Saturday, April 25, 2015

@9:52, 4/24/15

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1
N.Y. / Region

Following Your Nose to a Banquet

By CHRISTOPHER BROOKS | Apr 23rd 2015
The scents of Namaste India in Southington, C.T., lure diners to food that departs from the usual approach.
Cooking and Cookbooks; Restaurants

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Southington,+CT/@41.5621048,-72.8961383,9z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x89e7b798b8e4a58b:0x64ea5f97f7eee1ef

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

2
N.Y. / Region

Nick & Toni’s, the Hamptons Celebrity Haven, Embraces a Bit of Change

By KURT WENZEL | Apr 23rd 2015
Nick & Toni’s, the Hamptons destination, updated its décor yet kept a classic menu.
Cooking and Cookbooks; Restaurants

I would as soon do the Indian.
It is about the same distance for me.

3
N.Y. / Region

Rivermarket Bar & Kitchen in Tarrytown, Quietly Sophisticated, Is on a Mission

By EMILY DeNITTO | Apr 23rd 2015
The restaurant, with a kitchen headed by Peter Larsen, supports Hudson Valley farmers with its fresh market and menu offerings.
Restaurants

You tell me.

4
Food

A New Way to Look at Endive

By MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN | Apr 21st 2015
The French serve seared endive as a side, but the dish can be the main event for lunch, with a nice slice of blue cheese or Roquefort alongside.
Cooking and Cookbooks; Endive (Vegetable)

http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017362-seared-belgian-endive-with-walnut-gremolata
Or we can cook for ourselves.
There is a choice of places.

5
Your Money

Justice Department Sues Quicken Loans

By TARA SIEGEL BERNARD | Apr 23rd 2015
The government contends that Quicken, one of the nation’s largest mortgage lenders, underwrote hundreds of improper loans through a federal program.
Suits and Litigation (Civil); Mortgages; Personal Finances

The Department of Justice has done their homework.

6
U.S.

Arctic Council Meeting Nears in the Shadow of Tensions With Russia

By STEVEN LEE MYERS | Apr 24th 2015
As a biennial summit meeting begins Friday in northern Canada, the council’s mission is being strained by the broad deterioration of relations with Russia.
International Relations

Russia has been behaving badly.
It is anticipated that they will not change.

7
Business Day

China’s Economy Puts New Pressure on a Changing Job Market

By NEIL GOUGH | Apr 21st 2015
With its lopsided pockets of supply and demand and decline in agriculture jobs, China’s huge manufacturing sector is showing new signs of stress.
Labor and Jobs; Economic Conditions and Trends

One entity's spending is the income of another entity.

This is the paradox of thrift.

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/?s=paradox+of+thrift
27 hits
http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/04/19/crowding-in-and-the-paradox-of-thrift/
. . . "The other view is that business investment is weak because the economy is weak. Specifically, it is that the effects of household deleveraging and fiscal consolidation have produced slow growth, which has reduced the incentive to add capacity – the “accelerator” effect – leading to low investment that further reduces growth."

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

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/04/25/wingnut-welfare-and-work-incentives/

8
Travel

Finding the Right Credit Card, No Matter How Much You Travel

By STEPHANIE ROSENBLOOM | Apr 21st 2015
Want to rack up frequent-flier miles and loyalty points quickly and easily? Here’s a primer on the best newcomers and evergreens.
Travel and Vacations; Credit Cards; Frequent Flier Programs; Customer Loyalty Programs; Hotels and Travel Lodgings

Bookmarked

9
N.Y. / Region

Sheldon Silver Faces New Charge in Corruption Case

Apr 23rd 2015
Sheldon Silver, the former Assembly speaker, is accused of abusing his office in order to obtain nearly $4 million in illicit payments through two law firms.
Corruption (Institutional)

This is not a new development.
The prosecutors must prove that Sheldon Silver committed criminal acts. 

10
N.Y. / Region

The Kitchen at Grove Station in Jersey City Creates Surprising Combinations

By FRAN SCHUMER | Apr 23rd 2015
Chef David Viana’s interesting combinations of sweet, savory and spicy lift even mundane dishes like chicken breast.
Restaurants; Chefs

I would rather cook than travel for restaurants.
I will always try an unfamiliar dish either at home or away.
The choice is yours.
Sooner is better.  As soon as you can is best.

11
World

Video: Italian Leader Urges Action for Migrants

Parliament TV, via Reuters | Apr 22nd 2015
Prime Minister Matteo Renzi of Italy addressed the lower house of Parliament on Wednesday in Rome and said the European Union must change its path to tackle the migrant crisis in the Mediterranean.
Immigration and Emigration; Legislatures and Parliaments

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/23/world/europe/europe-italy-migrants.html

There is no solution for refugees at borders.
In the eyes of the refugee the probability of death during travel is better than remaining in the place that had been home.
If the world would stop the flow of refugees their home places must be made preferable to a search for a new home.
The problem must go to the U.N. General Assembly.
I see no resolution that does not impose peace on the disturbed areas.
That has been done by killing those who seek change.

12
Magazine

Home, Cooked

By FRANCIS LAM | Apr 23rd 2015
Heading to Chinatown for the tastes left behind.
Walking; Chinese Food (Cuisine); Immigration and Emigration

Francis Lam writes an essay on home.
I would like to learn where my next one will be.
The choice is yours.
Sooner is better.  As soon as you can is best.

13
Real Estate

Block by Block: Carroll Gardens (Video Series)

By THE NEW YORK TIMES | Apr 21st 2015
Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, is the focus of the next video in our new monthly series, “Block by Block.”
Real Estate and Housing (Residential)

I would not be comfortable there.
I want my own floor and ceiling, more outdoor space and easy access to an industrial space. 
I want to be able to be dirty, clean, loud, smelly, wet and hot at any time of the day.
I do not want to eat, relax or sleep with my work in progress.

14
Business Day

A Pesticide Is Harmful to Wild Bees, Study Finds

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Apr 22nd 2015
Experts say that findings from a study may help shift the way the United States government looks at a controversial class of chemicals.
Pesticides; Bees

Neonicotinoids are probably cumulative in bees.
There is no significant difference between varieties of bees.

15
Business Day

Europe Looks Offshore for Wind Power

By MARK SCOTT | Apr 22nd 2015
The Continent’s lead in the small but fast-growing offshore wind industry is a rare bright spot for the region’s renewable power sector.
Wind Power; Alternative and Renewable Energy; Energy and Power

This is a marketing ploy.
Offshore wind energy is not a great idea.
Wind energy is not the way I would like the world to go.

16
Fashion & Style

Maiyet Names New Creative Director; Get Ready for Change

By VANESSA FRIEDMAN | Apr 20th 2015
Declan Kearney, an Alexander Wang alumnus, says he will bring a new edge (and product lines) to the brand.
Fashion and Apparel

Working on the project.
First the cloths must sell.
Operations that are not self supporting are by definition not sustainable.
The market may consist of wealthy people doing good though it is better to have more purchasers.
It is best to look beautiful by doing "good".

17
Food

Memories of Chinatowns Gone By

By LIGAYA MISHAN | Apr 23rd 2015
A homage to the working-class coffee houses from the neighborhood where the chef grew up.
Restaurants

A wonder with a wonderful review.
Sooner is better.  As soon as you can is best.

18
World

Former Sri Lankan Minister Is Charged With Misuse of Public Funds

By DHARISHA BASTIANS | Apr 22nd 2015
Basil Rajapaksa, the country’s former economic development minister and a brother of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, was arrested Wednesday.
Corruption (Institutional)

So far it is theater.
I will watch for convictions.

19
Opinion

The ‘Missing’ Black Men

Apr 23rd 2015
Marc Mauer of the Sentencing Project cites “mass incarceration and early deaths” for the shocking numbers of “missing” black men.
Blacks; Welfare (US); Prisons and Prisoners

I cannot refute facts.

20
Business Day

New Genetic Tests for Breast Cancer Hold Promise

By ANDREW POLLACK | Apr 21st 2015
Two advances in tests for the genes that carry an added risk of breast cancer promise to make the process less expensive and more precise.
Breast Cancer; Genetics and Heredity; Tests (Medical)

It is mostly whining.
These tests will not increase the number of the "worried well".
If the people are not worried they will not be tested.
The cost of an email is near zero.
If the test is positive the person gets a second opinion.
If the test is indeterminant  one could get a second opinion. and / or add to a list to be notified of further developments.
A negative test should comfort the worried and possibly relieve their anxiety.
If the costs are met out of pocket there is no need for the "Healthcare" bureaucracy.


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Posted by at No comments:

Friday, April 24, 2015

@7:40, 4/24/15

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1
Sports

St. John’s Adds Three Transfers

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Apr 23rd 2015
Chris Mullin, the coach at St. John’s for less than a month, signed three transfers, two of whom will be eligible right away.
Basketball (College) 

Chris Mullin understands winning.

2
Arts

Review: Francesca DiMattio, ‘Domestic Sculpture,’ at Salon 94 Bowery

By ROBERTA SMITH | Apr 23rd 2015
Her gnarly patchwork ceramic sculptures are very lively, perhaps to excess.
Art 

I take a functional view.
I like to think it keeps me sane.

3
World

Chile: Volcano Spews Dangerous Ash

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Apr 23rd 2015
Twin eruptions from the Calbuco volcano in southern Chile have sent vast clouds of ash into the sky, causing concern.
Volcanoes 

tps://www.google.com/maps/place/Calbuco,+Puerto+Varas,+Los+Lagos+Region,+Chile/@-41.3310735,-72.6199748,293086m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!3m1!1s0x9619d3d6f9397329:0xafd4dfaa59ea7b65

There is not much to worry about.
The mountain is twenty miles down wind from the nearest town.
It is ten miles from cleared land and also down wind.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Calbuco,+Puerto+Varas,+Los+Lagos+Region,+Chile/@-41.3310735,-72.6199748,4579m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!3m1!1s0x9619d3d6f9397329:0xafd4dfaa59ea7b65

The last eruption was relatively small.  The crater looks to be about 500 ft across.
The debris flows look to have been modest and within the national park.  

4
N.Y. / Region

Advocates Sue a New York School District, Claiming Weak Programs for Refugees

By BENJAMIN MUELLER | Apr 23rd 2015
The New York Civil Liberties Union filed suit on behalf of six refugees in the Utica City district. Law enforcement agencies have pressed New York schools for months to ease enrollment for immigrants.
Education (K-12); Refugees and Displaced Persons 

This is a situation where good intentions are not enough.
The refugee centers and school boards are going to have to work.
Immersion teaches language quickly.
Perhaps if the definition of language is extended to include civil culture the refugees
can get enough education by the mandated age limit.
There is a continuing argument in Albany about the extent of the promised free public education.  Some contend it ends with the eighth grade.
 

5
Business Day

Millions of Hens in Iowa to Be Destroyed as Bird Flu Spreads

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Apr 20th 2015
The deadly bird flu virus was confirmed at a farm in Osceola County that has about 10 percent of the state’s egg-laying hens.
Avian Influenza; Agriculture and Farming; Chickens 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avian_influenza
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avian_influenza#Birds
An immune essay cannot distinguish infection and vaccination.
Better testing possibly could distinguish a difference.
That would require development.
Time for development is not available.
Development of better testing should start now.

6
Education

Teachers Fight Standardized Testing, and Find Diverse Allies

By KATE TAYLOR and MOTOKO RICH | Apr 20th 2015
Often painted as obstacles to improving schools, the unions now find common ground with conservative leaders and education reform advocates.
Tests and Examinations; Performance Evaluations (Labor); Education (K-12); Teachers and School Employees 

All the parties in opposition have different agendas.

7
World

Vivid Accounts of War’s Horror Stream From Yemen’s Capital

By ROBERT MACKEY | Apr 20th 2015
Civilians in Yemen’s capital, Sana, documented another day of terror in Twitter dispatches.
Bombs and Explosives; Social Media; Middle East and North Africa Unrest (2010- ) 

It is a civil war and a religious war and a tribal war.

8
Technology

Remotely Controlling the DVR

By J. D. BIERSDORFER | Apr 23rd 2015
Tips for Time Warner Cable customers who want to use their iPhones to manage DVR recordings.
Computers and the Internet; Windows (Operating System); iOS (Operating System); Mobile Applications; Recording Equipment 

https://www.netflix.com/us/
With a streaming service there is no need for a DVR.
I have not updated from Windows XP.

9
Business Day

Jobless Claims Rise for 3rd Straight Week, but Labor Market Seems Stronger

By REUTERS | Apr 23rd 2015
Initial claims for state unemployment benefits increased 1,000 to a seasonally adjusted 295,000 for the week ended April 18, the Labor Department said.
Unemployment; United States Economy 

I suspect Reuters knows how to twist numbers.
http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/04/24/blurry-fiscal-hindsight/

"Simon Wren-Lewis continues his voice in the wilderness campaign against British economic myths, focusing on claims that Labour was fiscally profligate. Needless to say, I agree, and would like to enlarge on his points.
The simple fact is that Britain was not running big deficits on the eve of the financial crisis, and that public debt wasn’t high by historical standards. So how does that record get turned into a claim of wildly irresponsible budgeting? As Wren-Lewis says, there are really two levels to this diversion. First, there’s the highly questionable reinterpretation of past GDP data; second, there’s the implicit proposition that governments in the past should have based fiscal policy on information (or actually “information”) that didn’t exist at the time.
On the first point: these days official estimates say that Britain, although it had a modest actual deficit in 2006-2007, had a large “structural” deficit. How so? Well, these estimates are now based on estimates of potential output, which purport to show that the British economy in 2006-7 was hugely overheated and operating far above sustainable levels.
But nothing one saw at the time was consistent with this view. In particular, there was no sign of inflationary overheating. So why do the usual suspects claim that Britain had a large positive output gap?
The answer is that the statistical techniques used by most of the players here automatically reinterpret any prolonged slump as a slowdown in the growth of potential output — and because they also smooth out potential output, the supposed fall in current potential propagates back into the past, making it seem as if the pre-crisis economy was wildly overheated.
As an extreme example, consider Greece. Here’s the IMF estimate of Greece’s output gap before the storm:

Does anyone really believe that Greece was operating 10 percent — 10 percent! — above capacity in 2007-8? This is just a smoothing algorithm producing nonsense results in the face of economic catastrophe.
And this backward propagation of economic disaster also leads, automatically, to the appearance of past fiscal profligacy. Consider the case of Ireland. Back in 2006 George Osborne praised the country as a “shining example” of “wise economic policy-making”, and especially praised the country’s fiscal prudence. Today, backward-looking estimates say that Ireland was fiscally irresponsible all along:

Even if you believe these estimates (which you shouldn’t), it’s unfair to criticize the Irish government of the time for fiscal profligacy. They believed that they were acting responsibly, and all the best people were praising them for it.
So were Blair and Brown irresponsible? No, not at all. True, if they had known the crisis was coming they would probably have tried to pay down debt during the good years. But they didn’t know that, and in any case it’s hard to imagine that it would have made any significant difference. Claiming that there was a major failure of fiscal prudence isn’t even 20-20 hindsight, it’s hindsight with a severe case of astigmatism."

10
World

Xi Jinping of China and Shinzo Abe of Japan Meet Amid Slight Thaw in Ties

By JANE PERLEZ | Apr 22nd 2015
The two leaders met for about half an hour, about half the customary time for such diplomatic sessions, on the sidelines of a summit meeting in Indonesia.

Neither of them want to listen.

11
World

As War Grinds On, Yemenis Share Their Anguish Online

By ROBERT MACKEY | Apr 22nd 2015
Online dispatches from Yemeni bloggers and activists were filled on Wednesday with despair over the growing toll of the conflict.
Social Media; Civilian Casualties; Middle East and North Africa Unrest (2010- ) 

"War is not healthy for children and other people."

12
Business Day

Big Mac Test Shows Job Market Is Not Working to Distribute Wealth

By EDUARDO PORTER | Apr 21st 2015
If the job market cannot keep hardworking people out of poverty and spread prosperity more broadly, how will those tasks be done?
Labor and Jobs; Wages and Salaries; Income Inequality; Welfare (US); Minimum Wage 

Labor unions began to do the job.  They need legal protection.
There is nothing to prevent industries producing stable goods from chasing cheap labor.
Those that produce locally must pay their employees to live near their work.

13
Opinion

‘A Danger on Rails’

By JON BOWERMASTER | Apr 21st 2015
This short documentary warns about the dangers posed by trains that transport explosive oil across North America.
Oil (Petroleum) and Gasoline; Infrastructure (Public Works); Railroads; Railroad Accidents and Safety 

The rail accidents I am aware of are of two kinds.
Those due to unsafe operation and those due to unsafe rail.
I know of none due to unsafe rolling stock.
The oil companies must pay the costs of their operations.
Oil traveled by rail from Ohio and Pennsylvania for one hundred and fifty years.

14
N.Y. / Region

Only Alternative for Some Students Sitting Out Standardized Tests: Do Nothing

By ELIZABETH A. HARRIS | Apr 23rd 2015
The anti-testing movement is targeting districts that require students not taking the exams to remain quietly in their classrooms and, as opt-out advocates have labeled it, “sit and stare.”
Education (K-12); Tests and Examinations 

The tests are for the education department.
They are of the "No Child Left Behind" program. 

15
Opinion

Beyond Education Wars

By NICHOLAS KRISTOF | Apr 23rd 2015
K-12 education is an exhausted, bloodsoaked battlefield. Let’s shift some of the reformist passions to early childhood.

Money poisons programs.

16
World

Sighs of Relief From Yemen, Mixed With Fears of More Conflict

By ROBERT MACKEY | Apr 21st 2015
Yemeni bloggers expressed relief that the Saudi-led air campaign had finally come to an end, tempered by concern that the conflict was far from over.
Social Media; Bombs and Explosives; Middle East and North Africa Unrest (2010- ) 

The air campaign continues.

17
Science

Marijuana and the Body

By C. CLAIBORNE RAY | Apr 20th 2015
Leaving aside questions of addiction and brain effects, what is known about the effects of marijuana on things like the lungs and digestive tract?
Marijuana; Respiratory System; Lungs; Medicine and Health

I do not use cannabis.

18
N.Y. / Region

Rivermarket Bar & Kitchen in Tarrytown, Quietly Sophisticated, Is on a Mission

By EMILY DeNITTO | Apr 23rd 2015
The restaurant, with a kitchen headed by Peter Larsen, supports Hudson Valley farmers with its fresh market and menu offerings.
Restaurants

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

19
Business Day

Pilots at Allegiant Air Question Safety Standards

By JAD MOUAWAD | Apr 20th 2015
The pilots, who are in contract negotiations, say they worry about maintenance problems with the airline’s aging fleet.
Airlines and Airplanes; Organized Labor; Pilots; Aviation Accidents, Safety and Disasters

DC 3s are still flying.  Some are older than we are.

20
World

W.H.O. Promises Reform After Criticism Over Ebola Response

By SHERI FINK | Apr 20th 2015
The World Health Organization acknowledged it was not prepared to deal with the Ebola outbreak, and vowed to overhaul the way it handles epidemics.
Epidemics; Ebola Virus

WHO should get on it.
Posted by at No comments:

@15:45, 4/23/15

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Business Day

Blue Bell Recalls All Products After Listeria Outbreak

By AUSTIN RAMZY | Apr 21st 2015
Tests indicated that products from the ice cream maker Blue Bell Creameries were the source of an infection that has killed three, the C.D.C. said.
Food Contamination and Poisoning; Listeriosis; Recalls and Bans of Products 

Listeria is sometimes found in raw eggs.

2
Business Day

Video: Blue Bell C.E.O. Apologizes for Recall

Blue Bell Creameries | Apr 21st 2015
In a video message on Monday, Paul Kruse, Blue Bell’s chief executive and president, apologized for recalling products on the market after two samples of ice cream tested positive for listeria.
Ice Cream and Frozen Desserts; Food Contamination and Poisoning 

"“We’re committed to doing the 100 percent right thing, and the best way to do that is to take all of our products off the market until we can be confident that they are all safe,” Mr. Kruse said in a news release."

3
Business Day

Blue Bell Issues Recall for All Its Ice Cream

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Apr 20th 2015
Two samplings of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream tested positive for listeriosis, a food-borne illness.
Listeriosis; Food Contamination and Poisoning 

I have had no ice cream since Christmas. 
I will not eat any soon.

4
Travel

Restaurant Report: Athlete Eats in St. Louis

By ROBERT LILLEGARD | Apr 23rd 2015
In a world torn between 1,200-calorie entrees and 200-calorie energy bars, Athlete Eats makes a bid for the middle.
Travel and Vacations; Restaurants 
  
I have no fear of grain. 

5
Travel

For Visitors to the Florida Keys, More Hotel Choices

By ELAINE GLUSAC | Apr 22nd 2015
The room capacity of the Florida Keys has been on the rise, with nine new or substantially renovated hotels spread along the 125-mile island chain.
Travel and Vacations; Hotels and Travel Lodgings 

When I have gone there I was working.

6
World

Trial Starts for Members of Neo-Fascist Golden Dawn Party in Greece

By NIKI KITSANTONIS | Apr 20th 2015
The proceeding on charges including membership in a criminal organization and murder will decide the fate of the third-largest party in the Parliament.
Murders, Attempted Murders and Homicides 

Another distraction suppressed.

http://yanisvaroufakis.eu/2015/04/24/a-new-deal-for-greece-a-project-syndicate-op-ed/#more-7767

7
Business Day

Troubling Interdependency of Water and Power

By FELICITY BARRINGER | Apr 22nd 2015
As the climate changes and populations grow, resource managers and environmental advocates warn that scarcity of either water or power could mean shortages and rising costs of both.
Hydroelectric Power; Water; Drought 

Get the numbers right.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acre-foot
≈ 325,851 3⁄7 U.S. gal or ≈ 325,853.383688 U.S. gal
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horsepower
"The mechanical horsepower, also known as imperial horsepower, of exactly 550 foot-pounds per second is approximately equivalent to 745.7 watts."
 550/745.7 = .7376 ftlb/sec per watt or1.356 watt seconds/foot pound
about 2,655,360 ft.lb. per kilowatt hour or 331,920 gallon feet per kilowatt hour.

8
World

Denmark: Bestiality Is Banned Amid Concerns of Sex Tourism

By REUTERS | Apr 21st 2015
The bill amends a previous ban on intercourse that harms animals.
Sex; Law and Legislation; Animals 

Ok

9
U.S.

Promising Full College Credit, Arizona State University Offers Online Freshman Program

By TAMAR LEWIN | Apr 22nd 2015
The university, working with the online course provider edX, will begin a low-cost program that will be available worldwide with no admissions process and full credit.
E-Learning; Colleges and Universities 

The completion rate will stay low.
Schools must offer the preparatory work on line 
or offer courses that start from low levels.  

10
Opinion

Wind Energy’s Role

Apr 23rd 2015
Michael Goggin of the American Wind Energy Association responds to an Economic Scene column.
Wind Power 

We come to the question of why there are no wind farms in cities.
Turbulence, noise and dead birds to start.

11
World

Niger: Meningitis Closes Schools

By REUTERS | Apr 21st 2015
Niger has begun a campaign to vaccinate children aged 2 to 15 in an effort to halt a meningitis outbreak that has killed at least 85 since January.
Meningitis; Vaccination and Immunization; Meningococcal Meningitis; Education (K-12) 

http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/niger/index.html

12
Opinion

Farming Sunshine by the Megawatt

By FRANCIS X. CLINES | Apr 20th 2015
An ambitious array of more than 50 large-scale solar energy farms is in the works across five Long Island towns.
Solar Energy; Land Use Policies 

Development continues.

13
Business Day

A Challenge From Climate Change Regulations

By CORAL DAVENPORT | Apr 22nd 2015
Utility companies say that blackouts may be generated as they try to remake the electrical power system.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions; Power Failures and Blackouts 

Do the engineering now.

14
Opinion

Double the N.I.H. Budget

By NEWT GINGRICH | Apr 22nd 2015
It’s insane that we spend so much on health care and so little on research.
Alzheimer's Disease; Federal Budget (US); United States Politics and Government; Research; Dementia 

Fine by me. 
I want to see it happen without a trade off.
The price that was asked for the "doc fix" was "no federal money for abortions". 

15
Business Day

Catching Waves and Turning Them Into Electricity

By AMY YEE | Apr 22nd 2015
Ocean waves seem a promising source of renewable energy but remain largely experimental, though companies have developed various designs over the last two decades.
Tidal and Wave Power 

The feasibility study is not  presented here.

Wave energy is important to beaches.
Reduce it and get unexpected sand bars.

16
Opinion

Eat Up. You’ll Be Happier.

By PAMELA DRUCKERMAN | Apr 23rd 2015
The French discourage picky eaters, as a threat to the social bond.
Food; Diet and Nutrition; Vegetarianism; Social Conditions and Trends 

Yes

17
Business Day

Liquid Batteries for Solar and Wind Power

By HENRY FOUNTAIN | Apr 22nd 2015
So-called flow batteries can provide energy steadily over time and last much longer than other types of storage.
Batteries; Alternative and Renewable Energy 

OK, a new one to me.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flow_battery

18
Business Day

Listeria Leads to Major Ice Cream Recall

By RACHEL ABRAMS and HIROKO TABUCHI | Apr 21st 2015
In a rare move, Blue Bell recalled all its ice cream and other products after a succession of smaller recalls failed.
Food Contamination and Poisoning; Ice Cream and Frozen Desserts; Listeriosis; Recalls and Bans of Products 

Blue Bell is working on the problem.

19
The Upshot

Why Workers Without Much Education Are Being Hammered

By NEIL IRWIN | Apr 21st 2015
Employers’ bargaining power and practices, and the forces of automation and globalization — a double whammy — are sending salaries sinking.
Labor and Jobs; Wages and Salaries; Education; Factories and Manufacturing; Minimum Wage 

Depression.   There is no demand.
U.S.

Research Suggests Pest

 

 

icide Is Alluring and Harmful to Bees

By MICHAEL WINES | Apr 22nd 2015
Bees apparently preferred to consume sugar that contained a type of pesticide because the nicotine-like substance affected their brains.
Bees; Pesticides 

ok
Posted by at No comments:

Thursday, April 23, 2015

@12:00, 4/22/15

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1
Opinion

The Gulf, Still at Risk

By THE EDITORIAL BOARD | Apr 22nd 2015
The penalties BP will have to pay in restoration may finally give the Gulf of Mexico’s fragile ecosystem the long-term care it needs.
Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill (2010); Editorials; Offshore Drilling and Exploration; Oil Spills 

"Another benefit, requiring follow-through, is that the penalties BP will have to pay in restoration money may finally give the gulf’s fragile ecosystem the long-term care it needs, especially its wetlands and barrier islands. Over the years, oil and gas companies have sliced and diced Louisiana’s forests, coastal marshes and mangrove swamps with more than 10,000 miles of canals. This, combined with years of misguided flood control along the Mississippi River, has already cost Louisiana 2,300 square miles of wetlands, with more erosion every day."

I am troubled calling the care the delta needs "replenishment of the shoreline".
That is the desired ultimate result.  
The method must be indirect.
The delta must grow.

2
Opinion

Obamacare, Hands Off My Medicare

By THOMAS B. EDSALL | Apr 22nd 2015
What lies behind the increasing resistance to economic redistribution?
Elderly; Health Insurance and Managed Care; Social Security (US); Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (2010) 

Edsall is wrong in his premise.  
The rich are not being soaked.
The commons is being maintained.
The money to do the maintenance is collected from those able to contribute.
The external costs of industrial production must be paid if life is to persist
Social Security is an old age insurance program for the population as a whole.
Medicare is designed as single payer medical insurance for the old. 
It is prepaid by the population as a whole.
It is not an individual account.
Risk is limited as life is limited.


3
Opinion

Rules to Make Retirement Investing Safer

By THE EDITORIAL BOARD | Apr 17th 2015
The proposal from the Labor Department offers strong protections and deserves praise.
Financial Brokers; Editorials; Regulation and Deregulation of Industry; Individual Retirement Accounts; 401(k), 403(b) and 457 Plans; Stocks and Bonds; Personal Finances; Retirement 

good.

4
Science

Dark Matter’s Deep Reach

By GEORGE JOHNSON | Apr 20th 2015
Theorists suggest surprising connections between earthly hazards and the hypothetical particles that hold together the galaxies.
Dark Matter (Astronomy); Earth; Space and Astronomy; Cancer; Dinosaurs; Stars and Galaxies; Gravitation and Gravity; Light 

Dark matter is not new.  
The risks to people are unchanged.

5
World

Eritrea and North Korea Are World’s Most Censored Countries, Advocacy Group Says

By RICK GLADSTONE | Apr 21st 2015
The list by the Committee to Protect Journalists also counts Azerbaijan, China, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Iran, Myanmar and Vietnam as among the top jailers of journalists.
Censorship; Freedom of the Press; News and News Media 

OK,  write about them after leaving.
These are sovereign nations.

6
Technology

Changing Tactics, Apple Promotes Watch as a Luxury Item

By BRIAN X. CHEN | Apr 19th 2015
The Apple Watch will be sold in just nine countries and only through its own channels, entering the world in a different manner from that of the iPhone.
Watches and Clocks; Wearable Computing; Shopping and Retail; Luxury Goods and Services 

Look at the price points.
There is no change in  apple marketing.

7
N.Y. / Region

Vienna Convention Is Part of Criminal Court Routine in Immigrant-Rich Queens

By TANZINA VEGA | Apr 19th 2015
Only in a borough that is home to 1.1 million immigrants would a 1963 treaty designed to protect foreign nationals figure in the most mundane of legal proceedings.
Crime and Criminals; Immigration and Emigration; Courts and the Judiciary; Diplomatic Service, Embassies and Consulates; United States International Relations; Legal Profession 

Consular notice is a right like Miranda.
The police must step carefully.

8
Business Day

European Central Bank Squeezes Greek Banks, Tightening Access to Loans

By LANDON THOMAS Jr. | Apr 21st 2015
The central bank is demanding that the value of the collateral that Greek banks post to secure emergency loans be reduced by as much as 50 percent.
Government Bonds; Banking and Financial Institutions 

Negotiations continue.

http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/

Grexit?

Mythology that blocks progress in Greece Martin Wolf, FT
Greek deal could take weeks: Dijsselbloem The Australian
Gazprom CEO Visits Athens and Guarantees Gas Transit Through Greece Greek Reporter
Why a Greece-Russia gas deal would be more geopolitical than economical Business Insider
Greece’s Tsipras to meet Merkel in Brussels as cash squeeze tightens Reuters. This coming Thursday.
On Greece, Europe Bluffs Itself WSJ
Why the Real Deadline for Greece Is July 20 Bloomberg
Golden Dawn leaders snub court as criminal trial begins Ekathimerini. They fail to show. Trial adjourned.


9
N.Y. / Region

Jury in Etan Patz Case Focuses on Confession and Video

By JAMES C. McKINLEY Jr. | Apr 17th 2015
Jurors also want to review the testimony of the prosecutor who decided not to record the interrogation of Pedro Hernandez, the man charged with killing the boy.
Murders, Attempted Murders and Homicides; Confessions 

Bored.  

10
Business Day

Financial Crisis Cases Sputter to an End

By PETER J. HENNING | Apr 20th 2015
Prosecutions for conduct related to the financial crisis produced no real finding of wrongdoing, but they may have refocused the government.
Subprime Mortgage Crisis; Securities and Commodities Violations 

Things will continue to cook.

11
Business Day

British Regulator Fines Merrill Lynch $19.8 Million for Reporting Failures

By CHAD BRAY | Apr 22nd 2015
The Financial Conduct Authority of Britain said that Merrill Lynch International incorrectly reported details of client transactions.
Fines (Penalties); Regulation and Deregulation of Industry 

A cost of doing business.

12
Business Day

Video: E.U. on Antitrust Case Against Gazprom

AP | Apr 22nd 2015
Margrethe Vestager, the European Union’s commissioner for competition, said in Brussels on Wednesday that Gazprom was abusing its market dominance in central and eastern European member states.
Natural Gas; Antitrust Laws and Competition Issues

The European nations can pay or do without.

13
Science

Silicon Valley’s Water Conservation Conundrum

By JOHN MARKOFF | Apr 20th 2015
Entrepreneurs, daunted by the long development cycle of clean tech, seem more interested in new markets than in solving existing problems.
Water; Drought; Conservation of Resources; Venture Capital; Innovation; Start-ups

The water problems are political.
Financial solutions have legal sanctions.
People go to prison for bribery.

14
U.S.

New Cards for Medicare Recipients Will Omit Social Security Numbers

By ROBERT PEAR | Apr 20th 2015
After years of warnings about the risk of theft, a new way to identify beneficiaries will be devised under a broader measure signed last week.
Medicare; Social Security (US); Identity Theft; Law and Legislation

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Identity_document
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poor_relief
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welfare_state
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wage_slavery
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minimum_wage

The problem is unresolved.

15
Business Day

Insurers Take On More Risk in Search of Returns, Study Says

By ALEXANDRA STEVENSON | Apr 21st 2015
A survey by Goldman Sachs shows that insurance companies are shifting investments into private equity firms, real estate deals and hedge funds.
Insurance; Banking and Financial Institutions; Life Insurance; Private Equity; Hedge Funds

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporation
"A corporation is a company or group of people authorized to act as a single entity (legally a person) and recognized as such in law. Early incorporated entities were established by charter (i.e. by an ad hoc act granted by a monarch or passed by a parliament or legislature). Most jurisdictions now allow the creation of new corporations through registration. Registered corporations have legal personality and are owned by shareholders[1][2] whose liability is limited to their investment. Shareholders do not typically actively manage a corporation; shareholders instead elect or appoint a board of directors to control the corporation in a fiduciary capacity."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiduciary

16
Opinion

The Iranian Foreign Minister’s Call for a Nuclear Deal

Apr 22nd 2015
Readers react to an Op-Ed essay by Iran’s foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, who urged cooperation from the United States.
Nuclear Weapons; Sunni Muslims; Shiite Muslims; United States International Relations; International Relations

http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/k/john_kerry/index.html

John Kerry is competent.

17
U.S.

Judge Denies Transgender Inmate’s Request for Transfer

By DEBORAH SONTAG | Apr 20th 2015
A federal judge said Ashley Diamond had not proved prison authorities’ “deliberate indifference” to her fear of sexual assault and harassment.
Prisons and Prisoners; Transgender and Transsexuals

Her case belongs before a different Supreme Court.
Justice has not been done.

18
Real Estate

Target’s Hasty Exit From Canada Leaves Anger Behind

By IAN AUSTEN | Apr 21st 2015
The American retailer has stirred resentment among landlords, in part for its use of bankruptcy law in shutting down Canadian operations.
Real Estate (Commercial); Renting and Leasing (Real Estate); Shopping Centers and Malls; Shopping and Retail; Landlords; Bankruptcies

See "fiduciary"
Target is incorporated in the United States.
The financial depression continues.

19
Business Day

Treasury Auctions Set for the Week of April 20

Apr 19th 2015
The following tax-exempt fixed-income issues are scheduled for pricing this week.
Municipal Bonds; Tax Credits, Deductions and Exemptions; Credit and Debt

"At the close of the New York cash market on Friday, the rate on the outstanding three-month bill was 0.02 percent. The six-month rate was 0.08 percent. The four-week rate was 0.03 percent."

20
Real Estate

$1.35 Million Homes in Montana, Houston and Virginia Beach

By MIKE POWELL | Apr 22nd 2015
A log house in Montana, a contemporary in Houston and a waterfront modern in Virginia Beach.
Real Estate and Housing (Residential)

The choice is yours.
I would like to participate.


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