Saturday, March 28, 2015

@11:37, 3/27/15 It got lost.

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1
U.S.

C.I.A. Officers and F.B.I. Agents, Meet Your New Partner: The Analyst

By SCOTT | Mar 26th 2015
As the C.I.A. and the F.B.I. confront an evolving terrorist threat, cyberattacks and other challenges, SHANE both are reorganizing to empower intelligence analysts.
Terrorism; Espionage and Intelligence Services; Computer Security

"Proud special agents did not always see the value of analysts who did not necessarily build criminal cases — the traditional measure of success at the F.B.I. “At the end of my career, there was low-level tension between the agents and the analysts,” said Jack Cloonan, an F.B.I. agent from 1976 to 2002. “Who was running the case?”
Mr. Cloonan said the analysts did not always share the “camaraderie and esprit de corps” that agents had with one another. “Street agents are street agents,” he said, adding that he still heard grumbling from former bureau colleagues about some analysts who earn more than they do."

Intelligence, foreign and domestic is not a police function.
Assigning the intelligence function to the police was a matter of convenience.
Congress assigned long term thinking to the executive branch when Thomas Jefferson was president.  The State Department is supposed to deal with long term foreign intelligence.
The Republicans may have forgotten.

2
N.Y. / Region

Man Killed by Bus at Port Authority Terminal

By EMMA G. FITZSIMMONS | Mar 26th 2015
A 67-year-old from Garrison, N.Y., was struck on the third level at the terminal around 5 p.m., the authorities said.
Buses; Traffic Accidents and Safety; Stations and Terminals (Passenger); Delays (Transportation); Deaths (Fatalities)

This kind of mess is not dependent on the architecture.
We could separate the passengers from the vehicles like a train station . . .

3
Sports

At N.F.L. Owners’ Meeting, Roger Goodell Confronts the Aftermath of Abuse Cases

By KEN BELSON | Mar 25th 2015
Goodell, the league’s commissioner, is still grappling with the fallout from domestic abuse scandals and botched attempts to penalize players last season.
Football; Domestic Violence

This looks like the NFL is in difficulty.
None of these problems will end the games.

4
Opinion

An Unsettling Complicity

By NICHOLAS KRISTOF | Mar 26th 2015
It’s not a coincidence that Angola is a center for malnutrition and child mortality as well as rampant corruption.
Corruption (Institutional); Children and Childhood; Poverty; Malnutrition; Third World and Developing Countries; Corporations

I agree.

5
World

Greece Says It’ll Present E.U. With Planned Overhauls by Monday

By ALISON SMALE and NIKI KITSANTONIS | Mar 24th 2015
The announcement came as Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras met supporters and leading government ministers on his first official visit to Germany.
European Sovereign Debt Crisis (2010- ); International Relations 


We will have to wait until Monday for the reaction.
I do not expect Greece to get a loan of operating cash.

6
Fashion & Style

How Kanye West Dominated Fashion Month (No Surprise, It Involved Social Media)

By MATTHEW SCHNEIER | Mar 25th 2015
Through the lens of social media, fashion month is just like any other month: ruled by the Kardashian/Jenner clan.
Fashion and Apparel; Social Media; New York Fashion Week; London Fashion Week; Paris Fashion Week; Milan Fashion Week; Fashion Shows

I saw Zoolander.
It confirmed my prejudices.

7
Opinion

Subway Fares Rise, as Do Riders’ Gripes

Mar 24th 2015
Readers discuss inadequate funding and overcrowded trains.
Transit Systems; Subways; Infrastructure (Public Works); Commuting; Transportation

The rail network has been excellent.
It now is overloaded.
It should have about twice the capacity it has now.
To get that capacity would require more tracks in more lines.
The investment appears prohibitive in our political circumstances.

Higher fares will limit ridership.  It is a solution that will destroy the service industry in the inner city.
There are no slums to house the workers.
The slums house the middle class and the children of the rich.

8
Opinion

Bypassing the Questions and Delays at Passport Control

By ERNESTO LONDOÑO | Mar 25th 2015
Getting processed at the airport just got easier, even if it is a little impersonal.
Airport Security; Editorials; Passports; Airports

Fine by me.

9
false

Earth’s Untallied Biological Bounty, from L.A. Suburbs to Deep Seabed Sediments

By ANDREW C. REVKIN | Mar 25th 2015
The dizzying extent and diversity of life on this little-known planet is illustrated from Los Angeles suburbs to sediments deep beneath the seabed.
Biodiversity; Biology and Biochemistry; Environment; Marine Biology; Museums 

Fun.

10
World

Chad Strongman Says Nigeria Is Absent in Fight Against Boko Haram

By ADAM NOSSITER | Mar 27th 2015
President Idriss Déby of Chad has won favor with the West, which is only too happy to call on his forces in a region seething with Islamist terrorists.

Nigeria is reported in the Times.

Search Google: nigerian press:
First result; http://www.abyznewslinks.com/nigei.htm
More reporting than I can think of reading.

http://query.nytimes.com/search/sitesearch/#/nigeria

Nigeria Navigator

A list of Web sites about Nigeria as selected by editors of The New York Times.

News

From the Council on Foreign Relations



11
U.S.

Senate Approves Budget of G.O.P. Wishes in All-Night Session

By JONATHAN WEISMAN | Mar 27th 2015
The blueprint, passed early Friday without Democratic votes, would scrap the Affordable Care Act, cut the deficit, and remake Medicare and Medicaid, but the real negotiations lie ahead.
Federal Budget (US); Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (2010); Medicaid; Federal Taxes (US); Inheritance and Estate Taxes; Corporate Taxes

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/28/us/long-night-in-senate-but-real-budget-work-awaits.html?ref=politics

Another veto.

The bill will not become law.

12
U.S.

Florida: Ex-Salvadoran Official Is Detained Pending Deportation

By JULIA PRESTON | Mar 25th 2015
A former defense minister of El Salvador accused of human rights violations during the civil war in the 1980s was detained by immigration agents in Palm Coast, the first step in his deportation.
Human Rights and Human Rights Violations; Deportation

The entire story:
"A former defense minister of El Salvador accused of human rights violations during the civil war in the 1980s was detained by immigration agents in Palm Coast, the first step in his deportation. In a precedent-setting decision, an immigration appeals court on March 12 upheld a deportation order for the official, Gen. Carlos Eugenio Vides Casanova, finding that he had participated in torture and killings by his troops when he was the highest Salvadoran military officer. The court found that Gen. Vides had aided a cover-up in the killings in 1980 of four American churchwomen. He has been living as a legal resident in Florida since 1989."

13
World

Amnesty International Sees Evidence of Palestinian War Crimes in 2014 Gaza Conflict

By ISABEL KERSHNER | Mar 25th 2015
A 63-page report by the human rights organization came a week before a formal Palestinian accession to the International Criminal Court in The Hague.
Palestinians; War Crimes, Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity

The "game" continues.

Israel is building in the "West Bank".

14
Business Day

Wall St. Stars Join Silicon Valley Gold Rush

By NATHANIEL POPPER and CONOR DOUGHERTY | Mar 24th 2015
Ruth Porat, Morgan Stanley’s chief financial officer, is leaving for Google in the most visible example yet of the flow of talent from Wall Street to Silicon Valley.
Banking and Financial Institutions

"Follow the money"

15
World

Sudan: Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan Sign Deal on Water Sharing

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Mar 23rd 2015
The dam had been an issue of contention among the countries, with Egypt concerned it would reduce its share of the Nile established under a colonial-era agreement.
Levees and Dams; Infrastructure (Public Works) 

It is an agreement to agree.
"It outlines principles by which they are to cooperate to use the water fairly and resolve any potential disputes peacefully, leaving details on specific procedures to be determined later after the release of joint, expert studies."

A power dam makes use of a flowing river.
They work best when the pool is full.
Sudan and Egypt have nothing to worry about.

16
N.Y. / Region

Over 2 Dozen Charged in Rockland County Drug Scheme

By BENJAMIN MUELLER | Mar 25th 2015
Prosecutors say a sprawling oxycodone and heroin trafficking operation north of New York City lasted from at least early 2014 until this month.
Drug Abuse and Traffic; Heroin; Pain-Relieving Drugs

Opioids are an old problem.
Maintaining an addiction is expensive. 

17
Business Day

Justices Rule Opinions May Sometimes Be Basis for Securities Fraud Suits

By ADAM LIPTAK | Mar 24th 2015
Statements of opinion in securities filings are untrue only if they are not sincerely held, Justice Elena Kagan wrote for the majority.
Securities and Commodities Violations; Decisions and Verdicts; Bribery and Kickbacks; Pensions and Retirement Plans

The majority is correct. 

18
Opinion

Keeping Palestinian Hopes Alive

By THE EDITORIAL BOARD | Mar 24th 2015
It’s hard to tell where Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu actually stands on the concept of two states, but it remains the best alternative to violent confrontation.
Palestinians; Editorials; Israeli Settlements; United States International Relations; International Relations

The Netanyahu government continues to build permanent settlements in the West Bank.

There will be no two state solution.

Justice will not include a Palestinian state. 

19
Opinion

An Obama Friend Turns Foe on Coal

By RICHARD L. REVESZ | Mar 26th 2015
A legal scholar is wrong when he says a climate rule is unconstitutional.
Coal; Greenhouse Gas Emissions; Law and Legislation; United States Politics and Government; Regulation and Deregulation of Industry

Lawyers are mercenaries.
They are paid to fight.
Peabody Coal retained Laurence Tribe

20
N.Y. / Region

Murky Inquiry Targets Critic of N.Y.U. Role in Abu Dhabi, and a Reporter

By JIM DWYER | Mar 26th 2015
A private investigator making inquiries about a professor who criticized the exploitation of migrant workers building the university’s Abu Dhabi campus won’t say whom she is working for.
Colleges and Universities; Detectives (Private); Foreign Workers

If I were under attack I would want to know about my attackers.

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Posted by at No comments:

Friday, March 27, 2015

@2:00, 3/26/15

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I am not going to comment on these if you do not repost them.
U.S.

Bipartisan Deal on Health Care Issues Hits a Snag Among Senate Democrats

By JENNIFER STEINHAUER and ROBERT PEAR | Mar 24th 2015
Senator Harry Reid of Nevada and other Democrats have begun to undermine what was poised to be a sweeping bipartisan solution to several policy problems that have long vexed Congress.
Health Insurance and Managed Care; Abortion; United States Politics and Government; Law and Legislation; State Children's Health Insurance Program (S-CHIP); Medicare
Sports

College Coaches Find No Consensus on One-and-Done Eligibility Rule

By VIV BERNSTEIN | Mar 22nd 2015
College basketball coaches have mixed views about obliging players to wait one year after graduating from high school before becoming eligible for the N.B.A. draft.
Basketball (College); Draft and Recruitment (Sports) 

http://www.ncaa.com/sports/basketball-women
U.S.

Florida: Ex-Salvadoran Official Is Detained Pending Deportation

By JULIA PRESTON | Mar 25th 2015
A former defense minister of El Salvador accused of human rights violations during the civil war in the 1980s was detained by immigration agents in Palm Coast, the first step in his deportation.
Human Rights and Human Rights Violations; Deportation
N.Y. / Region

Chiara de Blasio Is Face of Youth Counseling Initiative

By MICHAEL M. GRYNBAUM | Mar 24th 2015
Mayor Bill de Blasio’s daughter is supporting the new program, which encourages young people seeking guidance and advice to contact counselors by text message.
Teenagers and Adolescence; Text Messaging; Depression (Mental); Drug Abuse and Traffic; Alcohol Abuse; Mental Health and Disorders; Youth
Opinion

Subway Fares Rise, as Do Riders’ Gripes

Mar 24th 2015
Readers discuss inadequate funding and overcrowded trains.
Transit Systems; Subways; Infrastructure (Public Works); Commuting; Transportation
Business Day

Wall St. Stars Join Silicon Valley Gold Rush

By NATHANIEL POPPER and CONOR DOUGHERTY | Mar 24th 2015
Ruth Porat, Morgan Stanley’s chief financial officer, is leaving for Google in the most visible example yet of the flow of talent from Wall Street to Silicon Valley.
Banking and Financial Institutions
false

Earth’s Untallied Biological Bounty, from L.A. Suburbs to Deep Seabed Sediments

By ANDREW C. REVKIN | Mar 25th 2015
The dizzying extent and diversity of life on this little-known planet is illustrated from Los Angeles suburbs to sediments deep beneath the seabed.
Biodiversity; Biology and Biochemistry; Environment; Marine Biology; Museums
Opinion

Keeping Palestinian Hopes Alive

By THE EDITORIAL BOARD | Mar 24th 2015
It’s hard to tell where Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu actually stands on the concept of two states, but it remains the best alternative to violent confrontation.
Palestinians; Editorials; Israeli Settlements; United States International Relations; International Relations
World

Sudan: Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan Sign Deal on Water Sharing

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Mar 23rd 2015
The dam had been an issue of contention among the countries, with Egypt concerned it would reduce its share of the Nile established under a colonial-era agreement.
Levees and Dams; Infrastructure (Public Works)
Real Estate

Flurry of Freight Spurs New Commercial Building Construction in Georgia

By KEITH SCHNEIDER | Mar 24th 2015
There is growing demand for new warehouse and distribution space near the nation’s fourth-largest container port.
Freight (Cargo); Ports; Storage; Ships and Shipping
N.Y. / Region

Defense at Patz Trial Presents Jury With Alternate Suspect, via an Old Video

By TANZINA VEGA | Mar 23rd 2015
Defense presented a grainy video of an interview with Jose A. Ramos in an effort to convince the jury that another man killed the Etan Patz.
Murders, Attempted Murders and Homicides; Child Abuse and Neglect
Technology

Restoring the iCloud Drive Icon

By J. D. BIERSDORFER | Mar 23rd 2015
With a few steps, the icon — and any other deleted icon on a Mac — can be brought back. Also, why Windows sometimes must restart when updating.
Computers and the Internet; Software; Android (Operating System); Windows (Operating System); iOS (Operating System)
Business Day

Amex to Ask for Stay of Ruling Prohibiting Merchants From Promoting Other Cards

By HIROKO TABUCHI | Mar 25th 2015
A federal judge had ruled the credit card company’s practice of banning retailers from encouraging customers to use lower-cost options violated antitrust laws.
Credit Cards; Suits and Litigation (Civil); Antitrust Laws and Competition Issues; Prices (Fares, Fees and Rates)
U.S.

Ryan Zinke of Montana Brings Lessons From Navy SEALs to Washington

By EMMARIE HUETTEMAN | Mar 23rd 2015
Before his political career, he served with the unit until 2008, including as a commander at SEAL Team 6, the unit known for killing Osama bin Laden.
Series
Opinion

Bypassing the Questions and Delays at Passport Control

By ERNESTO LONDOÑO | Mar 25th 2015
Getting processed at the airport just got easier, even if it is a little impersonal.
Airport Security; Editorials; Passports; Airports
N.Y. / Region

Botched 2008 Case Against Another Senator Looms Over Menendez Inquiry

By MATT APUZZO | Mar 23rd 2015
As federal prosecutors plan corruption charges against Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey, comparisons are being made to the unsuccessful prosecution of Senator Ted Stevens.
Bribery and Kickbacks; Ethics and Official Misconduct
World

Iran Judge Rejects Washington Post Reporter’s Petition for Prison Furlough

By RICK GLADSTONE | Mar 23rd 2015
It was not clear why the judge refused Jason Rezaian a New Year furlough, sometimes granted to nonviolent inmates. His prosecution remains shrouded in mystery.
Freedom of the Press; Political Prisoners; News and News Media; Iranian-Americans
Business Day

Ocwen to Sell Servicing Rights on $25 Billion in Mortgages to Nationstar

By MICHAEL J. de la MERCED | Mar 24th 2015
The firm, under regulatory scrutiny, also said it faced potential delisting from the New York Stock Exchange.
Mortgages; Regulation and Deregulation of Industry
Business Day

S.E.C. Faces Tough Challenge to Enhanced Broker Rule

By PETER J. HENNING | Mar 23rd 2015
A proposal to hold stockbrokers to a higher standard when offering their clients investment advice faces staunch opposition.
Financial Brokers; Regulation and Deregulation of Industry; Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (2010)
World

Russian Warns Denmark on Joining NATO Missile Defense

By DAVID M. HERSZENHORN | Mar 22nd 2015
Danish ships would become targets of Russia’s nuclear arsenal, a Russian ambassador said, drawing an angry response.
Missiles and Missile Defense Systems; International Relations 


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Posted by at No comments:

@22:35, 3/26/15

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1
U.S.

Airspace Added for Bomber Training

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Mar 24th 2015
A proposal to establish an enormous bomber training area over the Northern Plains that advocates say will improve military training and save money got final approval Tuesday.
United States Defense and Military Forces; Military Bases and Installations 

These are not ground support aircraft.
The residents will not be aware of the training missions.

2
Opinion

Reducing Risks After the Germanwings Crash

By THE EDITORIAL BOARD | Mar 26th 2015
Requiring that two people be in the cockpit at all times during flight, as many airlines already do, is a sensible step.
Airlines and Airplanes; Aviation Accidents, Safety and Disasters; Pilots 

A quick response.

3
World

A Ukraine Factory That Can’t Close, and Workers Who Won’t Quit

By ANDREW ROTH | Mar 25th 2015
Thousands of workers at a plant in Avdiivka that serves as a vital cog in Ukraine’s steel industry stubbornly return to work every day despite repeated rocket and artillery strikes.

Factories and Manufacturing 

I don't know when the the battles will end.
A collapse of the Russian economy might do it.
 
4
World

Germanwings Co-Pilot Deliberately Crashed Airbus Jet, French Prosecutor Says

By NICOLA CLARK, DAN BILEFSKY and AURELIEN BREEDEN | Mar 26th 2015
The co-pilot initiated the plane’s descent for an unknown reason while he was alone in the cockpit, said the prosecutor.
Aviation Accidents, Safety and Disasters 

check.

5
World

Video: Prosecutor: Co-Pilot Crashed Plane

Associated Press | Mar 26th 2015
Brice Robin, the chief Marseille prosecutor, said on Thursday the co-pilot of the Germanwings Airbus A320 deliberately crashed the plane that killed himself and 149 others aboard in the French Alps.
Aviation Accidents, Safety and Disasters; Air Traffic Control; Pilots 

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/27/world/europe/germanwings-crash.html

6
Business Day

Cost a Factor in Streaming Flight Data in Real Time

By JAD MOUAWAD | Mar 25th 2015
Another plane crash has many in aviation asking whether commercial flights should be required to transmit live data in real time.
Aviation Accidents, Safety and Disasters; Airlines and Airplanes; Recording Equipment; Regulation and Deregulation of Industry 

Constant contact is still overkill.

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

7
World

Have Recent Plane Crashes Affected Your Decision to Fly?

By THE NEW YORK TIMES | Mar 26th 2015
Has the news of another airplane tragedy caused you to change your travel plans? Have you decided to use another means of transportation?
Airlines and Airplanes; Accidents and Safety 

no

8
Real Estate

House Hunting in ... Costa Rica

By KEVIN BRASS | Mar 25th 2015
The international second-home market stalled in 2008, sales in the Manuel Antonio area slowed and prices fell. Activity has picked up in the past year.
Real Estate and Housing (Residential); Travel and Vacations 

I need some social contact.   
I would have very little in Costa Rica.
The people who build there are searching for relief from their intense social lives.

9
Technology

Messaging Apps Offer Do-It-All Services in Bid for Higher Profits

By MOLLY WOOD | Mar 25th 2015
Messaging apps with a multitude of features, such as mobile payment portals and games, can walk a fine line between convenient and overwhelming.
Instant Messaging; Mobile Applications; Smartphones 

Smart phones are not simple.
These apps add to the complexity.
They will not be used.
The market is as a fashion accessory.

10
Science

With Expansion of Medicaid, Some States Are Identifying More New Diabetes Cases

By SABRINA TAVERNISE | Mar 23rd 2015
A new study suggests that because of the Affordable Care Act, the disease is being diagnosed earlier in poor Americans.
States (US); Health Insurance and Managed Care; Diabetes; Medicaid; Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (2010) 

"Correlation is not causality."
Finding cases of diabetes is a good thing. 

11
Magazine

Prison Planet

By JESSICA BENKO | Mar 26th 2015
Different nations take very different approaches to the convicts they deem the most dangerous.
Prison Escapes; Capital Punishment; Political Prisoners 

Prison building and operation are not useful as economic stimulus.

12
World

Behind a Veil of Anonymity, Online Vigilantes Battle the Islamic State

By RICK GLADSTONE | Mar 24th 2015
A loosely organized effort by computer hacking collectives aimed at disrupting ISIS and other violent jihadist causes began last year after the group posted images of beheaded captives.
Computers and the Internet; Cyberattacks and Hackers; Terrorism; Social Media; Vigilantes; Threats and Threatening Messages 

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

It is not a good idea.
These are not superheroes.

13
U.S.

A Water Dilemma in Michigan: Cloudy or Costly?

By MITCH SMITH | Mar 24th 2015
The troubled city of Flint says its supply is safe despite the development of odors and discoloration since a switch from Lake Huron to the Flint River.
Water; City Councils; Infrastructure (Public Works) 

Flint will have both.
Flint is another city that qualifies as a ghost town.
the flow of wealth that built it has moved on.
Its only excuse is existence. 

14
Real Estate

Flurry of Freight Spurs New Commercial Building Construction in Georgia

By KEITH SCHNEIDER | Mar 24th 2015
There is growing demand for new warehouse and distribution space near the nation’s fourth-largest container port.
Freight (Cargo); Ports; Ships and Shipping; Storage

Low wages due to poor labor protection combined with good highway and rail service and low realestate costs.

15
Travel

Lanshu Chen Dining Well While on the Road

By SHIVANI VORA | Mar 24th 2015
The Taiwanese chef, formerly of French Laundry, offers tips on how to stay away from generic and touristy places on the road.
Restaurants; Chefs; Travel and Vacations

Talking to the chefs is a professional privilege.
We would have to study Google.

16
U.S.

Gays Targeted in a California Initiative

By ADAM NAGOURNEY | Mar 24th 2015
The proposed referendum, which demands that anyone who has sexual relations with someone of the same gender be put to death, calls into question the state’s historically permissive voter initiative system.
State Legislatures; Homosexuality and Bisexuality

Crazies are everywhere.
Democracies are not proof against them.
Voting one's interests is a duty of citizenship.

17
N.Y. / Region

Uncertain Future for New York Housing Program That Helps Mentally Ill Homeless People

By WINNIE HU | Mar 24th 2015
The supportive housing program, a city-state venture, is set to expire next year unless Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio reach an agreement about funding and expansion.
Homeless Persons; Disabilities; Affordable Housing

I don't know how to make the program work.
Concentration camps are not an acceptable answer.

18
The Upshot

The Giant Retirement Community That Explains Where Americans Are Moving

By NEIL IRWIN | Mar 26th 2015
The Villages area in Florida shows that warmth and affordable housing have helped a pre-recession population trend reassert itself.
Real Estate and Housing (Residential); Population; States (US); Affordable Housing

I do not like concentration camps.
They draw predators.

19
U.S.

House Leaders Confident of Passing Medicare Bill

By ROBERT PEAR and JENNIFER STEINHAUER | Mar 25th 2015
The Congressional Budget Office released figures showing that the sweeping changes could add more than $140 billion to federal budget deficits in the coming decade.
Medicare; United States Politics and Government; Federal Budget (US)

The legislation is needed.
It violates Republican dogma.
I expect it to fail. 

20
U.S.

Video: Living With Lava, a Slow Motion Disaster

Erik Braund and Eugene Yi | Mar 24th 2015
Residents in the town of Pahoa on Hawaii’s Big Island talk about what it’s like to live in the pathway of a very, very slow moving natural disaster.
Volcanoes; Disasters and Emergencies

Yes, "Be Prepared".

I am attempting preparation.

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Posted by at No comments:

Thursday, March 26, 2015

@10:21, 3/26/15

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1
World

Grief Engulfs German Town That Lost 16 Students and 2 Teachers in Crash

By JACK EWING | Mar 25th 2015
The entire town of Haltern am See was in mourning after the deaths of students and teachers returning from an exchange trip to Spain on the Germanwings plane that crashed in France.
Aviation Accidents, Safety and Disasters; Airlines and Airplanes 

 The copilot intentionally crashed the airplane.
Heard on NPR this morning.  Sourced from the cockpit voice recorder.

2
Magazine

The Radical Humaneness of Norway’s Halden Prison

By JESSICA BENKO | Mar 26th 2015
The goal of the Norwegian penal system is to get inmates out of it.
Prisons and Prisoners; Therapy and Rehabilitation; Sentences (Criminal) 

"Much of the backlash within penological circles can be traced to Robert Martinson, a sociology researcher at the City University of New York. In a 1974 article for the journal Public Interest, he summarized an analysis of data from 1945 to 1967 about the impact of rehabilitation programs on recidivism. Despite the fact that around half the individual programs did show evidence of effectiveness in reducing recidivism, Martinson’s article concluded that no category of rehabilitation program (education or psychotherapy, for example) showed consistent results across prison systems. “With few and isolated exceptions,” he wrote, “the rehabilitative efforts that have been reported so far have had no appreciable effect on recidivism.” Martinson’s paper was immediately seized upon by the news media and politicians, who latched on to the idea that “nothing works” in regard to prisoner rehabilitation. “It Doesn’t Work” was the title of a “60 Minutes” segment on rehabilitation. “They don’t rehabilitate, they don’t deter, they don’t punish and they don’t protect,” Jerry Brown, the governor of California, said in a 1975 speech. A top psychiatrist for the Bureau of Prisons resigned in disgust at what he perceived to be an abandonment of commitment to rehabilitation. At the dedication ceremony for the San Diego M.C.C. in 1974, one of the very structures designed with rehabilitation in mind, William Saxbe, the attorney general of the United States, declared that the ability of a correctional program to produce rehabilitation was a “myth” for all but the youngest offenders.
Martinson’s paper was quickly challenged; a 1975 analysis of much of the same data by another sociologist criticized Martinson’s choice to overlook the successful programs and their characteristics in favor of a broad conclusion devoid of context. By 1979, in light of new analyses, Martinson published another paper that unequivocally withdrew his previous conclusion, declaring that “contrary to my previous position, some treatment programs do have an appreciable effect on recidivism.” But by then, the “nothing works” narrative was firmly entrenched. In 1984, a Senate report calling for more stringent sentencing guidelines cited Martinson’s 1974 paper, without acknowledging his later reversal. The tough-on-crime policies that sprouted in Congress and state legislatures soon after included mandatory minimums, longer sentences, three-­strikes laws, legislation allowing juveniles to be prosecuted as adults and an increase in prisoners’ “maxing out,” or being released without passing through reintegration programs or the parole system. Between 1975 and 2005, the rate of incarceration in the United States skyrocketed, from roughly 100 inmates per 100,000 citizens to more than 700 — consistently one of the highest rates in the world. Though Americans make up about only 4.6 percent of the world’s population, American prisons hold 22 percent of all incarcerated people."

The American prison system was carefully constructed.
It is intentionally punitive and lacking in attempts at rehabilitation.
Rural prisons serve as support for otherwise dead towns.

After a prisoner in Norway fails at rehabilitation there is the possibility of psychiatric hospitalization. 

3
Opinion

A Rebuff to India’s Censors

By THE EDITORIAL BOARD | Mar 26th 2015
The country’s Supreme Court struck down restrictions on Internet speech, but the ruling was not as strong as it could have been.
Censorship; Freedom of Speech and Expression; Computers and the Internet; Freedom of the Press 

Indian and American conservatism are much alike.
They empower religion and industry.
Maintenance of the common is not a high priority for conservatism.
The ruling will be disappointing.

4
U.S.

Radio and TV Martí, U.S. Broadcasters for Cuba, Face New Obstacles

By LIZETTE ALVAREZ | Mar 24th 2015
The Martís are illegal on the island, and President Raúl Castro has made their shutdown a condition of normalizing relations with the United States.
Radio 

The Marti broad and narrow casts should not be a part of the federal government.
It is not a friendly act to propagandize a neighbor.
The spectrum and facilities could be sold to a corporation on the public broadcasting model.  The new corporation would have to get private support from exiles and foundations.
The F.C.C. does not limit the content of broadcasts with the exception of a few specific words.  
The new corporation would be subject to the libel laws.  
They should put attorneys on the staff.   

5
U.S.

Division Seen in Supreme Court on Pollution Limits

By ADAM LIPTAK | Mar 25th 2015
The case concerns Environmental Protection Agency regulations adopted in 2012 that set curbs on toxic emissions from coal-fired power plants.
Clean Air Act; Environment; Air Pollution; Regulation and Deregulation of Industry 

A cost benefit analysis is not required by the act.
The E.P.A. is acting properly.
Congress can add a feature to the act if it so desires.
Coal burning must end.  
There is already more carbon dioxide in the air than humanity can tolerate. 

6
Science

Experts Back Angelina Jolie Pitt in Choices for Cancer Prevention

By PAM BELLUCK | Mar 24th 2015
The actress had her ovaries and fallopian tubes removed because she carries a genetic mutation that increases the risk of ovarian cancer.
Ovarian Cancer; Surgery and Surgeons; Genetics and Heredity; Breast Cancer 

No one should involuntarily die of a preventable cancer.

7
World

Indian Court Strikes Down Section of Law Punishing Offensive Online Posts

By NIDA NAJAR and SUHASINI RAJ | Mar 24th 2015

The ruling did not go far enough.

8
U.S.

Report Credits F.B.I. With Progress Since 9/11, but Says More Is Needed

By MICHAEL S. SCHMIDT | Mar 25th 2015
The bureau needs to improve intelligence capabilities and hire more linguists, said the report, which looked at progress since the Sept. 11 attacks.
Terrorism; September 11 (2001) 

The U.S. does not need a "Secret Police".

9
U.S.

UPS Worker’s Pregnancy Discrimination Suit Reinstated by Supreme Court

By ADAM LIPTAK | Mar 25th 2015
The justices, voting 6 to 3, said a lower court had erred in dismissing the suit of a woman turned down for lighter duties during her pregnancy.
Discrimination 

Good.

"Justices Antonin Scalia, Anthony M. Kennedy and Clarence Thomas dissented."

10
World

Greece: Ex-Official Avoids Prison

By NIKI KITSANTONIS | Mar 24th 2015
A former finance minister, George Papaconstantinou, was found guilty on Tuesday of tampering with a list of about 2,000 Greeks with Swiss bank accounts, but he was spared prison time.
Tax Evasion 

Ok.

www.ekathimerini.com

http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_26/03/2015_548537

No news.

11
World

Terrorism Unlikely in Germanwings Crash, French Officials Say

By DAN BILEFSKY and NICOLA CLARK | Mar 25th 2015
As investigators reviewed one of the plane’s black boxes, unanswered questions remained, including why the plane had descended for eight minutes before crashing.
Aviation Accidents, Safety and Disasters 

It is not known.  
We should not guess.
It looks intentional to me.

12
N.Y. / Region

Prosecution of Senator in 2008 Looms Over Menendez Case

By MATT APUZZO | Mar 23rd 2015
As federal prosecutors plan corruption charges against Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey, comparisons are being made to the unsuccessful prosecution of Senator Ted Stevens.
Ethics and Official Misconduct 

For the right price we are all corruptible.
No person is above the law.
Senator Menendez will go to trial.

13

 World

One Year Later, Ebola Outbreak Offers Lessons for Next Epidemic

By SHERI FINK and PAM BELLUCK | Mar 22nd 2015
While the disease has not been eliminated, aid groups take stock of what worked and didn’t, and continue to point fingers.
Ebola Virus; Epidemics; Humanitarian Aid 

The world may have learned some things.
We can hope so.

14
World

Health Agency Reports Lowest Weekly Total of New Ebola Cases

By RICK GLADSTONE | Mar 26th 2015
The World Health Organization on Wednesday reported the lowest weekly total of new Ebola cases so far this year in the three nations of West Africa that have been afflicted by the deadly virus.
Ebola Virus; Epidemics 

I an happy the numbers are much smaller.

15
Technology

Restoring the iCloud Drive Icon

By J. D. BIERSDORFER | Mar 23rd 2015
With a few steps, the icon — and any other deleted icon on a Mac — can be brought back. Also, why Windows sometimes must restart when updating.
Computers and the Internet; Software; Android (Operating System); Windows (Operating System); iOS (Operating System) 

Yes.  
Microsoft has ended all support for XP.
There will be no more updates.

16
World

Ukraine Arrests 2 Officials as Nation Watches on TV

By DAVID M. HERSZENHORN | Mar 25th 2015
The director of the emergency services ministry and his deputy were handcuffed at a meeting and face charges of embezzlement and abuse of power.
Ethics and Official Misconduct; Embezzlement 

There is a bit of doubt about high level arrests.
I will take the governments word and read the trial reports.

17
Opinion

Harmful Budget Cuts

Mar 26th 2015
Mary Woolley of Research!America writes that proposed cuts to discretionary spending “would dramatically slow medical progress.”
Budgets and Budgeting; Federal Budget (US); Research 

The Republican budgets are unnecessarily cruel. 

18
The Upshot

A Novel Way to Mandate Sick Leave, From Microsoft

By CLAIRE CAIN MILLER | Mar 26th 2015
The company announced that many of its 2,000 contractors and vendors would have to give employees 15 days of time off with pay.
Paid Time Off; Labor and Jobs; Law and Legislation 

Anything to avoid regulation.

19
World

Dozens Arrested in Raids to Stem Illegal Influx of Kosovars

By ALISON SMALE | Mar 25th 2015
The European authorities arrested 77 people accused of running a network smuggling in immigrants from Kosovo to countries in Western Europe.
Smuggling; Illegal Immigration 

The former Yugoslavia is still in the news.
There is money in supplying cheap labor. 

20
Business Day

Deep Freeze on Great Lakes Halts Cargo Shipments

By IAN AUSTEN and MARY M. CHAPMAN | Mar 23rd 2015
Two harsh winters have burdened ship lines and businesses that depend on their cargo, including grain and iron ore.
Freight (Cargo); Winter (Season); Ice 

An annual event.
Sometimes there is less ice.


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