When I was young, cocktail hour as the work day ended was common -- and it was the heavy duty stuff, no mixers. The days of cocktails came and went and now drinking appears to be less often on its own, more often with food and company. Altho the liquor companies went thru a spell … Continue reading Changes because many in the US are drinking either less or differently
Month: June 2019
California residents learning that the power company stopping risk of wildfires from its equipment by turning off the power — for months
Now that it's clear that electrical power systems can start wildfires during California's danger season, the power company is proactively turning power off in certain areas. Sounds sensible, but how about the people who may be without power for months and who lack the finances to replace public power with a private system? Going back … Continue reading California residents learning that the power company stopping risk of wildfires from its equipment by turning off the power — for months
Food production already dropping globally due to heat, extreme storms, flooding and other climate crisis effects
Lester R. Brown, a well-known author and advocate of dealing with the increase in carbon dioxide discusses the adverse effects of increasing temperatures, particularly on corn production in all but his most recent books. I found the details fascinating and downright scary. For each one degree Celsius increase above optimal temperature ranges, corn crop production … Continue reading Food production already dropping globally due to heat, extreme storms, flooding and other climate crisis effects
Synergy between Mastercard and NYC Subway’s OMNY going to cost some change
Only 16 of NYC Subway's stations are now set up for the future contactless system of paying by phone or credit card. Few people have contactless credit cards (I got my first replacement card with that feature only a week ago), and the stations that offer the system are only on two lines. So Mastercard … Continue reading Synergy between Mastercard and NYC Subway’s OMNY going to cost some change
Live subscription calendar for the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup — from Stars & Stripes
I had just posted a plaintive plea for a source for this type of calendar (I was calling it dynamic, rather than live). Fortunately, I did One More Search and found this one. How grand that Stars & Stripes produced it. Thank you! UNITED STATES WOMEN Follow the 2019 World Cup with this live google … Continue reading Live subscription calendar for the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup — from Stars & Stripes
Final section of Manhattan’s High Line finally open — a tourist and resident must-see
Do click thru for a two-minute video. Doesn't say anything new but has good visuals if you haven't seen the wonder of the High Line on the West Side of Manhattan. As noted below, the number of visitors is far higher than they'd ever expected but it's still possible to find a quiet time (early … Continue reading Final section of Manhattan’s High Line finally open — a tourist and resident must-see
What does “Amazon’s Choice” mean? It depends
https://www.wired.com/story/what-does-amazons-choice-mean/ AUTHOR: LOUISE MATSAKISLOUISE MATSAKIS GEAR 06.04.19 11:39 AM WHAT DOES IT MEAN WHEN A PRODUCT IS 'AMAZON'S CHOICE'? CONSUMERS LIKE TO have choices. Few people would eat at a restaurant that only served one dish. But researchers have found there's such a thing as too many options. “Choice overload” can have negative effects, like the nagging worry you didn’t … Continue reading What does “Amazon’s Choice” mean? It depends
Barnes & Noble has sold itself to a hedge fund. Impact on Nook ebooks and hardware uncertain.
This story is about the financial part of the transactions -- not about the number of employees that will be let go, the locations that will be closed, or whether the many people who have an investment (monetary and otherwise) in the Nook ebook universe will lose their world. More news to come. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/barnes-noble-bought-hedge-fund-113643703.html
Record-breaking, mind-blowing heat in Texas — particularly for early June
Eric is someone I follow on Twitter after knowing him in a number of previous roles. He's factual but doesn't shade the impact of the facts. Highly recommended. Here's one of his Tweets for today: Eric Holthaus (@EricHolthaus) 6/8/19, 3:03 PM This is unreal. Right now in South Texas it’s 104°F with a dewpoint of … Continue reading Record-breaking, mind-blowing heat in Texas — particularly for early June
How has NYC’s subway system construction gradually come to a standstill
http://getpocket.com/explore/item/why-new-york-city-stopped-building-subways Why New York City Stopped Building Subways Nearly 80 years ago, a construction standstill derailed the subway’s progress, leading to its present crisis. This is the story, decade by decade. CityLab| Jonathan English Photo by Madison McVeigh/CityLab In the first decades of the 20th century, New York City experienced an unprecedented infrastructure boom. Iconic bridges, … Continue reading How has NYC’s subway system construction gradually come to a standstill
Hottest urban areas on globe seeing increases in deaths despite efforts to plan
India happens to be (again) taking a hard hit with daily temperatures. Because of its dense urban populations, many of whom do not have air conditioning, the number of people dying from heat is increasing substantially as each year. The authorities are trying to address the problem but it's too large. If you're in a … Continue reading Hottest urban areas on globe seeing increases in deaths despite efforts to plan
Petty aggravation about setting/changing passwords for online periodicals
You might as well profit from me going around in circles for awhile. Before you read further, here's the link for Conde Nast's current publications and those no longer being published. Take a look. If you're subscribed to more than one of these, you need this post. If not, read it for a small tale … Continue reading Petty aggravation about setting/changing passwords for online periodicals
Abycats' Thoughts 