Brooks: Computers and a new work order
We're living in an era of mechanized intelligence, an age in which you're probably going to find yourself in a workplace with diagnostic systems, algorithms and computer-driven data analysis. If you...
View ArticleEditorial: A bad message to women
THE ISSUE:A proposal to reform a broken system of military justice looks dead in Congress.THE STAKES:It dishonors military service, and could make recruiting women harder. With 1.4 million people, the...
View ArticlePublic financing no cure-all
Public financing of elections is once again on the table in New York state. This time the call comes from New York state's Moreland Commission, appointed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo to "restore the public...
View ArticleDowd: There ain't nothing like a dame
WashingtonThe halo of smoke clears momentarily to reveal America's newest sensitive man: John Boehner.The man known as Capitol Hill's Dean Martin, surrounded by his Cap Pack, is having a late-night...
View ArticleEditorial: The fine print in tax cuts
THE ISSUE:A commission offers a host of ways to cut taxes in New York.THE STAKES:What are the trade-offs? Lower taxes, you say? Who's not for that? But before we all get excited about the proposals...
View ArticleBox office receipts turn out to be gender blind
The following is from an editorial in The New York Times:Two of the most popular movies in America have something in common: They feature female protagonists. Jennifer Lawrence plays Katniss Everdeen...
View ArticleFilm gives taste of false luxury
Steve McQueen's recent film ''12 Years a Slave'' is a disturbing, powerful portrayal of slavery in the United States. Professor of Afro-American Studies Henry Louis Gates Jr., served as a consultant...
View ArticleFriedman: We need Mandela's judgment
The global outpouring of respect for Nelson Mandela suggests that we're not just saying goodbye to the man at his death but that we're losing a certain kind of leader, unique on the world stage today....
View ArticleEditorial: Congress' big little deal
THE ISSUE:The House of Representatives comes up with a modest budget compromise.THE STAKES:Wonderful. What's next? Yes, the fact that any compromise on a budget deal is hailed as progress shows just...
View ArticleState's children deserve health excellence centers
Asthma, autism, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, birth defects, obesity, diabetes and cancer as well as injuries and violence are the major diseases of children in New York. Asthma has...
View ArticlePark South garage plan needs reduction in size
If you were to ask any of your neighbors how they would feel about a towering, eight-story parking garage in their backyard, I imagine most would share the same opinion. This is the scenario dozens of...
View ArticleSmith: A front-lawn store-bought Christmas
My family wasn't much into outdoor Christmas decorations when I was a kid, until somebody gave us a creche — half life-size plastic figures of Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus, lit from inside, with a...
View ArticleEditorial: The year of doing nothing
THE ISSUE:Washington has done nothing on gun control in the year since a massacre at an elementary school.THE STAKES:Who does a Congress that can't pass a few smart solutions really represent? How...
View ArticleEnd unnecessary barriers to state growth
Major residential, commercial and industrial developments throughout the country are subject to an array of federal and state laws designed to protect the environment. They're buttressed nearly...
View ArticleParker: Ryan rises as Republican standout
Washington 'Tis the season and Nancy Pelosi has given the hands-down best gift to the American people — her phrase "Embrace the suck."Miraculous.Offered to fellow Democrats as a push to pass the...
View ArticleFCC's proposal sorely needs a cone of silence
I remember when, back before the world went crazy, taking a commercial airline flight was enjoyable. Checking in 20 minutes before departure time raised nary an eyebrow; baggage was considered the...
View ArticleSeiler: Walking through Newtown
A few hours after the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary a year and a day ago, my editor called to ask if I'd be able to pack a bag and drive to Connecticut to assist several of the Times Union's...
View ArticleEditorial
Expensive pettinessAlbany County District Attorney David Soares exercised his legitimate authority in firing an assistant prosecutor who breached his tough policy in the handling of DWI cases.Mr....
View ArticleDowd: Nothing nice to say about 'Bambi Rule'
Washington I started speaking truth to power early.And my older brothers didn't like it.They told me that archness in a 10-year-old was not welcome.I concocted a plan to prove how boring life would be...
View ArticleFriedman: Who really crossed China's red line?
MEMO TO: China's President, Xi Jingping.FROM: A Friend of Your Country.Dear President Xi, in recent years there's been a tug of war inside the global investment community between those who think China...
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