Wednesday, June 4, 2014

@19:25, 6/3/14

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1
Automobiles

Wheelies: The Trolling for Trails Edition

By BENJAMIN PRESTON | Jun 3rd 2014
Volkswagen is likely to triple its S.U.V. lineup as it pursues global sales dominance; Ford reveals its new Troller T4 S.U.V. for Brazil.
Automobiles; Sports Utility Vehicles and Light Trucks; Organized Labor 

The auto makers are all trying  to cream the market.
 
2
U.S.

Reid and McConnell Offer Conflicting Views on Campaign Spending

By ASHLEY PARKER | Jun 3rd 2014
The Senate leaders Harry Reid and Mitch McConnell made a rare joint appearance before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Campaign Finance; Law and Legislation; Political Action Committees; Citizens United v Federal Election Commission (Supreme Court Decision); McCutcheon v Federal Election Commission (Supreme Court Decision) 

The G.O.P. is all about their money.
The Democrats are about our money.
An important difference. 
 
3
Business Day

Hospital Charges Surge for Common Ailments, Data Shows

By JULIE CRESWELL, SHERI FINK and SARAH COHEN | Jun 2nd 2014
Hospitals charged more for every single one of 98 common ailments in 2012, and the increase for all but seven exceeded the nation’s 2 percent inflation rate for that year, according to a Times analysis.
Health Insurance and Managed Care; Medicare; Hospitals 

The new pockets are notso deep.
 
4
Opinion

Keeping Track: Confidential Sources, Wage War and College Athletes

By THE EDITORIAL BOARD | Jun 2nd 2014
An update on a few of the issues we're following.
News Sources, Confidential Status of; Suits and Litigation (Civil); Editorials; Computer and Video Games; College Athletics; News and News Media; Wages and Salaries; Labor and Jobs 

The supreme court will not act against national security.
Fast food may not be as profitable.
College athletes are professional.
 
5
U.S.

New U.S. Effort to Aid Unaccompanied Child Migrants

By JULIA PRESTON | Jun 2nd 2014
FEMA will take charge of coordinating relief efforts as a second shelter is opened in response to a recent influx of young illegal immigrants.
Immigration and Emigration; Illegal Immigration; United States Politics and Government; Children and Childhood; Refugees and Displaced Persons; Humanitarian Aid 

We have looks like a real problem.  It's not eased by Republican sniping.

New immigrants typically take jobs citizens can't. 
We will need the workers to pay the taxes.
 
6
N.Y. / Region

Hoboken Mayor Gets U.S. Flood Money in Awkward Ceremony With Christie

By PATRICK McGEEHAN | Jun 2nd 2014
Mayor Dawn Zimmer was cheered by Hoboken receiving $230 million for a federal flood-prevention project, but she and Gov. Chris Christie avoided each other at the announcement.
Floods; Hurricane Sandy (2012) 

The awkwardness is understandable.
Know that these are not going to be easy or a popular projects.
There is no unused space to build in.
The proposed structures will only stop a wave.
The problem will be rising sea level and a concomitant rise in the water table.
These flats will flood.

7
U.S.

Telling Congress What Families Need, One City, State or Hearing at a Time

By KJ DELL'ANTONIA | Jun 3rd 2014
At a Senate committee hearing, a supporter of paid family leave tries to convince legislators on both sides of the aisle that there’s broad bipartisan support for policies that support families.
Family Leaves; Labor and Jobs; Minimum Wage; Paid Time Off; Parenting; United States Politics and Government; Women and Girls 

Good luck.
The Republican party is attempting to reduce wages and other compensation.  Paid leave is an increase.
 
8
U.S.

Republicans Weigh Odds in Primaries in Iowa and Mississippi

By JONATHAN MARTIN | Jun 3rd 2014 

The Republican party will present a candidate.
Winning in the general election is another problem.
 
9
U.S.

No Easy Way to Be Fair on Media Credentials

By ADAM LIPTAK | Jun 2nd 2014
Scotusblog, which has covered the Supreme Court since 2002, has never had access to the court, and its Senate credentials were recently revoked. The reasons remain a mystery.
News and News Media; Freedom of the Press; United States Politics and Government; Blogs and Blogging (Internet) 

The proper way is not  to credential.  
One member of the public is equivalent to another.
The inequality is in the time one can allot to a place in a finite room.
All the proceedings of the court are published.
 
10
Automobiles

Greenwich Concours: Sunny Days, a Big Turnout and a Record Auction

By JIM MOTAVALLI | Jun 3rd 2014
Bonhams reports more than $8 million in sales at the auction; a 1935 Duesenberg and a rare Belgian 1930 Minerva 80138 AL convertible win best in show.
Automobiles; Antique and Classic Cars; Auctions; Collectors and Collections 

Toys I understand.  
I am beginning to wonder how they please people.
I feel I am supposed to know.
 
11
Sports

Lewis Katz’s Vision for the New Jersey Nets Went Unrealized

By HARVEY ARATON | Jun 1st 2014
As an owner of the Nets when they were in New Jersey, Lewis Katz, who died Saturday in a plane crash, had a plan to help Newark, the state’s largest city.
Basketball 

A life in fits and starts.  He made things interesting.
 
12
World

Ciro de Quadros, 74, Dies; Leader in Ridding Latin America of Polio

By PAUL VITELLO | Jun 2nd 2014
Dr. de Quadros navigated war zones and reimagined outmoded public health practices to lead a successful immunization campaign in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Poliomyelitis; Deaths (Obituaries); Vaccination and Immunization 

Life is finite.  
Work is not.
I want to see the last stocks of this virus destroyed.

13
Health

No Nation Has Lowered Obesity Rate in 33 Years

By DONALD G. McNEIL Jr. | Jun 2nd 2014
A study of data from 188 countries finds that obesity abounds in rich and poor countries alike, and sometimes neighbors have quite different levels.
Obesity 

I can jump to no obvious conclusion.
I am blaming fructose.
 
14
U.S.

Texas: Crimes Went Uninvestigated, Report Says

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Jun 2nd 2014
More than 20,000 burglary, assault and other cases were not investigated last year by the Houston police because of a lack of personnel, according to a report released Monday.
Police; Budgets and Budgeting; Robberies and Thefts; Assaults 

Houston will have big changes in its government.
Bad policing killed Tammany Hall.
 
15
N.Y. / Region

New York City Teachers Vote to Approve 9-Year Contract

By AL BAKER | Jun 3rd 2014
The contract, agreed to in May by city officials and the teachers’ union, will increase pay but leaves many questions about future health benefits.
Teachers and School Employees 

My guess is it is a win for the teachers.
Obamacare is a fact.  It will carry the health care load for the union.
It is not discussed how those who will retire before the retroactive raises are in place will be dealt with.
 
16
Business Day

Car Sales Jump in May, Despite Mounting Recalls

By REBECCA R. RUIZ | Jun 3rd 2014
Analysts said pent-up demand, good weather and low interest rates spurred sales. General Motors, Chrysler, Nissan and Toyota all reported double-digit increases.
Automobiles 

This looks like the economy is doing about 2% better than it did last year.
 
17
Opinion

Stanford’s the One

Jun 2nd 2014
A 1963 graduate touts its advantages.
Colleges and Universities 

Undergraduate schools are all cast marks.

Horatio Alger advised his readers to marry the boss's daughter.
 
18
Business Day

Counting Each Drop: Corporate Concern Mounts About Water Supplies

By BETH GARDINER | Jun 2nd 2014
Businesses are increasingly planning for "water risk'' as more users are competing for water resources that are dwindling in various parts of the planet.
Environment; Water; Drought 

A business management reporter writes about water.
Definitely a financial view rather than a technical survey.
If this position dominates we are in trouble.
 
19
World

Dust Storm in Iran Smothers the Capital

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Jun 2nd 2014
A heavy dust storm roared into Iran’s capital on Monday, blacking out the sun in a swirling cloud and tearing down trees in a squall that reportedly killed at least four people and injured 30.
Weather; Deaths (Fatalities) 

Our technical experts on soil and water conservation will not be welcome in 
Iran.
An important early action is a massive reduction in sheep and goat grazing.
Grazing in general is not good for watersheds.
Mixed forest on the lower slopes moving to grasses at the tree line up to the snow line.
Charcoal is not a good idea.  
Beavers help.
Wind breaks help.
No till agriculture helps.
 
20
U.S.
 

Supreme Court Rejects Appeal From Times Reporter Over Refusal to Identify Source

By ADAM LIPTAK | Jun 2nd 2014
The order gave no reasons for the decision but effectively sided with the government in a case involving James Risen of The New York Times, who has said he has no intention of complying with the subpoena.
News Sources, Confidential Status of; Freedom of the Press; Books and Literature 

Risen is not in jail.
National Security and the conservative noise machine win this round.




Exhaustion often wins in my small hours.

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Posted by at No comments:

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

@11:00, 6/3/14

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1
U.S.

Seattle Approves $15 Minimum Wage, Setting a New Standard for Big Cities

By KIRK JOHNSON | Jun 2nd 2014
The City Council’s unanimous vote guarantees workers the highest big-city minimum wage in the nation, and more than double the federal level.
Minimum Wage; City Councils 

Yes
2
Business Day

Euro Zone Edges Closer to Dreaded Deflation

By DAVID JOLLY | Jun 3rd 2014
Consumer prices in the 18 nations of the euro zone rose at an annual rate of just 0.5 percent in May, further pressuring the European Central Bank to ease monetary policy.
Inflation (Economics); Deflation (Economics); Euro (Currency) 

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/03/05/lowflation-and-the-two-zeroes/





Lowflation and the Two Zeroes



Via the always invaluable Mark Thoma, the IMF blog — yes, the IMF has in effect become an econblogger — has a terrific piece on the problem with low inflation in Europe. It’s the perfect antidote to the do-nothing voices insisting that there’s no problem, because we don’t see actual deflation yet.
Part of the IMF analysis concerns debt dynamics. They don’t put it quite this way, but I’d say that to have debt deflation — in which falling prices due to a weak economy increase the real burden of debt, which depresses the economy further, and so on — you don’t need to have literal deflation. The process begins as soon as you have lower inflation than expected when interest rates were set. It’s also noteworthy that inflation rates in the highly indebted countries are all well below the eurozone average (pdf), with actual deflation in Greece and near-deflation in the rest. So the debt deflation spiral is in fact well underway.
Beyond that, the trouble with low inflation is that it exacerbates the problem posed by the two zeroes — the impossibility of cutting interest rates below zero and the great difficulty of cutting nominal wages.
Is ECB policy constrained by the zero lower bound? You could argue that it isn’t, since it could cut a bit further than it has but hasn’t. I’d argue, however, that if nominal interest rates were much higher — say, 4 percent — but the overall euro macro situation were what it is, with inflation clearly below target and unemployment very high, the ECB wouldn’t (and certainly shouldn’t) hesitate at all about cutting rates substantially. It’s only the fact that zero is already so close that makes cutting rates seem like a big deal, an admission that things are looking dangerous (which they are).
Meanwhile, the zero on wages is hugely important now. The fundamental issue here is that Spain (and other debtors) needs to reduce its wages relative to Germany, reversing the runup in relative wages during the bubble years. The argument some of us have been making for a long time is that it’s vastly easier if this adjustment takes place via rising German wages rather than falling Spanish wages — partly because of the debt dynamics, but also and crucially because it’s very hard to cut nominal wages.
What would you look for if downward nominal wage rigidity were a seriously binding constraint? A spike in the distribution of actual wage changes at zero. And sure enough:
International Monetary Fund
To be technical about it: Yowza. This is prima facie evidence that excessively low European inflation is already a huge problem.
The point is that there is no red line at zero inflation; excessively low inflation is still a very severe problem, especially given the European situation, even if the number is positive.
So when people warn about Europe’s potential Japanification, they’re way behind the curve. Europe is already experiencing all the woes one associates with deflation, even though it’s only low inflation so far; and the human and social costs are, of course, far worse than Japan ever experienced.
This need not lead to a breakup of the euro: Pessimists on that front, me very much included, misjudged the strength of European elites’ commitment to the project. But the euro might yet survive — and be a continuing disaster."

3
U.S.

Justices Enter Into Dispute Over Districts Alabama Set

By ADAM LIPTAK | Jun 2nd 2014
Democratic lawmakers contend that the state Legislature packed minority voters into a few districts, diluting their voting power.
Voting Rights Act (1965); Race and Ethnicity; Blacks; Redistricting and Reapportionment; Voter Registration and Requirements

Only the beginning.
4
Magazine

How to Succeed in Washington Without Really Trying

By MARK LEIBOVICH | Jun 3rd 2014
Become a cause célèbre. There’s never been a smoother path from anonymity to Wolf Blitzer’s greenroom.
Politics and Government

I just don't care about these distractions.
5
Business Day

Reflections on Lewis Katz, a Believer in Journalism

By DAVID CARR | Jun 2nd 2014
Mr. Katz, who died in a plane crash on Saturday, had just won an auction last week to take control of the Philadelphia newspapers.
Newspapers

If the Inquirer can report the  news as opposed to local events it will be a triumph.

I  am having trouble with the Times.

6
World

Protests in Nigeria Over Captives Banned

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Jun 2nd 2014
The police in Abuja, the capital, said Monday that they had banned protests organized to demand that the government rescue more than 200 girls still held captive by Boko Haram militants.
Terrorism; Kidnapping; Women and Girls; Demonstrations, Protests, and Riots

This is not a good development.
There should be more to the story.
Expect ugly news out of Africa.
7

Style
Business Day

Hospital Charges Surge for Common Ailments, Data Shows

By JULIE CRESWELL, SHERI FINK and SARAH COHEN | Jun 2nd 2014
Hospitals charged more for every single one of 98 common ailments in 2012, and the increase for all but seven exceeded the nation’s 2 percent inflation rate for that year, according to a Times analysis.
Health Insurance and Managed Care; Medicare

Hospital Management is not charitable.
They are worrying about their income.
8
World

U.N. Cables Reveal a Turning Point in Rwanda Crisis

By MARK LANDLER | Jun 3rd 2014
Nearly 300 recently declassified documents capture the reluctance of the United Nations Security Council to respond to the deepening crisis in Rwanda in 1994.
War Crimes, Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity; Museums; United States Politics and Government

They do.
We are at another such point.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Prince
This is the seminal work on political science.

Nigeria has become a kleptocracy.
The fix is not obvious to me.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigeria_Universities_click
This does not look like a way.
I will try to keep thinking.
9
U.S.

Washington: Uncertainty Over Search for Climbers

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Jun 2nd 2014
It may be weeks or months, if ever, before rescuers can get on the ground to search for six climbers who likely plummeted to their deaths high on Mount Rainier.
Rescues; Mountain Climbing; National Parks, Monuments and Seashores; Parks and Other Recreation Areas

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

"In one of the worst disasters on the mountain in over thirty years, six climbers—two guides, and four clients—last heard from on May 28, 2014, were presumed dead on May 31, 2014, when low-flying search helicopters pinged the signals from the avalanche beacons worn by the climbers. Officials concluded that there was no possible chance for survival after the climbers fell 3,300 feet while attempting or returning from the summit via the Liberty Ridge climbing route. Searchers found tents and clothes along with rock and ice strewn across a debris field on the Carbon Glacier at 9,500 ft, possible evidence for a slide or avalanche in the vicinity where the team went missing, though the exact cause of the accident is unknown. The climbers were never located, and park officials said that a recovery may not be possible due to the perilous nature of the terrain.[67]"

Too ambitious.

10
Health

Living on Purpose

By PAULA SPAN | Jun 3rd 2014
A sense of purpose helps sustain people in old age, new studies show.
Elder Care; Elderly; Psychology and Psychologists

I have several projects.  You are one of them.
11
U.S.

Democrats in Coal Country Run From E.P.A.

By TRIP GABRIEL | Jun 2nd 2014
President Obama’s proposal to cut emissions from coal-fired power plants could become a key election issue in some battleground states.
United States Politics and Government; Global Warming; Coal; Elections, Senate; Greenhouse Gas Emissions; Regulation and Deregulation of Industry

Short sighted is the best I can say for the opposition to fossil carbon reductions.
12
World

Ciro de Quadros, 74, Dies; Leader in Ridding Latin America of Polio

By PAUL VITELLO | Jun 2nd 2014
Dr. de Quadros navigated war zones and reimagined outmoded public health practices to lead a successful immunization campaign in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Poliomyelitis; Deaths (Obituaries); Vaccination and Immunization

His spirit will be missed.
Finishing the job in South Asia is a primary goal of the world community.
13
U.S.

Republicans Weigh Odds in Primaries in Iowa and Mississippi

By JONATHAN MARTIN | Jun 3rd 2014
Party officials are confident that State Senator Joni Ernst should be able to prevail in Iowa, but Senator Thad Cochran faces a strong challenge in Mississippi.
Primaries and Caucuses; State Legislatures

I am not registered for those votes.
14
Opinion

Yes, All Men

By CHARLES M. BLOW | Jun 1st 2014
Fighting sexism and misogyny isn’t just women’s work.
Women and Girls; Discrimination; Women's Rights; Murders and Attempted Murders

I  have no counter argument.
A different name for the position would be useful.
15
U.S.

Investigators Find Recorders in Jet Crash Near Boston

By JESS BIDGOOD and MATTHEW L. WALD | Jun 2nd 2014
Fifteen investigators were on scene, but they were not yet able to determine the cause of the crash, according to a National Transportation Safety Board official.
Aviation Accidents and Safety; Airlines and Airplanes; Deaths (Fatalities); Accidents and Safety; Pilots

Progress but no report yet.
16
World

Secret Global Strike Kills 2 Malicious Web Viruses

By MATT APUZZO | Jun 2nd 2014
A coordinated effort by government agents in the United States and Europe aimed at two pernicious viruses also led to the identity of the Russian man suspected of masterminding the malware.
Computer Malware; Cyberattacks and Hackers

I suspect overconfidence.
There is always a more clever person.
The authorities do not have a person in a box.
We know who owns the web.

17
Technology

Daily Report: At WWDC, Apple Expected to Expand Into Health and Home Monitoring

By THE NEW YORK TIMES | Jun 2nd 2014
Apple is said to be ready to introduce mobile apps that will track a user’s health and fitness routine, and smart home devices, potentially turning niche categories into consumer must-haves.
Home Appliances; Mobile Applications; Wearable Computing

Speculative noise.
18
Business Day

Citing Wireless Trends, AT&T Raises Sales Outlook

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Jun 3rd 2014
AT&T is raising its full-year revenue forecast citing strong wireless trends.
Telephones and Telecommunications; Company Reports

We are headed toward a regulated monopoly again.
19
U.S.

California: Mayor Details Affordable-Housing Plan

By REUTERS | Jun 2nd 2014
Mayor Edwin M. Lee of San Francisco unveiled a $94 million initiative to expand affordable housing over the next two years in the latest bid to address surging home prices, rental rates and evictions.
Affordable Housing; Real Estate and Housing (Residential)

Not this way.
New York has been playing with housing regulation for a century.
Various schemes have been tried with little durable success.
We will have to get significant inflation to make the cities affordable.
20

WWDC Dissected: A New Era for Apple, but an End for Some Apps

By MOLLY WOOD and FARHAD MANJOO | Jun 3rd 2014
On the heels of Apple’s WWDC keynote presentation, New York Times tech columnists Molly Wood and Farhad Manjoo discuss the hits and misses in the big announcements.
Cloud Computing; Computers and the Internet; Desktop Computers; Smartphones; Software

I still am not fond of Apple.
These two are lazy about their software.
Posted by at No comments:

@22:18, 6/2/14 Opinion The Right and Misogyny Jun 2nd 2014 Why the cultural right shouldn’t reflexively disagree with the feminnist.t let.ft.

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1
Opinion

Smoke in the Water

By DERB CARTER | Jun 2nd 2014
North Carolina is rapidly gutting its environmental laws.
Water Pollution; Regulation and Deregulation of Industry; State Legislatures

A passionate plea for reform.
Ex post facto law is not our way.
The North Carolina government cannot relieve Duke Energy of its debt.
 
2
Business Day

Treasury Auctions Set for the Week of June 2

Jun 1st 2014
The following tax-exempt fixed-income issues are scheduled for pricing this week.
Stocks and Bonds; Credit and Debt; Education (K-12); Income Tax; Government Bonds; Auctions

"At the close of the New York cash market on Friday, the rate on the outstanding three-month bill was 0.04 percent. The rate on the six-month issue was 0.05 percent, and the rate on the four-week issue was 0.04 percent."

One pays for the safety of government bonds.
 
3
Business Day

Hospital Charges Surge for Common Ailments, Data Shows

By JULIE CRESWELL, SHERI FINK and SARAH COHEN | Jun 2nd 2014
Hospitals charged more for every single one of 98 common ailments in 2012, and the increase for all but seven exceeded the nation’s 2 percent inflation rate for that year, according to a Times analysis.
Health Insurance and Managed Care; Medicare

What matters most to the hospital is the amount they get paid.
The management has pricing power.
 
4
Automobiles

N.H.T.S.A. Investigates Effectiveness of Chrysler Air Bag Recall

By CHRISTOPHER JENSEN | Jun 2nd 2014
Chrysler has repaired only 13 percent of the S.U.V.s affected by the 745,000-vehicle recall, which was issued in 2012.
Automobile Safety Features and Defects; Recalls and Bans of Products

An ineffective repair could be expensive for Chrysler.
 
5
U.S.

Birds Leave Nest Involuntarily, and Oakland Fumes

By CAROL POGASH | Jun 2nd 2014
The outcry began when the Postal Service decided to prune trees by its parking lot in Oakland and five baby herons fell from their nests, but some people say the situation has descended into absurdity.
Birds; Postal Service and Post Offices; Animals; Homeless Persons

Zero tollerance strikes again.

Negotiate a resolution and move on.
Pay the tree trimmer and let the crazies fume.
 
6
Business Day

Amazon Absorbing Price Fight Punches

By DAVID CARR | Jun 1st 2014
By blocking inventory from the Hachette Book Group, Amazon has become the less-than-everything store.
Book Trade and Publishing; BookExpo America; Books and Literature; Writing and Writers; Antitrust Laws and Competition Issues; Prices (Fares, Fees and Rates); Regulation and Deregulation of Industry; E-Books and Readers

I have not understood the problem.
The publishers are getting their payments.
One wants a higher payment and the retailer is refusing to sell that publisher's products.
The publisher is welcome to seek other retailers and direct sales.
Google will find the books though not at Amazon.
We are looking at a problem of lazy customers.
 
7
N.Y. / Region

Visitors Fault Sept. 11 Museum’s Portrayal of Islam

By SHARON OTTERMAN | Jun 1st 2014
Some visitors to the National September 11 Memorial Museum described its treatment of Islam and terrorism as “clinical” and “light” and said they thought a Muslim might feel uncomfortable visiting.
Muslims and Islam; Terrorism; September 11 (2001)

Institutions have points of view!
There are other institutions that teach all about Islam.
This one teaches about the destruction of two buildings and the effort to repair the damage to the city that resulted from that destruction.

It carries an emotional burden.  Expect it when visiting.
 
8
Automobiles

Monday Motorsports: Milestones Fall at Englishtown Drag Races

By JERRY GARRETT | Jun 2nd 2014
Speed records were set at N.H.R.A.’s Summernationals in New Jersey; three were killed and several injured at the Jim Clark Rally in Scotland.
Automobiles; Automobile Racing; Indianapolis 500 (Auto Race)

I have never paid much attention to the drivers or the races.
I have an interest in the machinery, the shapes and the paint.
The sound is also important.
9
U.S.

One Party, Two Factions: South’s Republicans Look a Lot Like Its 1970s Democrats

By JONATHAN MARTIN | Jun 2nd 2014
Republicans enjoy near-total political control in the South, but the Tea Party and establishment are struggling for supremacy.
Primaries and Caucuses; Tea Party Movement; Elections, State Legislature

Republican factionalism is something to celebrate.
 
10
U.S.

Seattle Approves $15 Minimum Wage, Setting a New Standard for Big Cities

By KIRK JOHNSON | Jun 2nd 2014
The City Council’s unanimous vote guarantees workers here the highest big-city minimum wage in the nation, and more than double the federal level.
Minimum Wage; Wages and Salaries; Labor and Jobs; Income Inequality

We will see how this works out.
 
11
Fashion & Style

Isabel Toledo’s Beauty and Fitness Regimen

By BEE SHAPRIO | Jun 2nd 2014
The designer’s beauty regimen also includes makeup and fragrance for a bit of fantasy.
Cosmetics and Toiletries; Skin; Hair; Exercise

Your choice. 
There is nothing I can contribute.
 
12
Opinion

Addressing the Problems at the V.A.

Jun 2nd 2014
Readers react to continuing coverage of the long waits and doctor shortages.
Veterans; Health Insurance and Managed Care

The problems boil down to lack of funds.
That is a congressional problem.
Vote your interest every time.
 
13
Business Day

Scots Are Divided Over Independence, and Its Economic Costs

By DANNY HAKIM | Jun 1st 2014
Voices inside and outside Scotland are warning of the implications of leaving the United Kingdom, even as supporters say Scotland would be better off by itself.
Referendums; Economic Conditions and Trends

The problem is best left to the resident Scots.
It is an emotional issue.  The economics are against it.
 
14
Crosswords/Games

Paulo Ferro's Math Challenges

By GARY ANTONICK | Jun 2nd 2014
Two puzzles by the Portuguese math teacher Paulo Ferro.
Creativity; Mathematics; Puzzles

405 moves one match  108 moves two  No others found.

44**=1936  2014-1936 = 78  no pair of perfect squares
43**                                                       "
42**         250
enough

15
Opinion

The Right and Misogyny

Jun 2nd 2014
Why the cultural right shouldn’t reflexively disagree with the feminist left.
Conservatism (US Politics); Men and Boys; Sex Crimes; Women's Rights

We could begin by having Ross Douthat not tell us what we think.
 He gets it wrong every time.
 
16
Opinion

Sex Crimes That Shouldn't Be

By LAURIE SHRAGE | Jun 2nd 2014
H.I.V. disclosure laws are not just unfair; they no longer serve any practical purpose.
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome; Discrimination; Privacy; Sex

My status is negative. 
If your your status becomes important to me I hope you will inform me.
17
World

Ciro de Quadros, 74, Dies; Leader in Ridding Latin America of Polio

By PAUL VITELLO | Jun 2nd 2014
Dr. de Quadros navigated war zones and reimagined outmoded public health practices to lead a successful immunization campaign in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Poliomyelitis; Deaths (Obituaries); Vaccination and Immunization

A loss for the world.
 
18
N.Y. / Region

As Antics Subside, Both Cuomo and the Left Claim the Last Hurrah

By THOMAS KAPLAN and SUSANNE CRAIG | Jun 1st 2014
After a vote by the Working Families Party to support Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, liberals were exulting in what they believed would be the start of a tectonic shift in New York politics.
Endorsements; Elections, State Legislature; Politics and Government; Elections, Governors

Problem resolved to every ones  relief.
19
Opinion

Baiting Bike Thieves

Jun 1st 2014
Katharine Tinto of the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law responds to a San Francisco Journal.
Bicycles and Bicycling; Robberies and Thefts; Crime and Criminals; Police

The problem is the police have no half measures.
The bicycle thieves will no end in the equivalent of a good juvenile hall.
20
Opinion

Opinion

Navigating a Post-Samsung Era

By YOUNG-HA KIM | Jun 2nd 2014
What would happen to South Korea's economy if its largest conglomerate were to fail?
Corporations

The smart phone industry will not die all at once.
There will be a long transition period as there has been with broadcast television.
The big corporations will again reinvent themselves or they will slowly erode. 
Sony is eroding now.
South Korea will not soon be a backwater.





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Posted by at No comments:

Monday, June 2, 2014

Must pause. @14:00

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1
Business Day

Study Examines Efficacy of Taxes on Sugary Drinks

By STEPHANIE STROM | Jun 2nd 2014
A system that is based on calories rather than size would be fairer to consumers and could curb consumption, according to research financed by an organization that advocates the tax.
Soft Drinks; Sugar; Calories; Weight; Law and Legislation; Research; Diet and Nutrition; Children and Childhood 

Selling sugar in all its forms is a big part of the economy.

We know that money is more important than others lives.

Cutting back on sugar is cutting income for people of power.

They will not tolerate the loss.

Cutting sugar consumption with a special tax will not happen.
 
2
Magazine

Life in the Valley of Death

By SCOTT ANDERSON | May 29th 2014
In Srebrenica, the remains of those killed in the genocide keep turning up, unsettling the reconciliation between Muslims and Serbs.
War Crimes, Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity; Civilian Casualties; Funerals and Memorials; Muslims and Islam 

Quiet, lonely . . .    He has dogs, goats and visitors.
Memory is a distraction.   
PTSD is a constellation of behavior.  

Yes,  Berlin was the center of another ethnic cleansing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Browning
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Browning#Ordinary_Men
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Goldhagen
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hitler%27s_Willing_Executioners 

You are observing the experiment.
A progress report would be appreciated.

3
Business Day

Treasury Auctions Set for the Week of June 2

Jun 1st 2014
The following tax-exempt fixed-income issues are scheduled for pricing this week.
Stocks and Bonds; Credit and Debt; Education (K-12); Income Tax; Government Bonds; Auctions 

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/06/02/for-bonds-this-time-is-different/

" 16

For Bonds, This Time is Different

Bloomberg has an interesting piece on how high bond prices and low yields have been shocking investors who relied on old models. Some of this, I suspect, is because many people still — after all these years — haven’t wrapped their minds around the implications of a zero-lower=bound economy and the risks of a low-inflation trap.
But it’s also true that structural change is happening fast — just not the kind of structural change people like to talk about. Never mind the stuff about skill mismatches and all that. What’s really happening fast is the demographic transition, with Europe very quickly turning Japanese:
And the US, although growing faster, also turning down sharply.
Add to this the fact that what we thought was normal actually depended on ever-growing household debt, and it becomes clear that historical expectations about normal interest rates are likely to be way off. You don’t have to believe in secular stagnation (although you should take it very seriously) to accept that low rates are very likely the new normal."

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-06-01/the-unstoppable-100-trillion-bond-market-renders-models-useless.html
Running to safety.

4
World

With New Palestinian Government Come Many Questions, and Some Answers

By JODI RUDOREN | Jun 1st 2014
What is in it for Hamas? What might Israel do? Jodi Rudoren, the Jerusalem bureau chief of The New York Times, provides some answers.
Palestinians 

No net change.

Zionism is in stasis.

5
Opinion

Encouragement (Sort of) About Press Freedom

By THE EDITORIAL BOARD | Jun 1st 2014
Attorney General Eric Holder Jr. may have suggested that he wouldn’t send reporters to jail for doing their jobs, but he did not rule out steep fines or inflicting other damages.
News Sources, Confidential Status of; Freedom of the Press; Editorials; News and News Media 

The administration is not a single entity under the close control of one 
mind.
We should not assume that it is.
I expect that the prosecutors will be called to heel.
6
Opinion

The Arms Struggle in Chicago

By THE EDITORIAL BOARD | May 29th 2014
Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s sensible proposals are rooted in proven reforms that Congress should be considering nationally.
Gun Control; United States Politics and Government; Editorials 

We are suffering from crazies in office.
Chicago should get its gun laws.
 
7
U.S.

Clinton Takes Responsibility for Benghazi

By AMY CHOZICK | May 30th 2014
Hillary Rodham Clinton also pushed back against accusations that she tried to hinder a Republican-led investigation into the deadly assault.
Benghazi Attack (2012); Diplomatic Service, Embassies and Consulates 

Amy Chozick really should learn to understand what she reads.
Clinton states clearly that she was in charge of the state department.
She followed the suggestions of the man on the spot.
She knows she has never been omniscient.





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