MB Civic

Eyebrow-Raising Stories of the Week:

New IPCC report says anthropogenic climate change is “near certainty”:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/20/science/earth/extremely-likely-that-human-activity-is-driving-climate-change-panel-finds.html?pagewanted=all

Facial scanning becoming more pervasive surveillance tool in U.S.:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/21/us/facial-scanning-is-making-gains-in-surveillance.html?pagewanted=all

CIA finally admits role in 1953 Iran coup:

http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/19/politics/cia-iran-1953-coup/index.html?hpt=hp_t3

NSA “misrepresented” scope of data collection re U.S. citizens:

http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/21/politics/nsa-fisa-court/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

NSA paid email providers [N.B. We would not have known this without Snowden, since it was among the docs he leaked]:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/24/us/nsa-said-to-have-paid-e-mail-providers-millions-to-cover-costs-from-court-ruling.html?pagewanted=all

FISA judge “castigated” NSA on surveillance:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/22/us/2011-ruling-found-an-nsa-program-unconstitutional.html?hp

New consensus on link between media violence and real-life violence:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/25/opinion/sunday/does-media-violence-lead-to-the-real-thing.html

Unexpectedly, Koch Brothers decide not to bid on Tribune papers:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/23/business/media/kochs-no-longer-interested-in-buying-tribune-papers.html

Can’t find the proper chemicals for lethal injections?  No problem, just improvise!:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/19/us/death-row-improvises-lacking-lethal-mix.html

Environment:

Samplings from gulf oil spill may have been faulty – new samples show more contamination:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/20/science/earth/new-analysis-of-gulf-oil-spill.html

“The New Nuclear Craze”:

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/08/23/the-new-nuclear-craze/

Another unintended consequence of climate change – disappearing sand:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/25/us/where-sand-is-gold-the-coffers-are-running-dry-in-florida.html?pagewanted=all

Fukushima – the crisis that just keeps on giving:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/21/world/asia/300-tons-of-contaminated-water-leak-from-japanese-nuclear-plant.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/24/world/asia/nuclear-operator-raises-alarm-on-crisis.html

“Welcome to the Age of Denial”:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/22/opinion/welcome-to-the-age-of-denial.html

Health/Food:

Is “Golden Rice” boon or bane?:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/25/sunday-review/golden-rice-lifesaver.html?pagewanted=all

Lipstick may be very dangerous to your health:

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/08/16/is-there-danger-lurking-in-your-lipstick/

“Why is Obama Caving on Tobacco?”:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/23/opinion/why-is-obama-caving-on-tobacco.html

There have been no new psychiatric drugs produced in the past 30 years – is that good or bad?:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/20/health/a-dry-pipeline-for-psychiatric-drugs.html

“Addicted to Apps”:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/25/sunday-review/addicted-to-apps.html

Politics/Elections/Voting:

U.S. sues Texas in two voting-related cases:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/23/us/politics/justice-dept-moves-to-protect-minority-voters-in-texas.html

San Diego Mayor Filner resigns amid growing scandal:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/24/us/san-diego-mayor-resigns-in-sexual-harassment-scandal.html?pagewanted=all

Accurate or not, Stringer’s accusation of Spitzer’s “money laundering” starts new debate re Spitzer’s wrong-doings:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/19/nyregion/law-doesnt-back-stringers-claim-of-money-laundering-by-spitzer.html

Newly released tapes show Nixon “maneuvering” during Watergate crisis:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/22/us/politics/last-of-the-nixon-tapes-are-going-online.html?pagewanted=all

Not content at mere obstructionism, some GOP members look toward impeachment:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/25/us/politics/ignoring-qualms-some-republicans-nurture-dreams-of-impeaching-obama.html

Economics:

Not surprisingly, banks are “falling short” re newly required “stress tests”:

http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2013/08/19/banks-were-not-tough-enough-on-themselves-in-stress-tests-fed-says/

Is technology “wrecking the middle class?”:

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/08/24/how-technology-wrecks-the-middle-class/

Supposedly, median incomes are rising:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/22/us/politics/us-median-income-rises-but-is-still-6-below-its-2007-peak.html

With increased losses, and owner not willing to buy, Barnes & Noble may finally be seeing its last days:

http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2013/08/20/barnes-noble-chairman-drops-bid-to-buy-its-bookstores/

“What Is Economics Good For?”:

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/08/24/what-is-economics-good-for/

Legal/Law Enforcement:

Manning sentenced to 35 years…:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/22/us/manning-sentenced-for-leaking-government-secrets.html?pagewanted=all

…which NYT calls “excessive”…:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/22/opinion/bradley-mannings-sentence-is-excessive.html

…and then Manning announces he will get a sex change:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/23/us/bradley-manning-says-he-is-female.html

Justice Ginsburg vows to stay on as long as her health allows:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/25/us/court-is-one-of-most-activist-ginsburg-says-vowing-to-stay.html?pagewanted=all

As NYC Council reverses Bloomberg’s veto of two policing bills…:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/23/nyregion/council-overrules-bloomberg-on-police-monitor-and-profiling-suits.html?pagewanted=all

…a former deputy police commissioner weighs in on the federal judge’s decision in the SQF case…:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/20/opinion/the-real-costs-of-policing-the-police.html

…while in California, some officers are already wearing miniature cameras:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/22/us/in-california-a-champion-for-police-cameras.html?pagewanted=all

Federal appeals court upholds convictions in NYC terrorist plot:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/24/nyregion/appeals-court-upholds-convictions-of-men-in-bronx-synagogue-plot.html

Settlement made in final lawsuit re celeb chef Paula Deen:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/24/us/settlement-in-lawsuit-against-paula-deen.html

Privacy/Surveillance:

Roberts appoints Clinton nominee to FISA court:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/21/us/roberts-varies-pattern-in-choice-for-spy-court.html?pagewanted=all

Author William Vollman finds out that he was Unabomber suspect:

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/08/22/fbi-listed-prize-winning-author-as-a-unabomber-suspect/

Bloomberg Inc. to “take action” on privacy lapses:

http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2013/08/21/report-details-lapses-at-bloomberg/

CIA finally admits existence of Area 51:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/23/us/cia-acknowledges-area-51-exists-but-what-about-those-little-green-men.html?pagewanted=all

War/Military:

Bales gets life sentence for Afghan murders…:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/24/us/soldier-gets-life-without-parole-in-deaths-of-afghan-civilians.html

…as Ft. Hood shooter is convicted on all 45 counts:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/24/us/fort-hood-shooting-suspect-convicted-on-all-counts.html

Hot-Button Issues:

Christie signs bill outlawing gay conversion therapy:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/20/nyregion/christie-signs-bill-banning-gay-conversion-therapy.html

Bucking conservative trend in NM, county clerk begins issuing same-sex marriage licenses:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/22/us/county-clerk-in-new-mexico-issues-marriage-licenses-to-same-sex-couples.html

Miscellaneous:

A forgotten tape of MLK Jr. is found:

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/08/22/found-after-decades-a-forgotten-tape-of-king-thinking-on-his-feet/

RIP Sid Bernstein, the man who brought The Beatles to America…:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/22/arts/music/sid-bernstein-who-helped-import-the-beatles-dies-at-95.html?pagewanted=all

…and Marian McPartland, one of the last of the old-time jazz legends:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/22/arts/music/marian-mcpartland-jazz-pianist-and-npr-radio-staple-dies-at-95.html?pagewanted=all

Foreign Affairs:

Did Syria finally use chemical weapons on its own people?:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/22/world/middleeast/syria.html?pagewanted=all

Re Egypt, confirmation that Islamists were killed in custody…:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/19/world/middleeast/morsi-supporters-vow-to-defy-egypts-military.html?pagewanted=all

…Saudi Arabia “undercuts” U.S. efforts by offering support to new regime…:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/20/world/middleeast/saudi-arabia-vows-to-back-egypts-rulers.html?pagewanted=all

…EU has emergency meeting to consider suspending aid…:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/20/world/middleeast/european-union-sets-emergency-session-on-suspending-aid-to-egypt.html?pagewanted=all

…Islamists “step up” attacks on Christians…:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/21/world/middleeast/attacks-rise-against-egypts-christians.html

…Military moves Mubarak from prison to house arrest…:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/23/world/middleeast/mubarak-egypt.html

…Government lockdown “smothers” MB protests…:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/24/world/middleeast/egypt.html

…And government widens crackdown on Islamists:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/25/world/middleeast/egypt-widens-crackdown-and-meaning-of-islamist.html?pagewanted=all

Pakistani court indicts Musharref in Bhutto assassination:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/21/world/asia/pakistani-court-indicts-musharraf-in-assassination-of-bhutto.html

As Spanish fishermen confront British police vessels…:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/19/world/europe/spanish-fishermen-protest-restrictions-off-gibraltar.html
…European Commission sends team of inspectors to Gibraltar:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/20/world/europe/british-warship-arrives-in-gibraltar.html

In South Africa, Pistorius is indicted for murder:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/20/world/africa/oscar-pistorius.html

Will Uruguay become the first country to legalize the production, use and sale of marijuana?:

http://latitude.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/08/21/cannabis-country/