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.
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.
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.
4
Opinion
Preserving Wireless Competition
A combination of Sprint and T-Mobile could raise prices and hurt consumers.
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.
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.
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.
8
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.
10
Opinion
DeBlasio's First Move: Carriage Horses
What makes him think this subject is important enough to occupy his first days in office?
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.
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.
13
Opinion
A Small Step Toward More Mercy
President Obama’s sentence commutations are welcome, but they are too few.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Yes.
Hockey; a substitute for politics.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
@20:12
1
Magazine
Need Some Greens? Then Eat This Pork Belly
How they do it at a nose-to-tail restaurant in London.
2
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.
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.
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.
6
Opinion
Fiscal Fever Breaks
The scolds may keep scolding, but they no longer control the conversation.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."
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.
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.
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.
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.
11
Fashion & Style
No Time to Lose for Michelle Bridges
The race to make Ms. Bridges a U.S. fitness brand.
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.
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.
14
N.Y. / Region
Video: Bloomberg Legacy: Education
Javier C. Hernández, a Times education reporter, assesses Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg's record on education.
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.
17
Travel
Mapping a Darker Side of New York
Terence Winter, creator of “Boardwalk Empire,” talks about crime and locations in the city.
18
Opinion
China Must Purge Mao's Ghost
Looking backward will lead the country away from what it needs today: real political reform.Yes.
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