANDREW C. REVKIN | Nov 29, 2012
A climate scientist explains his penchant for online climate communication.
Blogs and Blogging (Internet); Computers and the Internet; Global Warming; Weather; 

I will ignore the sales job.
10
U.S.

Government Report Supports Closing Guantánamo

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Nov 29, 2012
The report says the 166 detainees being held at the military prison could safely be housed in prisons in the United States.
Shutdowns (Institutional); Prisons and Prisoners; Terrorism; United States Defense and Military Forces; 

It will not happen.  Closing would make the GOP war criminals.
11
Business Day

For Small Businesses, More Than Income Tax Rates Are at Stake in Deficit Talks

By ROBB MANDELBAUM | Nov 29, 2012
While most of the discussion about taxes is focused on the expiring Bush-era tax cuts, a host of other deductions and credits that directly affect small businesses are on the line - and on the table.
Capital Gains Tax; Corporate Taxes; Income Tax; Small Business; Tax Credits, Deductions and Exemptions; 

Yes.
12
Arts

Spare Times for Nov. 30-Dec. 6

By THOMAS GAFFNEY | Nov 30, 2012
A listing of noteworthy events and activities in the New York area.
Poetry and Poets; Culture (Arts); 

What a bust.
13
U.S.

Ohio: ‘Heartbeat Bill’ Curbing Abortion Is Sidelined

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Nov 28, 2012
The leader of the Ohio Senate put a stop Tuesday to a bill that would have imposed the most stringent restriction on abortions in the nation.
Abortion; Law and Legislation; 

Good result, bad reason.
14
World

Christmas Tree Controversy Fires Multicultural Belgium

By HARVEY MORRIS | Dec 1, 2012
Belgian traditionalists are up in arms over a decision to replace the annual Christmas tree in the main square of Brussels with a structure of steel-framed cubes. But the controversy has also stirred some racist reactions with an undercurrent of Islamophobia.
Christmas; Christmas Trees; Muslims and Islam; 

Just do it.
15
World

Ethnic Hatred Tears Apart a Region of Myanmar

By THOMAS FULLER | Nov 30, 2012
In western Myanmar, clashes have left at least 167 people dead and 100,000 people homeless, most of them Muslims.
Muslims and Islam; Buddhism; Freedom of Religion; Religion and Belief; 

No comment.
16
U.S.

Under One Roof, Building for Extended Families

By PENELOPE GREEN | Nov 30, 2012
Multigenerational living, a throwback to the past, is a growing trend in the struggling economy, and major homebuilders are designing flexible layouts.
Families and Family Life; Real Estate and Housing (Residential); United States Economy; 

I would consider such.

17
Business Day

To Save H.P., Break It in Two

By BILL GEORGE | Nov 28, 2012
Bill George, a Harvard business professor, contends that after a decade of turmoil at the company, it is time to split Hewlett-Packard into two businesses: enterprise systems and computer hardware.
Computers and the Internet; Enterprise Computing; Mergers, Acquisitions and Divestitures; 

Engineering excellence.  the rest is noise.

18
Technology

Losing in Court, and to Laptop Thieves, in a Battle With NASA Over Private Data

By NATASHA SINGER | Nov 29, 2012
A former astronomer at the Jet Propulsion Lab in California sued NASA, claiming its background checks violated his privacy rights. He lost the case, but his claim now has proved true.
Privacy; Computer Security; Identity Fraud; Suits and Litigation; 

Minimize exposure in space and time.
19
U.S.

The Trouble With 'Offbeat' Essays Isn't the Style, but the Fit

By SUSH KRISHNAMOORTHY | Nov 30, 2012
Sush Krishnamoorthy, a student at Sardar Patel Vidyalaya, in New Delhi, has eschewed writing about something "fancier" in her college essays for writing about her "ordinary" life.
Admissions Standards; Colleges and Universities; Writing and Writers; 

She has probably done exactly the right thing.
So should you.
20
Opinion

Let’s Stick Together

By GORDON BROWN | Nov 30, 2012
The world is at risk of a race to the bottom in financial standards. Where are the global voices that can do something about it?
European Sovereign Debt Crisis (2010- ); International Trade and World Market; Economic Conditions and Trends; Global Warming; Millennium Development Goals; Protectionism

There is nothing more powerful than self interest yet.
More pain may help with motivation.




Sooner is better.  As soon as you can is best.

Electric heat I will not have for living off the grid.

Diet and exercise.  Eat early  Eat small  Eat often.   Keep moving.

Time cards are not a nuisance.   Spread sheets are a pain.

I do not want or need a loan.

Wrinkles make an interesting surface.
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Posted by at No comments:

Saturday, December 1, 2012

@12:00, 12/1/12

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1
Business Day

MegaFon Shares Fall After I.P.O.

By ANDREW E. KRAMER and MARK SCOTT | Nov 28, 2012
The initial offering of the Russian cellphone operator MegaFon raised $1.7 billion, making it Europe's second-largest offering this year, but the market seem unimpressed on the first day of trading.
Cellular Telephones; Initial Public Offerings; Stocks and Bonds; Telephones and Telecommunications; Wireless Communications; 

The Soviet  Union did not issue phone books.
There is still too much state control for me to want to invest there.
It seems I am not alone in that.

2
Opinion

Learning History at the Movies

By GARY GUTTING | Nov 29, 2012
Films like "Lincoln" can contribute to our understanding of past events, but on their own, they are no substitute for the work of historians.
Civil War (US) (1861-65); History (Academic Subject); Movies; 

A produced movie is a story.  It has no duty of truth or even of fact.
It can incite interest or other emotions.  They are not documents or evidence of anything but the time in which they were made.
 
3
U.S.

When Internal Polls Mislead, a Whole Campaign May Be To Blame

By NATE SILVER | Dec 1, 2012
The problems with internal polls may run deeper than the tendency for campaigns to report them to the public in a selective way. The campaigns may also be fooling themselves.
Polls and Public Opinion; Presidential Election of 2012; United States Politics and Government; 

Yes.
 
4
Arts

Lisa de Kooning, Painter’s Daughter, Dies at 56

By DOUGLAS MARTIN | Dec 1, 2012
Ms. de Kooning, a sculptor herself, established the Willem de Kooning Foundation.
Sculpture; Art; Deaths (Obituaries); 

Nothing for me to learn here.
 
5
Business Day

Solar Industry Borrows a Page, and a Party, From Tupperware

By DIANE CARDWELL | Dec 1, 2012
Solar parties, like Tupperware parties, are being used by solar companies to sell their products to neighbors of homeowners who have installed the arrays.
Solar Energy; Customer Relations; Advertising and Marketing; 

Yes.  I am sold but I want to take it off the grid.
6
Opinion

The U.N. To Vote on Palestine

Nov 28, 2012
U.N. member states will vote Nov. 29 on a resolution to grant “non-member observer state status” to Palestine.
Palestinians; Voting and Voters; 

There is a majority of members who vote for the Palestinians.
The proposition passed.
7
Opinion

Memory, Loss

By LIU ZHENYUN | Nov 30, 2012
Why aren’t the Chinese ready to acknowledge the death of three million people in Henan in 1942?
Famine; Cannibalism; Books and Literature; 

There is no good reason to make this famine stand out from all the others.
Famines ruin the surviving children.  They are no way to limit population.
8
World

Qatari Poet Sentenced to Life in Prison for a Verse

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Nov 30, 2012
Muhammad ibn al-Dheeb al-Ajami was sentenced for a poem inspired by the Arab Spring that officials claim insulted Qatar’s emir.
Freedom of Speech and Expression; Poetry and Poets; Middle East and North Africa Unrest (2010- ); Sentences (Criminal); 

In Islam orthodoxy is vigorously enforced.
 
9
Health

New Help for Hoarders

By PAULA SPAN | Nov 29, 2012
In the three years since this blog wrote last about the problem of older people who hoard, new treatments and services have become available.
Elderly; Hoarding; 

Economic depressions are not helpful.
Art collecting can be the same drive.
 
10
World

Commission Calls for Guatemala to Protect Patients

By RANDAL C. ARCHIBOLD | Nov 30, 2012
Patients at a Guatemala City psychiatric hospital were abused by gangs and guards according to an international human rights commission report.
Abuse of the Disabled; Human Rights and Human Rights Violations; Hospitals; 

The keepers at Bedlam in London in the eighteenth century would rent out sticks to poke the inmates.  We have learned some since.
Some more than others.
 
11
N.Y. / Region

Putting the Bounce Back in Your Step

By DANIEL KRIEGER | Nov 30, 2012
Dance classes with Kangoo Jumps, bouncy spring-loaded shoes designed for running and jumping without offending the joints.
Exercise; Sneakers; 

Just a bad idea.
 
12
Business Day

In Ukraine, Mystery Man Fakes a Natural Gas Deal

By ANDREW E. KRAMER | Nov 30, 2012
Jordi Sarda Bonvehi, the man who negotiated with Ukrainian officials about building a liquefied natural gas plant on the Black Sea, was not authorized to do so.
Natural Gas; 

Hire that man.
 
13
Technology

Jeff Hawkins Develops a Brainy Big Data Company

By QUENTIN HARDY | Nov 28, 2012
Jeff Hawkins got rich and famous as the brains behind Palm, an early power in mobile data. He has also developed a new model of how we think. Having talked about it in books and university lectures, his model of consciousness will now be used, he says, to revolutionize the data analysis industry.
Artificial Intelligence; Brain; Enterprise Computing; Intelligence and Intelligence Tests (IQ); 

Mostly correct.  
Data basses including history are other streams that must be included.
The game is called a neural network.  It was new in 1972.
 
14
N.Y. / Region

For 2nd Time, Schools Official (Now Former) Is Fined for Nepotism

By DANIELLA SILVA | Nov 28, 2012
The Education Department official had arranged for his wife to be hired, the Conflicts of Interest Board said; a few years earlier he was fined for trying to get his brother hired.
Conflicts of Interest; 

A necessary action.
Real stupidity is a firing offense.

15
World

Should Health Care for the Very Poor Be a Fast-Growth, For-Profit Business?

By HEATHER TIMMONS | Nov 30, 2012
As excitement heats up in India about the "affordable healthcare" industry, some questions remain.
Health Insurance and Managed Care; Microfinance; Private Equity; Reform and Reorganization; Venture Capital; 

There is no money in it.  
Any income would be from subsidies.
This does not make a viable business.
A population crash is unacceptable.
There are more people than can be sustained.
I have no answers on this.
16
World

At the Doha Summit, India Pushes Developed Nations to Cut Emissions

By BETWA SHARMA | Nov 30, 2012
Results have been disappointing, officials say.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions; Kyoto Protocol; Third World and Developing Countries; United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change; 

Established political power considers any cut in fuel use as self destruction.
 
17
World

The Costs of Burying Carbon Emissions

By STANLEY REED | Nov 28, 2012
In times of austerity, should governments be subsidizing green energy? If so, how long should those subsidies stay in place?
Carbon Dioxide; Greenhouse Gas Emissions; 

The cost of the plant is trivial compared to the cost of operation.
This mans argument is specious.
Austerity is economically disastrous.
Fossil carbon for energy is never green.  
Spend the money on fossil carbon free energy.

18
Science

60-Million-Year Debate on Grand Canyon’s Age

By JOHN NOBLE WILFORD | Nov 30, 2012
A bitter controversy among geologists edged into the open when a report offered support for a hypothesis suggesting a much older Grand Canyon than the prevailing view.
Geology; Research; 

The only question I have is why there is a controversy here.
Orthodoxy should have no power over geology.  
This is good new evidence.  It will require reconsideration of the older account of formation and the evidential chain that supported  that account.
The old professor will have to rewrite his text book and lecture notes.
Texas may even have to accept evolution.
19
Style

Do Gender-Neutral Gifts Still Elude Parents?

By KJ DELL'ANTONIA | Nov 29, 2012
Given the noise over a toy company's "gender neutral" images of Nerf-gun-wielding girls and doll-clutching boys, how much have things really changed in the 40 years since "Free to Be You and Me"?
Advertising and Marketing; Children and Childhood; Gender; Parenting; Toys; Women and Girls; 

Gender-neutral is not a goal.
There are objects that are gender free.  There are others that are gendered.
There are processes that are gendered.  There are processes that are not gendered.  
There are no dependable structures in the gendering of behavior.

20
Business Day

An 'Unsexy' Start-Up Tries to Fill Movie Seats

By JESSICA BRUDER | Nov 28, 2012
Dealflicks, says one of its founders, wants to do for movie tickets what Priceline.com and Hotwire.com do for travel bookings.
Movies; Small Business; Start-ups; 

Reads as the movie business has overpriced their product.
Why would the theaters want to pay a service to reduce their profits?










Posted by at No comments:
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1
Health

Forced to Choose: Nursing Home vs. Hospice

By PAULA SPAN | Nov 30, 2012
Almost a third of elderly people are receiving end-of-life care in nursing homes, partly because they chose to use Medicare's skilled-nursing facility benefit for a nursing home bed rather than hospice care in their own home.
Elder Care; Hospice Care; Nursing Homes; 

There is no lack of resources.  So far things are working.
I would like to avoid a nursing home.  Hospice when called for.  Indoor hospice if necessary.   
I have not contacted the Hemlock Society.
Mother is still enjoying living.
2
Business Day

Lundberg Farms Responds to Reader Comments

By EILENE ZIMMERMAN | Nov 28, 2012
The only way forward, Tim Schultz, a third-generation Lundberg said, is to continue sharing information and conducting research into mitigation strategies.
Agriculture and Farming; Arsenic; Rice; Small Business; 

There is no cure but to leach the arsenic from the soil or from the product.


3
Business Day

Experts Fear Life Insurers Are Courting Reserve Risk

By MARY WILLIAMS WALSH | Nov 30, 2012
The study found a surge of obscure financial deals in the life insurance industry, but disagreed over what to do about it.
Life Insurance; Regulation and Deregulation of Industry; States (US); Insurance; 

This does not sound good.
 
4
Opinion

Learning History at the Movies

By GARY GUTTING | Nov 29, 2012
Films like "Lincoln" can contribute to our understanding of past events, but on their own, they are no substitute for the work of historians.
Civil War (US) (1861-65); History (Academic Subject); Movies; 

A good case is made.
 
5
Opinion

Agency Seeks Protection for 66 Corals Under the Endangered Species Act

By ANDREW C. REVKIN | Nov 30, 2012
Dozens of coral species from the Pacific and Caribbean are proposed for endangered species listing.
Coral; Fishing, Commercial; Global Warming; Reefs; Water Pollution;

I am in favor.
 
6
N.Y. / Region

Park Slope Education Council Approves Rezoning Proposal

By VIVIAN YEE | Nov 29, 2012
The vote ends years of hand-wringing over overcrowded Public Schools 321 and 107, a measure that council members called an imperfect but necessary solution.
Zoning; Education (K-12); 

I can't follow this at this hour.  There is not much to it but class privileged.

7
Business Day

Labor Dispute Pits France Against ArcelorMittal

By DAVID JOLLY and NICOLA CLARK | Nov 28, 2012
Frustration has boiled over since ArcelorMittal, the world’s largest steel maker, announced plans to scale back one of its three major French factories and eliminate hundreds of jobs.
Politics and Government; Layoffs and Job Reductions; Steel and Iron; 

Depression hurts.  The rest of this is silly.
8
Health

Life, Interrupted: Real Housewives of Chemotherapy

By SULEIKA JAOUAD | Nov 29, 2012
A friendship between two young women spawned laughter, a reality television spin-off idea and a plan to reach out to young adult cancer patients.
Cancer; Chemotherapy; Leukemia; Medicine and Health; 


9
Opinion

Memory, Loss

By LIU ZHENYUN | Nov 30, 2012
Why aren’t the Chinese ready to acknowledge the death of three million people in Henan in 1942?
Famine; Cannibalism; Books and Literature; 

There is no reason for them to do so.
 
10
Business Day

Lending in Euro Zone Continued to Fall in October

By JACK EWING | Nov 29, 2012
But data from the European Central Bank also showed an increase in home loans, which may be an early signal of recovery.
European Sovereign Debt Crisis (2010- ); Banking and Financial Institutions; Credit and Debt; Recession and Depression; 

The Euro zone is going into depression.
The Greek deal looks to be falling apart.
The common thread is austerity and hard currency.
 
11
N.Y. / Region

Putting the Bounce Back in Your Step

By DANIEL KRIEGER | Nov 30, 2012
Dance classes with Kangoo Jumps, bouncy spring-loaded shoes designed for running and jumping without offending the joints.
Exercise; Sneakers; 

These are not a comfort.
 
12
World

Giving New Life to Vultures to Restore a Human Ritual of Death

By GARDINER HARRIS | Nov 30, 2012
The Parsi community of Mumbai is awaiting approval on a plan to grow the vulture population and thereby revive a centuries-old death ritual.
Birds; Death and Dying; Religion and Belief; 

I have nothing to add to this.
 
13
Science

New View from Inside Fukushima: Chaos and Uncertainty

By HIROKO TABUCHI | Nov 30, 2012
While the plant owner made calm statements, videotapes of calls between the plant and company headquarters show a more dire picture.
Japan Earthquake and Tsunami (2011); 

I know of no way to require wisdom.
 
14
Technology

Study May Offer Insight Into Coca-Cola Breach

By NICOLE PERLROTH | Nov 30, 2012
A 2010 case study of a security breach at an unnamed Fortune 500 company appears to offers new details of a breach at Coca-Cola.
Computer Security; Cyberattacks and Hackers; Mergers, Acquisitions and Divestitures; Soft Drinks; 

Encryption and robust systems.  Interesting problem.
The banks deal with it every day.  Ask their experts.
15
Home & Garden

Market Ready

By TIM McKEOUGH | Nov 29, 2012
My kitchen is dark. What’s the best way to add more light?
Kitchens; Lighting; Real Estate and Housing (Residential); 

Halogens are a good choice for task lights.  Fluorescent light is cheap to operate.  Color is a problem.  Pick your tubes with care.  Dimming ballasts are available but pricy. 
Indirect lighting combined with task lighting with some control of intensity would be my approach.  
16
Business

Big Audience Tuned In to NBC for Thanksgiving Day Parade

By BRIAN STELTER | Nov 30, 2012
An average of 22.4 million viewers were watching NBC's coverage of the Macy's parade at any given time between 9 a.m. and noon, more than in any year since 2001.
Thanksgiving Day; 

Parade: A planned street demonstration with permissions.
 
17
World

Five Ways Indian Internet Users Are Fighting for Free Speech

By SRUTHI GOTTIPATI | Nov 30, 2012
Recent arrests over Facebook posts have sparked a new kind of activism in India.
Censorship; Computers and the Internet; Constitutions; Freedom of Speech and Expression; Social Networking (Internet); Suits and Litigation; 

Anonymity is very useful.
 
18
World

Should Health Care for the Very Poor Be a Fast-Growth, For-Profit Business?

By HEATHER TIMMONS | Nov 30, 2012
As excitement heats up in India about the "affordable healthcare" industry, some questions remain.
Health Insurance and Managed Care; Microfinance; Private Equity; Reform and Reorganization; Venture Capital; 

The profit must come from somewhere.
 
19
Times Topics

Is It Gay Husband? Lesbian Wife? Or What?

By STEVEN PETROW | Nov 27, 2012
Follow a gay couple’s lead as to how to refer to one spouse. And when in doubt, “partner” usually satisfies everyone.
Baby Boomers; Homosexuality; Same-Sex Marriage, Civil Unions and Domestic Partnerships; 

Spouse or partner.  
I am sufficiently bohemian not to care.  
I know who I want in bed.
20
Business Day

Catching Up on Retirement Savings

By BUCKS EDITORS | Nov 30, 2012
Bucks readers discuss their retirement savings strategies.
Pensions and Retirement Plans; Savings; 

I plan to work as long as I can.




























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Posted by at No comments:

11/29/12 late posting.

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This is as far as I can get tonight.



1
Business Day

Lundberg Farms Responds to Reader Comments

By EILENE ZIMMERMAN | Nov 28, 2012
The only way forward, Tim Schultz, a third-generation Lundberg said, is to continue sharing information and conducting research into mitigation strategies.
Agriculture and Farming; Arsenic; Rice; Small Business; 

Brew and sell sake
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sake
 
2
Opinion

Learning History at the Movies

By GARY GUTTING | Nov 29, 2012
Films like "Lincoln" can contribute to our understanding of past events, but on their own, they are no substitute for the work of historians.
Civil War (US) (1861-65); History (Academic Subject); Movies; 

They make a strong argument.
 
3
Business Day

Despite Setbacks, Investor Is Bullish on Clean Technology

By RANDALL SMITH | Nov 29, 2012
After taking a hit on investments in biofuel companies, Vinod Khosla seems unwavering in his commitment to the clean energy industry, pouring more money into start-ups.
Alternative and Renewable Energy; Start-ups; Venture Capital; 

The attractions of a big return are great enough for plungers to ignore the science.  "There is no such thing as a free lunch" means the cost in energy of sequestering the carbon dioxide is greater than the energy gained.
 
4
U.S.

TimesCast Politics | Romney Visits the White House

By THE NEW YORK TIMES | Nov 29, 2012
A lunch meeting for two former rivals. | The stakes for same-sex marriage as it reaches the Supreme Court. | New York City's race for mayor gets under way.
Mayors; New York City; Romney, Mitt; Same-Sex Marriage, Civil Unions and Domestic Partnerships; 

Gay marriage has firm support.  
At this point we can just await developments.
I am not very hopeful of an end to DOMA.

5
N.Y. / Region

Plan Would Provide Help to Contest Deportation Cases

By KIRK SEMPLE | Nov 28, 2012
A task force has recommended the creation of a network of legal service providers to represent low-income immigrants facing deportation in the New York area.
Immigration Detention; Deportation; Legal Profession; Immigration and Emigration; Illegal Immigrants; 

Hard times seem to be an effective deterrent to immigration.
If 18% of the immigrants with council are successful in becoming residents the system is broken.  Supplying effective council is justice.

6
Opinion

The Enduring Cloudiness in Climate and Coastal Forecasts

By ANDREW C. REVKIN | Nov 29, 2012
An effort to clarify what's clear and what remains durably murky about global warming.
Environment; Global Warming; Greenhouse Gas Emissions; Hurricanes and Tropical Storms; Ice; Regulation and Deregulation of Industry; United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change; 

The questions of how much and how soon are not yet answerable.
We know real bad and real soon and not easily reversed.
It is irresponsible to fail to act.  
I can advocate.  
I have not the resources to take unilateral action.
Nuclear power is a way to retain some civilization.
My camping experiences convince me that life in primitive conditions is "Nasty, brutish, and blessedly short".
7
Business Day

A 10 Percent Savings Rate? Yes, but There's a Catch

By ANN CARRNS | Nov 29, 2012
Military members in combat zones can earn a high rate on their savings.
Interest Rates; Savings; United States Defense and Military Forces; 

This is a sop to the GOP conscience.  A benefit that is not worth having.
 
8
World

A Port to Keep Up With Growth in Abu Dhabi

By SARA HAMDAN | Nov 29, 2012
The new Khalifa shipping port in Abu Dhabi is part of a large-scale project that aims to revamp transportation and trade in the emirate.
Ports; International Trade and World Market; Ships and Shipping; 

The entire development is predicated on cheap energy.  
The stated reason for the development is the decline of cheap energy.
The consequence will be failure as a result of self deception.
 
9
Health

After Dozens of Deaths, Inquiry Into Bed Rails

By RON NIXON | Nov 26, 2012
Government agencies knew about deaths from strangling on bed rails for years, but did little to address the issue.
Beds and Bedding; Nursing Homes; 

She has not fallen off her bed for years.  
The Shakers used an adult cradle.  Not the worst idea.

"Forcing the industry to improve designs and replace older models could have potentially cost bed rail makers and health care facilities hundreds of million of dollars, said Larry Kessler, a former F.D.A. official who headed its medical device office. “Quite frankly, none of the bed rails in use at that time would have passed the suggested design standards in the guidelines if we had made them mandatory,” he said. No analysis has been done to determine how much it would cost the manufacturers to reduce the hazards."
"There has never been a boat built that would not have been a better boat if she had cost more."  Payson
10
U.S.

With Ban on Drilling Practice, Town Lands in Thick of Dispute

By JACK HEALY | Nov 26, 2012
Longmont’s ban on hydraulic fracturing has inspired other cities to push for similar prohibitions. But it has also set the city head-to-head with oil companies and the state of Colorado.
Hydraulic Fracturing; Natural Gas; Oil (Petroleum) and Gasoline; Suits and Litigation; 

Money now is much more valuable than money later to those living in the present.
Oil and gas will be much more valuable in the probable future but the probable future does not pay the groceries, rent and tuition.
I think the ban is a right action.
This man has doubts:
http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2012/3q-fatih-birol-world-energy-outlook-1127.html
11
Health

New Efforts to Close Hospitals' Revolving Doors

By JORDAN RAU | Nov 27, 2012
Spurred by new financial penalties that Medicare started imposing in October on places with too many readmissions, hospitals are doing more outreach and intervention to make sure patients are following their discharge program.
Elderly; Hospitals; Medicare; 

Healing is the mission of medical practice.
Money is the mission of management.
The two missions are incompatible.
 
12
U.S.

Trying to Turn Obama Voters Into Tax Allies

By MICHAEL D. SHEAR | Nov 26, 2012
White House officials are reaching out to voters who supported President Obama during the campaign and asking them to help him as he negotiates with Congress.
Taxation; Voting and Voters; Demonstrations, Protests, and Riots; Federal Budget (US); Income Tax; 

I keep being reminded that very low income means a vanishingly low taxes.
The GOP will not yield.  They must be recalled.  Nothing short of that will be effective.
 
13
World

The Resilience of Sergeant Bales' Wife

By LORI VOLKMAN | Nov 28, 2012
A friend describes how Karilyn Bales, the wife of Staff Sgt. Robert Bales, an American soldier charged in the murder of 16 Afghan civilians, is coping with life.
Afghanistan War (2001- ); Defense and Military Forces; Murders and Attempted Murders; United States Defense and Military Forces; Veterans; 

I will put this into the integration I am trying to construct.
 
14
Fashion & Style

Guess Who Isn’t Coming to Dinner

By GUY TREBAY | Nov 29, 2012
Once an anchor of social life in New York, the intimate gathering around a dinner table is fighting for survival.
Parties (Social); Customs, Etiquette and Manners; Social Conditions and Trends; 

I agree that community has suffered badly in The City of New York.
The idea of the rugged individual has been sold to the entry level.
The constant recycling that we see on corporate boards tells me that exclusive social life is far from extinct.

15
U.S.

California: Eight-Year Term for Campaign Embezzler

By IAN LOVETT | Nov 29, 2012
A former campaign treasurer for California Democratic candidates was sentenced to more than eight years in prison on mail fraud charges.
Campaign Finance; Embezzlement; Sentences (Criminal); Elections; 

Now prosecute the bribing lobbyists.  
Then we might go looking at the votes they bought.
It might even get the anonymous PAC money out of politics.

16
Opinion

Health Care Entitlements

Nov 29, 2012
There is not much room for big cuts to Medicare and Medicaid in the negotiations over the so-called fiscal cliff and deficit reduction.
Health Insurance and Managed Care; Medicaid; Federal Budget (US); Editorials; 

 "Congressional Republicans are insisting that big cuts to Medicare and Medicaid be on the table in the negotiations over the so-called fiscal cliff and deficit reduction. That stance is largely a political move against two programs, which have been critical to the public welfare for the past half-century." 
Let the Republicans "Swing gently in the breeze".

17
Health

Sharing the Pain of Women in Medicine

By PAULINE W. CHEN, M.D. | Nov 29, 2012
A new study offers another reason for women's discontent in academic medical centers: the organizational culture. And it's not just women who are feeling demoralized.
Discrimination; Doctors; Gender; Medical Schools; Sexual Harassment; Women and Girls; 

"Based on this study and their earlier work, Dr. Pololi and her initiative collaborators have begun offering mentoring programs for faculty members, both female and male, at a handful of medical schools around the country. The program involves reading, writing and regular group exercises and discussions aimed at developing leadership skills and promoting a more open environment. In the Department of Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College, a preliminary survey has shown that the mentoring program, which has just begun its third year at the school, has already helped to increase the degree of trust among faculty members.
While it remains to be seen whether these changes will endure, it has become clearer that men, as well as women, stand to benefit from any improvement. “It is shocking that the situation for women in academic medicine hasn’t changed that much in the last 10 years,” Dr. Pololi said. “But it’s not always easy to notice the quality of an organization’s culture.”
She added: “That culture is like the air we breathe or the water that fish swim in. It has the potential, for better or worse, to affect everybody in the same way.”"
Just fix the culture.
18
U.S.

Gay ‘Conversion Therapy’ Faces Test in Courts

By ERIK ECKHOLM | Nov 28, 2012
The method, which claims to help men overcome unwanted same-sex attractions, is the focus of two lawsuits in New Jersey and California.
Homosexuality; Therapy and Rehabilitation; 

It is a personality disorder no matter how considered.  
Is the disorder the homosexual urge or is it the suppression of that urge?
I hold that the suppression is the disorder.
 
19
Technology

Justice Department Expands Hunt for Data on Cellphones

By SOMINI SENGUPTA | Nov 26, 2012
Federal law enforcement agencies affiliated with the Justice Department used more than 37,600 court orders in 2011 to gather cellphone data, a sharp increase from previous years. The total number has roughly doubled since 2007.
Cellular Telephones; Search and Seizure; 

There are several levels of privacy under consideration here.
Most basically there is "no expectation of privacy" for radio communications.
The phone company logs of cell phone calls like other call logs are a grey area.  They are the phone companies property and as such they can be shared with law enforcement with a judge's permission.
To listen to the content of the calls on the wired network is wire tapping. That requires a formal warrant and "probable cause".
Encrypt with a one time pad and use a "Cheese Box" if it is that important.
Cheese Box: a multiple line connection that enables an incoming call to call out on another number.
I am uncertain about the status of a Skype call.

20
Business Day

Tobacco Companies Are Told to Correct Lies About Smoking

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Nov 28, 2012
A federal judge in Washington ruled that the companies must publish statements admitting they lied years ago about the dangers of smoking.
Smoking and Tobacco; Decisions and Verdicts; Advertising and Marketing; 

The tobacco companies don't like it.
Changing culture is almost impossible.
The lies in question have killed the people who believed them.
The professionals in publicity understand how to make text unreadable.
What remains of the target audience is illiterate.



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