@15:00, 4/7/15

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1

Science

In Hawaii, Chickens Gone Wild

By KENNETH CHANG | Apr 6th 2015

Feral birds on the island of Kauai offer clues to how animals become domesticated.

Chickens; Genetics and Heredity; DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid)

A nice announcement of  research in progress.
The quick review of present knowledge is interesting.
I do not want to be in the chicken business.
I will help with your animals.

2

The Upshot

If Algorithms Know All, How Much Should Humans Help?

By STEVE LOHR | Apr 6th 2015

Data science offers a lot of promise in many fields, but for now, it seems wise to keep human beings in the loop.

Data-Mining and Database Marketing; Artificial Intelligence

Machines are tools.
They are without understanding.

3

U.S.

O’Hare Noise Complaints Influence Chicago’s Mayoral Race

By MITCH SMITH | Apr 5th 2015

Mounting frustration, and what some perceive as indifference from City Hall, has made plane noise a subplot in Tuesday’s runoff election.

Noise; Elections, Mayors

Closing or moving the airport is not an option.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel won the runoff election. 


4

Business Day

Consumer Price Inflation Reaches 16.9% in Russia

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Apr 6th 2015

Russia’s consumer price inflation hit 16.9 percent in March as the country headed for recession, the state statistics agency Rosstat said.

Inflation (Economics); Embargoes and Sanctions; Gross National Product (GNP)

Sanctions hurt.
Food prices are up.

5

Technology

Diagnosing a Syncing Problem With iTunes

By J. D. BIERSDORFER | Apr 7th 2015

The iTunes software can automatically sync with iPads, iPhones and iPod Touch players, but even if the feature is enabled in iTunes, a few conditions apply.

Computers and the Internet; Windows (Operating System); iOS (Operating System)

I use XP professional for Microsoft.
I do not use Apple products.

6 

The Upshot

Alcoholics Anonymous and the Challenge of Evidence-Based Medicine

By AUSTIN FRAKT | Apr 6th 2015 

I do not drink.

7

Business Day

Conference Centers Offer Companies Meeting Space Without Strings

By AMY ZIPKIN | Apr 6th 2015

Stand-alone spaces run by companies like Convene, Metro Meeting Centers and TKP offer businesses lower-cost alternatives for off-site gatherings.

Hotels and Travel Lodgings; Real Estate (Commercial)

Neutral ground is often recommended.
Sooner is better.  As soon as you can is best.

8

N.Y. / Region

East Village Gas Explosion Reveals Problems in City’s Inspection System

By PATRICK McGEEHAN and MATT FLEGENHEIMER | Apr 3rd 2015

Under the current system, Consolidated Edison is not required to immediately notify the city if its workers find a dangerous gas situation.

East Village Explosion (March 2015); Accidents and Safety

Yes.
Stealing gas is standard practice for squatters.
It is criminal.
There are fewer of them than there were.
When an unlicensed tap is discovered it is a serious matter.
The police and a licensed plumber must be called.
Inspection comes after resolution.

9

World

Ukraine Leader Denounces Federalization as Way to Break Up Country

By DAVID M. HERSZENHORN | Apr 6th 2015

President Petro O. Poroshenko said he was so certain Ukrainians would reject the idea, which Russia endorses, that he offered to put it to a referendum.

The shooting seems to have stopped.
The shouting continues.
The next step is obscure.

10

Technology

Jay Edelson’s Class-Action Privacy Suits Could Make Him Tech’s Least Friended Man

By CONOR DOUGHERTY | Apr 4th 2015

The class-action lawyer, who specializes in filing privacy lawsuits against technology companies, has raised the ire of Silicon Valley executives.

Computers and the Internet; Privacy; Suits and Litigation (Civil)

It is a profitable business leading to a splendid result.
"Don't be evil"

11

U.S.

Vietnam Veteran Files Class-Action Lawsuit Over Delayed Appeals on Disability Benefits

By DAVE PHILIPPS | Apr 6th 2015

A class-action lawsuit asks a court to require the Department of Veterans Affairs to reach faster decisions when reconsidering rejected claims.

Vietnam War; Veterans; Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder; Diabetes; Agent Orange (Defoliant)

Parsimony is not the order of the day.

12

Opinion

Yes, We Were Warned About Ebola

By BERNICE DAHN, VERA MUSSAH and CAMERON NUTT | Apr 7th 2015

Copyright law needs modification.

13

Opinion

U.S. Allies Flock to Join China’s Development Bank

Apr 5th 2015

China announced that it had attracted 46 founding members for its Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.

United States International Relations

Everybody likes income.

14

U.S.

The Snake That’s Eating Florida

By CLYDE HABERMAN | Apr 5th 2015

Burmese pythons appear to be in the Florida Everglades to stay, just one of a number of unwanted animals that have invaded America.

Invasive Species; Snakes

Something eats the snakes in their native lands.

15

Business Day

University of Virginia Fraternity to Go After Rolling Stone for Rape Article

By RAVI SOMAIYA | Apr 6th 2015

The fraternity at the center of a retracted article by Rolling Stone magazine that alleged a gang rape by its members said it planned “to pursue all available legal action against the magazine.”

Fraternities and Sororities; Suits and Litigation (Civil)

The publishers of histories must try to get the facts and then use all of them.
Testimony has a different burden.
The two should not be confused.

16

U.S.

Video: Pets Gone Wild

RetroReport | Apr 5th 2015

Burmese pythons, often released into the wild by pet owners, have infested the Florida Everglades and created a reptilian nightmare in the ecosystem.

Pets; Snakes; Reptiles; Invasive Species

"There is no accounting for taste".
Responsibility and power go together.
The reptile trade has denied responsibility.
It has lost much of its power.
The problem of rebalancing the ecology remains.

17

U.S.

Georgia: Judge Sets Hearing on Request by Transgender Inmate for Transfer

By DEBORAH SONTAG | Apr 6th 2015

A federal district judge on Monday set a hearing for Thursday on an emergency motion in the case of a transgender woman, Ashley Diamond, who is seeking an immediate transfer to a lower-security prison or “transitional center” so that she can be safer from sexual assault.

Prisons and Prisoners; Transgender and Transsexuals; Suits and Litigation (Civil)

The Georgia prison system has another problem.
A possible solution would be a transgender unit.
The sentence was not solitary confinement. 

18

U.S.

70 Years on, Crowd Gets Close to the Birthplace of the Atomic Bomb

By RICK ROJAS | Apr 5th 2015

Seventy years after the first test of the atomic bomb, tourists flock to the New Mexican desert.

Historic Buildings and Sites; Nuclear Weapons; Travel and Vacations; Radiation

The motivation of the tourists is a mystery to me.

19

The Upshot

It’s Hard to Lift Wages if the Fed Doesn’t Make It a Priority

By JARED BERNSTEIN | Apr 7th 2015

Sluggish wage growth suggests the job market is not as tight as many people think.

Wages and Salaries; Labor and Jobs; United States Economy; Inflation (Economics); Prices (Fares, Fees and Rates); Unemployment; Interest Rates

The Federal Reserve Bank does not have the power to raise wages when employers will not borrow.
http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/04/07/economics-of-love/

"Not love as in romance; love as in tennis, meaning zero. Cecchetti & Schoenholtz argue that “zero matters” in macroeconomics; specifically, both the zero almost-lower bound on interest rates and downward wage rigidity make the case that deflation or for that matter very low inflation is a bad thing.

Just to note: This is exactly the point I’ve made a number of times, talking about the two zeroes. Not complaining here — many people have made this point, and we need them to keep making it.

The message instead is for those people — you know who you are — who imagine that the macroeconomics in this blog and in my column is somehow way out there on the left. In reality, I’m almost depressingly mainstream. It’s the other side in these debates that is showing lots of creativity, coming up with novel and innovative arguments about why we should do stupid things."

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/09/10/license-to-stagnate/

20

Business Day

Publication of New Net Neutrality Rules to Prompt Cheers and Challenges

By REBECCA R. RUIZ | Apr 5th 2015

The F.C.C. regulations are expected to appear in the Federal Register as early as this week, starting two 60-day countdowns: one until they take effect and the other until a deadline for lawsuits.

Net Neutrality; Telephones and Telecommunications; Regulation and Deregulation of Industry; Suits and Litigation (Civil)

Progress.
The next horizon is the prevention of the production and use of  "Big Data".

Soon patent and copyright law must be reconsidered in the public interest.
They exist to encourage the growth and dissemination knowledge.
Presently, they do not do so.

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@11:16, 4/7/15

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Food

Video: Cooking Techniques: Making Stock

Apr 6th 2015

Make quick chicken stock by boiling chicken bones, onion, carrot and herbs in a large pot.

Cooking and Cookbooks 

I have made stock.  I will make stock.

2

Science

Forest Fires Threaten New Fallout From Chernobyl

By RACHEL NUWER | Apr 6th 2015

According to a new computer analysis, wildfires near the nuclear plant have cumulatively redistributed an estimated 8 percent of the original amount of cesium-137 released in the disaster.

Wildfires; Nuclear Energy 

Own and use a radiation counter.  

The background is always with us.

3

Science

Study Forecasts 70% Loss of West Canada’s Glaciers

By JOHN SCHWARTZ | Apr 6th 2015

The new research on western Canada’s glaciers had implications for predicting glacier loss around the world caused by climate change.

Glaciers; Global Warming 

Anthropogenic global warming is real.

4

World

Indonesia: Court Deals a Setback to Two Australians Facing Execution

By REUTERS | Apr 6th 2015

An Indonesian court rejected a challenge by two Australian drug smugglers facing execution after being convicted in 2006 as the ringleaders of a plot to smuggle heroin out of the country.

Drug Abuse and Traffic 

Indonesia is sovereign.

5

World

Argentina: Ex-Economy Minister Gets Suspended Sentence for Hidden Cash

By JONATHAN GILBERT | Apr 6th 2015

Felisa Miceli, the economy minister from 2005 to 2007, had been unable to prove that she legally obtained money — cash in dollars and pesos worth more than $64,000 — when it was turned up in 2007.

Money Laundering; Sentences (Criminal) 

It is not enough money to be a bribe.

There is more to this story.

6

Food

Homemade Pizza, Easier and Faster

By SUZANNE LENZER | Apr 6th 2015

Two allies in the kitchen — your food processor and freezer — can make pizza a regular weeknight event.

Pizza; Cooking and Cookbooks; Recipes 

yes    I make bread about twice a week.

7

Health

Oral Antibiotics Are Found to Save More Infant Lives

By DONALD G. McNEIL Jr. | Apr 6th 2015

Studies have found that the recommended protocol of injectible antibiotics and hospitalization are hard for many poor people to carry out.

Babies and Infants; Antibiotics; Research; Medicine and Health 

OK.

It would be good to restore their microbiome after treatment.

 

8

Opinion

Yes, We Were Warned About Ebola

By BERNICE DAHN, VERA MUSSAH and CAMERON NUTT | Apr 7th 2015

Crucial evidence of the virus’s presence in Liberia was overlooked.

Ebola Virus; Epidemics; Medicine and Health; Research 

I now understand the low death rate.

The journal publishers are not behaving well.

Copyright was intended to get the authors paid.

9

N.Y. / Region

A Review of H2Ocean in Cedar Knolls

By FRAN SCHUMER | Apr 4th 2015

H2Ocean Restaurant & Raw Bar serves only wild-caught varieties of its seafood.

Restaurants 

Fine by me.

The kitchen is learning.  

It will be better or gone in a few months.

10

Travel

In Rome, Industrial Ruins Take On a Colorful New Profile

By KATIE PARLA | Apr 3rd 2015

New businesses, cultural spaces and an Eataly Italian food emporium have injected the Ostiense district with life.

Travel and Vacations 

I will have to think on what I want to do in Rome.

11

Magazine

The Living Beauty of Wicken Fen

By HELEN MACDONALD | Apr 7th 2015

In one of Britain’s oldest nature reserves, Darwin collected beetles and Saxon warlords hid from invaders. But walking there now is much more than a visit to the past.

Zoos 

I prefer her way of viewing.

12

The Upshot

Alcoholics Anonymous and the Challenge of Evidence-Based Medicine

By AUSTIN FRAKT | Apr 6th 2015

 

I an relieved to know A.A. helps.

Do what works.

 

13

World

Maldives’ Transition to Democracy Appears Increasingly Precarious

By GARDINER HARRIS | Apr 6th 2015

Diplomats say President Abdulla Yameen is becoming more autocratic and unpredictable, citing the influence of gangs and the imprisonment of a former president.

Demonstrations, Protests and Riots 

Machine politics . . .

They look to be the default condition.

Reform can be another machine.

14

U.S.

Kentucky: Flood Sweeps Away Mother and Child

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Apr 3rd 2015

A mother and child were missing after being swept into a creek in the eastern part of the state.

Floods 

Stupidity carries a death penalty.

http://www.wunderground.com/severe.asp?region=mw&setprefs.0.key=SVRMAP&setprefs.0.val=mw

15

Technology

Online Test-Takers Feel Anti-Cheating Software’s Uneasy Glare

By NATASHA SINGER | Apr 5th 2015

School administrators say for online learning to be legitimate, the testing has to be monitored. Proctortrack requires the student to sit upright, remain glued to their chair, keep their face fully visible, and a few more.

Tests and Examinations; E-Learning; Cheating; Colleges and Universities 

Cheaper is not often better.

The software is still primitive.

16

Science

Planes Without Pilots

By JOHN MARKOFF | Apr 6th 2015

Technological advances are making human pilots less necessary in the cockpit. But will passengers board a flight controlled by a robot?

Aviation Accidents, Safety and Disasters; Pilots; Drones (Pilotless Planes); Air Traffic Control 

Probably not and certainly not yet.

17

World

After Shift in Nigeria, Entrenched-Party Rule Faces Test Elsewhere in Africa

By NORIMITSU ONISHI | Apr 4th 2015

An incumbent president steps down in a country with a history of military coups and rivalries, raising the possibility that it can happen elsewhere on the continent.

Elections; Appointments and Executive Changes 

We can only hope.

18

Job Market

Taking On Vertical Challenges

By PATRICIA R. OLSEN | Apr 4th 2015

Jonathan Temple, an elevator mechanic for the Liberty Elevator Corporation in Paterson, N.J., talks about how he got into the field.

Elevators and Escalators; Labor and Jobs 

Yes, it is a skilled job that cannot be outsourced.

19

The Upshot

If Algorithms Know All, How Much Should Humans Help?

By STEVE LOHR | Apr 6th 2015

Data science offers a lot of promise in many fields, but for now, it seems wise to keep human beings in the loop.

Data-Mining and Database Marketing; Artificial Intelligence 

The machines are still blind to aesthetics.  

The machines are tools.

20

U.S.

Food Safety Law’s Funding Is Far Below Estimated Requirement

By RON NIXON | Apr 7th 2015

New requirements, which were passed by Congress in 2010, cannot be met without more money, supporters of the overhaul say.

Food Contamination and Poisoning; Food; Law and Legislation; Federal Budget (US) 

The question that needs an answer is what failure rate is acceptable.

Zero is very costly.  One hundred percent is free.

An acceptable rate of failure will cost more than the money available.

That money may be as much as should be spent this year.

The agency will tell the president when the funds are all committed.

@14:20, 4/6/15

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1

Sports

Dispute Over Layoffs at Olympic Sites

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Apr 3rd 2015

The mayor of Rio de Janeiro dismissed reports that layoffs of construction workers at one of the main 2016 Olympic sites could result in damaging delays.

Olympic Games (2016); Layoffs and Job Reductions 

It might get the bills paid.

2

The Upshot

Jobs Report Adds to Evidence of a Slowing Economy

By JUSTIN WOLFERS | Apr 3rd 2015

On average, economic data released so far through 2015 has tended to be worse than expected.

Labor and Jobs; Economic Conditions and Trends; Gross National Product (GNP) 

As expected. 

3

U.S.

Transgender Inmate’s Hormone Treatment Lawsuit Gets Justice Dept. Backing

By MATT APUZZO | Apr 3rd 2015

The inmate, who is in prison in Georgia, wants the state to restart the hormone treatment she had been taking for 17 years before her arrest.

Transgender and Transsexuals; Prisons and Prisoners; Suits and Litigation (Civil) 

Georgia is coerced.

4

Food

An Easy Salmon Recipe for Weeknight Meals

By MELISSA CLARK | Apr 3rd 2015

Anchovy butter amps up the flavor in this quick fish dish. (Article plus video.)

Cooking and Cookbooks; Anchovies; Salmon; Butter 

I object to seven dollars a pound.

I have no problem with the sauce.

I wonder how tilapia  or catfish would work.

Salt cod sells for nine dollars a pound.

5

World

Bulgaria: Officials Tackle Corruption

By REUTERS | Apr 3rd 2015

Bulgaria announced plans on Friday to form a special unit to investigate high-level corruption, following a neighbor, Romania, in seeking to shed an image as one of Europe’s most corrupt states.

Corruption (Institutional) 

Bulgaria probably needs the effort.

6

World

Bulgaria Puts Up a New Wall, but This One Keeps People Out

By RICK LYMAN | Apr 5th 2015

The former Communist nation has completed 20 miles of fence along its border with Turkey, and plans to extend it to 100 miles, to stem the flow of refugees.

Fences; Immigration and Emigration; Refugees and Displaced Persons 

Refugees make governments nervous.

Syria is a multisided war.

7

The Upshot

Alcoholics Anonymous and the Challenge of Evidence-Based Medicine

By AUSTIN FRAKT | Apr 6th 2015

Separating treatment from selection effects is a longstanding problem in social and medical science. Here’s a look at why.

Alcohol Abuse; Research 

Do what works.

AA works some.  

There may be other approaches that work as well or better

Stopping drinking is worth the effort.

I would like the result.  The method is less important.

A substitute addiction is not a good result.

8

U.S.

Missing Sailor Found After More Than Two Months at Sea

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Apr 3rd 2015

Louis Jordan, who had not been heard from since late January, was spotted on the overturned hull of his sailboat off the North Carolina coast.

Sailboats and Sailing; Missing Persons 

"Capsized three times"

Thirty five feet is big for a self rescue.

I would like a better description of the incidents.

9

Business Day

Greece and I.M.F. Hold Talks on Crucial Debt Payment

By LANDON THOMAS Jr. | Apr 5th 2015

Greece’s finance minister, Yanis Varoufakis, and the International Monetary Fund’s chief, Christine Lagarde, met in Washington as the due date neared for a 458 million euro payment to the fund.

European Sovereign Debt Crisis (2010- ); Euro (Currency) 

http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/

No news beyond a conference.

10

Food

Video: Salmon With Anchovy Butter

Meghan Gourley | Apr 3rd 2015

Melissa Clark makes salmon with a double application of anchovy butter.

Cooking and Cookbooks 

An easy meal.

11

Business Day

What to Expect From the March Jobs Report

By PATRICIA COHEN | Apr 3rd 2015

At 8:30 a.m., the Labor Department will release figures on hiring and unemployment last month. Here’s what they mean for the state of the economy.

United States Economy; Labor and Jobs; Unemployment 

Austerity is hard times.

12

Opinion

A Rare Bipartisan Medicare Bill

By THE EDITORIAL BOARD | Apr 6th 2015

For years, doctors have faced draconian decreases in their reimbursements, but now Congress could solve this long-festering problem.

Medicare; Health Insurance and Managed Care; Law and Legislation 

Read carefully before signing.

13

Opinion

The Glitch in Colorado’s Weed Experiment

By THE EDITORIAL BOARD | Apr 6th 2015

Taxing marijuana made perfect sense, but now the arrangement has entered a phase that makes no sense at all.

Taxation; Law and Legislation; Marijuana; Rebates and Refunds

The conservatives of Colorado in 1992 muzzled the taxing power of the state.

The population now regrets the action.

14

U.S.

Washington Governor Puts Focus on Climate Goals, and Less on Debate

By KIRK JOHNSON | Apr 4th 2015

Working quietly, Gov. Jay Inslee is promoting an unusual plan to levy fees on carbon emissions and use the money for education and transportation.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions; Global Warming 

Gov. Jay Inslee has a program that could become law. 

I favor a national cap and trade program if we can't get a fossil carbon tax.

15

Opinion

Sexually Assaulted at UVA

By JENNY WILKINSON | Apr 4th 2015

After being attacked by a fellow student, I won my case before a university panel. But winning wasn’t really winning.

Fraternities and Sororities; Sex Crimes; Women and Girls; Colleges and Universities 

Sexual assault is criminal.

The behavior should be expunged.

Permanent expulsion without a transcript is a proper response to a demonstrable instance.

16

Real Estate

Feeding Pigeons and the Results

By RONDA KAYSEN | Apr 4th 2015

This weeks subjects include pigeon droppings; and rules governing alterations and tenant succession in rent-stabilized apartments.

Real Estate and Housing (Residential); Pigeons; Rent Control and Stabilization; Evictions 

I would prefer not to feed doves of any kind.

I do not want to kill them.

I enjoy the small birds.

I will try putting out small quantities often.

17

U.S.

Supreme Court Asked to Look Abroad for Guidance on Same-Sex Marriage

By ADAM LIPTAK | Apr 6th 2015

Two briefs offer very different lessons about the decisions made in other countries.

Same-Sex Marriage, Civil Unions and Domestic Partnerships 

The decision has rested with the courts in most states.

18

U.S.

O’Hare Noise Complaints Influence Chicago’s Mayoral Race

By MITCH SMITH | Apr 5th 2015

Mounting frustration, and what some perceive as indifference from City Hall, has made plane noise a subplot in Tuesday’s runoff election.

Noise; Elections, Mayors 

The noise is the nature of an airport.

The solution is to move the airport.

Indiana might welcome the work.

Detroit would welcome the work.

The train trip would be shorter to Indiana.

19

Business Day

The Importance of Naming Your Emotions

By TONY SCHWARTZ | Apr 3rd 2015

Although our emotional state influences the quality of our work, many of us aren’t aware of how we’re feeling or what the impact may be.

Work-Life Balance; Workplace Environment; Emotions 

Controlled impatience and distanced anxiety

 

20

Sports

Notre Dame Stifles South Carolina’s Gritty Rally to Reach Second Straight Final

By JONATHAN CZUPRYN | Apr 5th 2015

For the second season in a row and the fourth time in five years, the Irish will play for the women’s national basketball championship.

NCAA Basketball Championships (Women); Basketball (College) 

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/06/sports/ncaabasketball/connecticut-defeats-maryland-earning-chance-to-play-for-a-10th-ncaa-title.html

Connecticut 81, Maryland 58

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/07/sports/ncaabasketball/at-uconn-lessons-to-respect-the-past.html?ref=ncaabasketball

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@6:25, 4/6/15

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1

Food

A Spring Chicken Soup With Miso

By DAVID TANIS | Apr 3rd 2015

A noodle soup inspired by an evening in Japan.

Cooking and Cookbooks; Soups; Chickens 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirin

http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017330-spring-chicken-miso-soup

I can do that.

2

World

Zhou Yongkang, Former Chinese Official, Faces Corruption Trial

By CHRIS BUCKLEY | Apr 2nd 2015

Mr. Yongkang, a former member of the powerful Politburo Standing Committee who was in charge of law and order, is the most senior party official to face trial on corruption charges.

Corruption (Institutional); Bribery and Kickbacks 

A problem with such theater is the principal never acted in isolation.

The systems they built continue without legitimacy.

The fissioned systems struggle for dominance.

3

U.S.

Video: Coast Guard Airlifts Rescued Sailor

U.S. Coast Guard | Apr 3rd 2015

Video showing the Coast Guard airlifting Louis Jordan from the container ship that found him off the North Carolina coast 66 days after his boat capsized.

Maritime Accidents and Safety 

With some food and water one can last a long time on a raft.

I have not taken the boat out this year.

I will take it out in about six weeks if things go well.

I am crew on that project.

4

Science

Beneath California Crops, Groundwater Crisis Grows

By JUSTIN GILLIS and MATT RICHTEL | Apr 5th 2015

Farmers are pumping billions of gallons of water from the ground, depleting a resource that was endangered before the drought even began.

Agriculture and Farming; Water; Irrigation; Drought 

Water rights are property.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eminent_domain

The lawyers will grow rich.

5

N.Y. / Region

Robert Durst’s Lawyers, Fighting New Orleans Charges, Want Agents in Court

By CHARLES V. BAGLI and MARC SANTORA | Apr 2nd 2015

A battle over weapons and drug charges in Louisiana is a prelude to what is expected to be a bitter court fight in California, where Mr. Durst is accused of killing his longtime confidant.

Murders, Attempted Murders and Homicides; Search and Seizure 

Tell us if new law is made.

The drama holds little interest for me.

6

World

Myanmar: China Receives an Apology

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Apr 2nd 2015

Myanmar has apologized for a cross-border bombing last month in which four Chinese farmers were killed.

Bombs and Explosives 

It was an incident that did not change the situation.

7

U.S.

Kentucky: Flood Sweeps Away Mother and Child

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Apr 3rd 2015

A mother and child were missing after being swept into a creek in the eastern part of the state.

Floods 

The local authorities have not asked for help.

8

Opinion

Denmark’s Drug-Free Pigs

By BARRY ESTABROOK | Apr 3rd 2015

American farmers don’t need all those antibiotics.

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

It is demonstrated that pigs can be raised without antibiotics in the daily feed.

The U.S. should require the pork producers to do it like the Danes. 

9

Opinion

McDonald’s Minimum Raise

By THE EDITORIAL BOARD | Apr 3rd 2015

The wage increase is minimal and leaves out workers at the company’s franchise outlets.

Wages and Salaries; Fast Food Industry; Minimum Wage; Franchises; Labor and Jobs 

"A fair wage for all McDonald’s workers would be one that allowed them to get by without food stamps and other public assistance. Research indicates that half of fast-food workers rely on public aid, with an estimated $1.2 billion a year in taxpayer dollars going to supplement low wages at McDonald’s. That is money that should be coming out of corporate coffers and going into worker pay."

10

The Upshot

Bernanke Says Global Imbalances Bedevil the World Economy. Discuss.

By JOSH BARRO | Apr 2nd 2015

Maybe the question we should ask is how we can make developing countries unafraid to borrow from us again and to buy more of our products.

Economic Conditions and Trends; Interest Rates; International Trade and World Market 

Get some inflation in the U.S. dollar.

That can be done by putting the unemployed to work in the U.S. for decent wages. 

 Only the federal government can do that.

Congress must borrow and spend.

11

U.S.

Arizona Bill Would Ban Local Limits on Plastic Bags

By RICK ROJAS | Apr 2nd 2015

The bill would prevent cities and counties from regulating the “sale, use or disposition of auxiliary containers,” which include single-use disposable bags, boxes, cans and bottles.

Plastic Bags; Regulation and Deregulation of Industry 

Another way would be to preempt the local bans with a general ban.

Such a ban would not bother me.

Arizona should not be allowed to behave insanely.

12

World

Explosion at Protest in Afghanistan Kills Over a Dozen, Authorities Say

By JOSEPH GOLDSTEIN | Apr 2nd 2015

Dozens of others were wounded in the city of Khost, including a member of Parliament, at a demonstration seeking the removal of a provincial governor.

Terrorism; Bombs and Explosives; Deaths (Fatalities) 

The religious and tribal wars continue.

13

N.Y. / Region

Coast Guard Swaps Buoys on the Hudson, a Sure Sign of Spring

By COREY KILGANNON | Apr 5th 2015

The quaint red or green buoys that dot the local waterways are actually formidable steel structures extending deep below the surface that require specialized care from the Coast Guard.

Spring (Season) 

It is work that matters.

It is paid for from the federal budget.

14

Fashion & Style

Honey, I Messed Up the Kitchen

By SAM SIFTON | Apr 3rd 2015

How to combat the disarray men create in the kitchen, and other cooking advice from a seasoned food pro.

Cooking and Cookbooks; Grilling (Cooking); Food; Kitchens 

http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/6532-chicken-la-tulipe

I will cook or not.  Your choice.

I will not fuss about housecleaning. 

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

15

Business Day

Italian Farm Groups Accuse France of Trade War

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Apr 3rd 2015

The associations accused France of starting a trade war by announcing a ban on imports of vegetables from the southern Puglia region because of an outbreak of the bacteria xylella fastidiosa.

Agriculture and Farming; International Trade and World Market 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xylella_fastidiosa

France has a case.  

The quarantine is deserved but probably ultimately useless.

It buys time to seek a cure and a treatment.

16

Travel

With Fishing, Suspense Trumps a Sure Thing

By ADAM CLYMER | Apr 3rd 2015

If you’d asked me a year ago whether the day that I caught 25 fish would be better than the day I caught just one, I’d have said, no contest. But I’d have been wrong.

Travel and Vacations; Fishing, Sport 

I have found I do not need to fish to enjoy being on the water.

17

U.S.

Report Details Flawed Law Enforcement Response to Marathon Bombings

By RICHARD A. OPPEL Jr. | Apr 3rd 2015

A throng of officers from Massachusetts and neighboring states rushed to a Boston suburb without any coordination with police commanders, the report said.

Boston Marathon Bombings (2013); Police 

Heroes are a nuisance.

18

Business Day

Appeals Court Rejects Request to Rehear Landmark Insider Trading Case

By MATTHEW GOLDSTEIN and BEN PROTESS | Apr 3rd 2015

Preet Bharara was denied in his request for the appeals court to reconsider a ruling that narrowed the definition of what constitutes insider trading.

Insider Trading; Decisions and Verdicts 

Rumor is not insider information.

Apparently a necessary clarification.

19

Business Day

G.M. Bets Big on a Resurgent Cadillac

By JAMES B. STEWART | Apr 2nd 2015

Cadillac used to be synonymous with American style, quality and prestige. Now, with a new model and a move, G.M. is trying to recapture the swagger.

Automobiles; New York International Auto Show 

Cadillac owned the personal luxury car market.

There are competitors in that sector. 

I have no special insight into the aesthetics or the engineering.

I would be happy to devote some attention to the problems.

20

U.S.

Kentucky: Fire Shuts a G.E. Manufacturing Plant

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Apr 3rd 2015

Nearly 200 firefighters fought a fire at General Electric’s Appliance Park in Louisville, the sprawling manufacturing center that employs thousands.

Fires and Firefighters 

I wonder what "a private supplier distribution center" does.

It sounds like a purchasing department. 

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