Monday, May 4
Guess I shouldn't be surprised that Universities are cutting sports teams that cost rather than make money. Fencing programs and pistol shooting makes sense, but even golf and gymnastics are going at MIT.
Obviously, I've only touched the sports section today -- but is it really meaningful to have an 8-year-old girl driving a race car with a headset on listening to instructions from her coach? Is that prodigious?
Wednesday, May 6
I think the Germans have it right. In "High Court in Germany Pops Names that Balloon," Nicholasa Kulish reports that Germany considers it cruel to give a kid a ridiculous name. I agree. Oponents say it prevents freedom of expression; but then again a lot of cruel things would be allowed if it were just a matter of someone expressing themselves.
Thursday, May 7
Enjoyed the story on platic surgeons who can fix a sagging derriere but can't fix a sagging economy. So amusing. But also seriously interesting, because what they do is study facial harmony, like Winkelman or any romantic German, just with an extra dose of crazy, Mary Shelley style. Particularly fascinating is the proposition that fat stem cells can be used to enlarge breasts with regenerating tissue. Maybe folks'll be able to convincingly pretend that thier cosmetic augmentation --chin, breast, whatever -- is all natural, with interesting results for engendering children.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Thursday, April 30
When I read about Silvio Berlusconi’s “roving eye” I was a little disappointed in Italy. The article says that Italians would rather have the appearance of cheerfulness and opulence that the prime minister “gallantly” acts out than a better country. I read a little more about Berlusconi online afterward and was a little frightened by the way he gilds his policy by exploiting the conventions of operatic Italian culture.
Another Italianate story – doping horses for the Kentucky Derby. It’s kind of sad that the official way of looking at trainers and horses in racing is that millions go into a horse and the investment is protected by taking a horse out of a race if he is likely to sustain injury. The NYTs article paints a different picture, one where pumping horses full of painkillers and performance enhancers like steroids is the norm.
Wednesday, April 29
Surprisingly reassuring stories about the swine flu and shocking stories about the NYPD and NY charity. Nice research into the first cases of the new influenza. Liked having the 5-year-old kid’s cute persona contrasted against the widespread fear. NYTs also did a nice job of showing how meat shoppers incorrectly fear eating well-cooked pork by giving them full quotes and then parenthetically noting that they are incorrect.
The case of Officers Moreno and Mata raping a drunken women that they had been called to escort home was a little shocking. I would like to hear more about the specifics of what happened – a full profile of Moreno including his reasoning behind the rape (would he have raped any drunken women that he thought he could or was there a reason he felt ok with this one? It wouldn’t change the facts of the case but it would be interesting to know how he thinks).
Monday, April 27
Though the swine flu stories were in the back of the A section, it seemed to be a nice, related touch to put the piece on a growing atheist community on the front.
The Hungarian Gypsies, or Roma seem to have the reverse treatment one would not too seriously expect from literature – instead of them stealing babies and killing in the middle of night, it is the right-wingers in their country who do that to them. Very image rich story – the picture of the murdered father and son buried in the same coffin is indelible.
When I read about Silvio Berlusconi’s “roving eye” I was a little disappointed in Italy. The article says that Italians would rather have the appearance of cheerfulness and opulence that the prime minister “gallantly” acts out than a better country. I read a little more about Berlusconi online afterward and was a little frightened by the way he gilds his policy by exploiting the conventions of operatic Italian culture.
Another Italianate story – doping horses for the Kentucky Derby. It’s kind of sad that the official way of looking at trainers and horses in racing is that millions go into a horse and the investment is protected by taking a horse out of a race if he is likely to sustain injury. The NYTs article paints a different picture, one where pumping horses full of painkillers and performance enhancers like steroids is the norm.
Wednesday, April 29
Surprisingly reassuring stories about the swine flu and shocking stories about the NYPD and NY charity. Nice research into the first cases of the new influenza. Liked having the 5-year-old kid’s cute persona contrasted against the widespread fear. NYTs also did a nice job of showing how meat shoppers incorrectly fear eating well-cooked pork by giving them full quotes and then parenthetically noting that they are incorrect.
The case of Officers Moreno and Mata raping a drunken women that they had been called to escort home was a little shocking. I would like to hear more about the specifics of what happened – a full profile of Moreno including his reasoning behind the rape (would he have raped any drunken women that he thought he could or was there a reason he felt ok with this one? It wouldn’t change the facts of the case but it would be interesting to know how he thinks).
Monday, April 27
Though the swine flu stories were in the back of the A section, it seemed to be a nice, related touch to put the piece on a growing atheist community on the front.
The Hungarian Gypsies, or Roma seem to have the reverse treatment one would not too seriously expect from literature – instead of them stealing babies and killing in the middle of night, it is the right-wingers in their country who do that to them. Very image rich story – the picture of the murdered father and son buried in the same coffin is indelible.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Ten-year-old Alex Kintner of Mayfair Court in Amity was killed in an unprovoked shark attack on Village Beach today that officials said may be linked to the death of Wendy Watson Monday.
Kintner had been floating on a raft among a large group of swimmers, when his mother Marian Ferguson and others saw a large shark pull him under. His remains have not been found.
Mayor Bob Farley expressed sympathy with the victims in a press release. “Now we know that these random acts of senseless violence, victimizing innocent, helpless citizens do not just happen in the city,” he said.
A black Labrador that had been in the waters was also found missing after the shark attack.
Officials have not identified the genus of shark responsible for the killings.
The attack may shed light on the Monday death of Wendy Watson, who was found severely mutilated after she disappeared. It is now thought that Watson was the victim of a similar attack to the one that was witnessed today.
Police investigations into Kintner and Watson’s deaths are in progress as is a search for a shark that might be responsible.
Police Chief Martin Brody, who was a witness to the attack today, has filed a request to close Amity Beaches.
Kintner had been floating on a raft among a large group of swimmers, when his mother Marian Ferguson and others saw a large shark pull him under. His remains have not been found.
Mayor Bob Farley expressed sympathy with the victims in a press release. “Now we know that these random acts of senseless violence, victimizing innocent, helpless citizens do not just happen in the city,” he said.
A black Labrador that had been in the waters was also found missing after the shark attack.
Officials have not identified the genus of shark responsible for the killings.
The attack may shed light on the Monday death of Wendy Watson, who was found severely mutilated after she disappeared. It is now thought that Watson was the victim of a similar attack to the one that was witnessed today.
Police investigations into Kintner and Watson’s deaths are in progress as is a search for a shark that might be responsible.
Police Chief Martin Brody, who was a witness to the attack today, has filed a request to close Amity Beaches.
The body of a teenage girl was found severely mangled on Amity South Beach by an unidentified attacker that some believe may have been a shark.
Wendy Watson, 16, of 23 Sharktooth St. was last seen leaving a party to swim on a remote corner of South Beach. She was accompanied by -----Harrity, a student at Trinity College that witnesses said she had been drinking with.
Harrity says that he did not actually see her enter the calm waters, but that “she must have drowned.”
The body was found buried on the coast after Watson was reported missing. Police were shocked by the advanced deterioration of the body.
The body has been transported to the coroner’s office for an autopsy. No charges have been filed and officials have not closed the beach.
Wendy Watson, 16, of 23 Sharktooth St. was last seen leaving a party to swim on a remote corner of South Beach. She was accompanied by -----Harrity, a student at Trinity College that witnesses said she had been drinking with.
Harrity says that he did not actually see her enter the calm waters, but that “she must have drowned.”
The body was found buried on the coast after Watson was reported missing. Police were shocked by the advanced deterioration of the body.
The body has been transported to the coroner’s office for an autopsy. No charges have been filed and officials have not closed the beach.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Thursday
A very death-centered issue. Markoff prostitute murders again, Freddie Mac suicide, Towson family suicide, transgender murder, NYC tax lawyer scheme that led to murder. It’s a little alarming, though each of the stories has a salacious, bizarre, or timely quality that makes it more than a gruesome, depressing episode. Still, seems like a lot for one A section.
Wednesday
The front photo does a nice job of creating the illusion that the indigenous Columbian women are half naked – or rather some of them actually are but the photo doesn’t actually show the private parts. A strategic blur that looks like it’s been added in the foreground covers up the only breast not hidden by the poses. It’s am intriguing front page picture that sent me to the story immediately. “Wider drug war threatens Columbian Indians” was the first story that brought what should have been obvious to my attention: there are still natives where drug cartels operate, they are in the way, and drug lords are not going to deal with them as we try to treat Native Americans in the US now. It is nice context to the frequent stories of drug violence.
The Philip Markoff story is a great reminder to anyone with smug ideas about American achievement – that so-and-so is a good person because they are well behaved when it counts, because they are a good student, because they seem to follow a pathway that is wholesome, or if not entirely wholesome, congenial and unobtrusive in departures from the ideal. Markoff, if he’s guilty, is a minor Dostoevsky character, the one that commits the crimes but without ideological crisis.
The obituary reminded me that Bertolt Brecht had a talented son, Stefan. I may look into his writings now thanks to the NYTs
Tuesday
I had to laugh when I read “Russia Serves as Musical Muse.” Russia is hosting a cheesy competition called Eurovision which it won last year, prompting Putin to proclaim “yet another triumph for all of Russia.”
A very death-centered issue. Markoff prostitute murders again, Freddie Mac suicide, Towson family suicide, transgender murder, NYC tax lawyer scheme that led to murder. It’s a little alarming, though each of the stories has a salacious, bizarre, or timely quality that makes it more than a gruesome, depressing episode. Still, seems like a lot for one A section.
Wednesday
The front photo does a nice job of creating the illusion that the indigenous Columbian women are half naked – or rather some of them actually are but the photo doesn’t actually show the private parts. A strategic blur that looks like it’s been added in the foreground covers up the only breast not hidden by the poses. It’s am intriguing front page picture that sent me to the story immediately. “Wider drug war threatens Columbian Indians” was the first story that brought what should have been obvious to my attention: there are still natives where drug cartels operate, they are in the way, and drug lords are not going to deal with them as we try to treat Native Americans in the US now. It is nice context to the frequent stories of drug violence.
The Philip Markoff story is a great reminder to anyone with smug ideas about American achievement – that so-and-so is a good person because they are well behaved when it counts, because they are a good student, because they seem to follow a pathway that is wholesome, or if not entirely wholesome, congenial and unobtrusive in departures from the ideal. Markoff, if he’s guilty, is a minor Dostoevsky character, the one that commits the crimes but without ideological crisis.
The obituary reminded me that Bertolt Brecht had a talented son, Stefan. I may look into his writings now thanks to the NYTs
Tuesday
I had to laugh when I read “Russia Serves as Musical Muse.” Russia is hosting a cheesy competition called Eurovision which it won last year, prompting Putin to proclaim “yet another triumph for all of Russia.”
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Thursday, April 16
Nice set of front page stories today. The Afghan women protesting newly passed Shiite laws against a crowd of violent, vulgar men had a lively scene, with pictures that made the story very engaging.
The update on Sarah Palin was a curiosity as well. It fit nicely over the Afghan story. She is so often a Fox News martyr, apparently on her way to future glory, or the butt of jokes that seem less like jokes and more like factual storytelling, that it’s nice to read about her in depth elsewhere, where she gets agenda-less coverage. What’s amazing is she still comes off as a woman out of some latter day Voltaire’s satire. Even the NYTs has to get information from her people to try to do a fair story with both sides on her, and everything they got is spun to death. It worries me. When I hear so much bs and no admittance of failure or insufficiency, I think she must be hiding some truth that’s even worse than what has been revealed.
The third-world country soot story probably shouldn’t have surprised me. Sure, black carbon…seems intuitive that it would contribute to global warming, but nevertheless thinking of some villager without a car, cooking, as a cause, is novel, at least for me.
And Gay Talese’s “Honor Thy Father and “Thy Neighbor’s Wife” are back in print!
Tuesday, April 14
The comical GM car show story and the Disney “kid whisperer” were the best reads today. This research that Disney uses, I guess like all media companies that want to minimize risks and make money as safely as possible rather than create avenues of genuine expression or ideas, sounded kind of like dedication until I thought of what comes on Disney, what their popular shows are, and what comes out of those after they’re gone. I almost threw up in my mouth a little bit, figuratively, when I recalled Hannah Montana, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, The Jonas Brothers, and realized that all those little kids who idolize these people have been so severely and intentionally manipulated. Every move their Disney heroes make is calculated from what a “kid whisperer” dug up in some other kid’s underwear drawer rather than genuine sympathy between them and Miley Ray Cyrus or Joe Jonas.
Monday, April 13
I had no idea that toilets were such a problem at baseball games. Guess it’s obvious that the same amount of toilets in the ladies and men’s bathrooms wouldn’t equal the same potty line wait time. Cool story that brings the seemingly unimportant to light and gives it the space it probably deserves. I’m sure if it’s a problem in ballparks it’s a problem everywhere that folks need to relieve themselves in mass.
On A16, there’s a nice story about immigrants from troubled countries learning to express those troubles through theater. It made me wonder whether go into a theater and acting problems out is better than keeping them to oneself. I’m still not sure after reading the story.
Nice set of front page stories today. The Afghan women protesting newly passed Shiite laws against a crowd of violent, vulgar men had a lively scene, with pictures that made the story very engaging.
The update on Sarah Palin was a curiosity as well. It fit nicely over the Afghan story. She is so often a Fox News martyr, apparently on her way to future glory, or the butt of jokes that seem less like jokes and more like factual storytelling, that it’s nice to read about her in depth elsewhere, where she gets agenda-less coverage. What’s amazing is she still comes off as a woman out of some latter day Voltaire’s satire. Even the NYTs has to get information from her people to try to do a fair story with both sides on her, and everything they got is spun to death. It worries me. When I hear so much bs and no admittance of failure or insufficiency, I think she must be hiding some truth that’s even worse than what has been revealed.
The third-world country soot story probably shouldn’t have surprised me. Sure, black carbon…seems intuitive that it would contribute to global warming, but nevertheless thinking of some villager without a car, cooking, as a cause, is novel, at least for me.
And Gay Talese’s “Honor Thy Father and “Thy Neighbor’s Wife” are back in print!
Tuesday, April 14
The comical GM car show story and the Disney “kid whisperer” were the best reads today. This research that Disney uses, I guess like all media companies that want to minimize risks and make money as safely as possible rather than create avenues of genuine expression or ideas, sounded kind of like dedication until I thought of what comes on Disney, what their popular shows are, and what comes out of those after they’re gone. I almost threw up in my mouth a little bit, figuratively, when I recalled Hannah Montana, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, The Jonas Brothers, and realized that all those little kids who idolize these people have been so severely and intentionally manipulated. Every move their Disney heroes make is calculated from what a “kid whisperer” dug up in some other kid’s underwear drawer rather than genuine sympathy between them and Miley Ray Cyrus or Joe Jonas.
Monday, April 13
I had no idea that toilets were such a problem at baseball games. Guess it’s obvious that the same amount of toilets in the ladies and men’s bathrooms wouldn’t equal the same potty line wait time. Cool story that brings the seemingly unimportant to light and gives it the space it probably deserves. I’m sure if it’s a problem in ballparks it’s a problem everywhere that folks need to relieve themselves in mass.
On A16, there’s a nice story about immigrants from troubled countries learning to express those troubles through theater. It made me wonder whether go into a theater and acting problems out is better than keeping them to oneself. I’m still not sure after reading the story.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Thursday, April 9
In addition to the specific news about the economy, the times had a great feature on the aspect of recession that is arguably what everyone really cares about—not loss of jobs, cut wages, difficulty finding work, home foreclosure, etc, but rather the misery that these concrete difficulties create. “Recession Anxiety…” discusses the real issue, interestingly using people who aren’t economically hit by the recession.
Tuesday, April 7
When I read the international article on the L’Aquila earthquake, I was expecting to see a quote from Prime Minister Berlusconi featured by Time as quote of the day: ~“families made homeless by the earthquake ought to regard it as a weekend camping trip.” I didn’t see it in the NYTs. Assuming they were aware of that public quotation, the exclusion of it in the story says something about focusing on the angle of a story even if that means leaving out more sensational information.
The article on Bloomberg’s push-polling tactics and the responses the NYTs got from his team really shows how gross hypocrisy becomes once spin tactics are put into play. First Bloomberg’s team denies push-polling, then when confronted with the specific push-polling instance says that it is not in fact push-polling since the negative information about an opponent is accurate, without however admitting that they were responsible for the push-poll.
Monday April 6
Times had the kind of article that immediately dominates full attention – a front page story on a neuroscience breakthrough that’s every bit as much of an ethical and practical question as cloning was about nine years ago. SUNY scientists, including an apostate from Columbia, have found a way to delete memory in rats. In humans, they say applications could include kicking addiction and forgetting traumatizing memories. They also foresee discovering a method for improving memory comparable to using steroids or gene-doping, with the same moral issues attached.
In addition to the specific news about the economy, the times had a great feature on the aspect of recession that is arguably what everyone really cares about—not loss of jobs, cut wages, difficulty finding work, home foreclosure, etc, but rather the misery that these concrete difficulties create. “Recession Anxiety…” discusses the real issue, interestingly using people who aren’t economically hit by the recession.
Tuesday, April 7
When I read the international article on the L’Aquila earthquake, I was expecting to see a quote from Prime Minister Berlusconi featured by Time as quote of the day: ~“families made homeless by the earthquake ought to regard it as a weekend camping trip.” I didn’t see it in the NYTs. Assuming they were aware of that public quotation, the exclusion of it in the story says something about focusing on the angle of a story even if that means leaving out more sensational information.
The article on Bloomberg’s push-polling tactics and the responses the NYTs got from his team really shows how gross hypocrisy becomes once spin tactics are put into play. First Bloomberg’s team denies push-polling, then when confronted with the specific push-polling instance says that it is not in fact push-polling since the negative information about an opponent is accurate, without however admitting that they were responsible for the push-poll.
Monday April 6
Times had the kind of article that immediately dominates full attention – a front page story on a neuroscience breakthrough that’s every bit as much of an ethical and practical question as cloning was about nine years ago. SUNY scientists, including an apostate from Columbia, have found a way to delete memory in rats. In humans, they say applications could include kicking addiction and forgetting traumatizing memories. They also foresee discovering a method for improving memory comparable to using steroids or gene-doping, with the same moral issues attached.
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