Graffiti study bolsters ‘broken windows’ theory

November 21st, 2008

Dutch researchers find that in the presence of graffiti and trash, people are more likely to commit small crimes.

In a series of real-world experiments, people exposed to graffiti, litter and other cues of lawlessness were more likely to commit small crimes, according to a study published today that bolsters the controversial “broken windows” theory of policing.

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Sulzbergers Face the Dividend Music

November 21st, 2008

The New York Times Company finally faced up to reality yesterday and slashed its dividend. It’s something it should have done long ago, but it’s better late than never. Just last year, the Times raised its dividend by about a third even as its financial situation continued to deteriorate. I wrote this in July in a column about…

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Obama’s Threat to al-Qaeda

November 21st, 2008

Al-Qaeda’s lashing out at Barack Obama as a “house slave” suggests a real concern. Watch TheRealNews.com’s video. November 21, 2008

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She’s Accepted! Sources Say!

November 21st, 2008

So it seems, my friends, that we have arrived at the final installment of the weeklong dramedy that has been When No Drama Meets Whoa, Drama: the Nomination of Hillary Clinton. The Times is reporting that Clinton has indeed accepted the president-elect’s much-written about/much-leaked-about offer to become the nation’s top diplomat. Prepare, in the week ahead, for…

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Teen commits suicide in front of Webcam

November 21st, 2008

A South Florida teen died of a lethal drug overdose in front of a live online webcam audience 12 hours after he started blogging about his plan to commit suicide, an investigator said Friday.

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Govt: AG Mukasey doing better after collapse

November 21st, 2008

Attorney General Michael Mukasey was feeling better Friday after collapsing during a speech, a spokeswoman said, reporting that hospital medical tests showed no signs of a stroke or cardiac-related problem.

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Buried glacier found on Mars

November 20th, 2008

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Mars has vast glaciers hidden under aprons of rocky debris near mid-latitude mountains, a new study confirms, pointing to a new and large potential reservoir of life-supporting water on the planet. These mounds of ice exist at much lower latitudes than any ice previously found on the red planet.

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Waxman Ousts Dingell From Energy Chair In Bruising Dem Fight

November 20th, 2008

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Waxman, a California liberal and avid environmentalist and booster of health care programs, toppled Dingell Thursday on a vote of 137-122 in the Democratic Party caucus, capping a bitter fight within party ranks.

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New gondola at Whistler-Blackcomb takes ski lifts to new heights

November 20th, 2008

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Tracing the cables’ path through the clouds and sky with my eyes, I imagine the experience will be like crossing the valley in a hot-air balloon. Albeit one enjoying a tailwind. Peak 2 Peak makes the 2.73-mile crossing - a crossing longer than 2 1/2 Tacoma Narrows Bridges - in 11 minutes, at a speed of about 15 mph.

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Teenagers’ Internet Socializing Not a Bad Thing

November 20th, 2008

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"It may look as though kids are wasting a lot of time hanging out with new media, whether it’s on MySpace or sending instant messages," said Mizuko Ito, lead researcher on the study, "Living and Learning With New Media." "But their participation is giving them the technological skills and literacy they need to succeed in the contemporary world. They’re learning how to get along with others, how to manage a public identity, how to create a home page."

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