http://www.patspapers.com/ Smartly selected newspaper stories, and Pat Kiernan's perspective on them. en pat@patspapers.com Copyright 2018 2018-03-26T05:13:00+00:00 https://www.patspicks.com/blog/item/skiing_from_zermatt_to_cervinia_italy_switzerland_cervino https://www.patspicks.com/blog/item/skiing_from_zermatt_to_cervinia_italy_switzerland_cervino#When:05:13:00Z We’re on a family ski trip in Zermatt, and I made some notes to our friends to help us meet up for an afternoon of skiing and dining on the Italian side of the mountain. 2018-03-26T05:13:00+00:00 https://www.patspicks.com/blog/item/my_daughter_is_humming_the_friendly_giant_theme https://www.patspicks.com/blog/item/my_daughter_is_humming_the_friendly_giant_theme#When:14:44:00Z Maeve’s music class at school is playing a tune called “Early One Morning.” 2017-04-17T14:44:00+00:00 https://www.patspicks.com/blog/item/airplane_seats_shouldnt_have_a_recline_button https://www.patspicks.com/blog/item/airplane_seats_shouldnt_have_a_recline_button#When:01:11:00Z On the April 6 edition of NY1’s “1 More Thing” Pat and Jamie agreed that it’s rude to recline your seat when flying in coach. 2017-04-12T01:11:00+00:00 https://www.patspicks.com/blog/item/good_morning_city_book_events https://www.patspicks.com/blog/item/good_morning_city_book_events#When:03:58:00Z A calendar of Pat’s appearances for reading and signing copies of “Good Morning, City.” 2016-11-24T03:58:00+00:00 https://www.patspicks.com/blog/item/good_morning_city https://www.patspicks.com/blog/item/good_morning_city#When:16:07:00Z Pat’s children’s book “Good Morning, City” is available for purchase starting November 15th. Featured, 2016-10-01T16:07:00+00:00 https://www.patspicks.com/blog/item/fresh_coat_nails_east_hampton https://www.patspicks.com/blog/item/fresh_coat_nails_east_hampton#When:12:39:00Z Sending some online support to a friend’s new business: an innovative nail salon in East Hampton featuring manicures, pedicures, hair braids and foot massage. 2016-07-25T12:39:00+00:00 https://www.patspicks.com/story_stack/item/the_tandem_shuttle_l_train_plan https://www.patspicks.com/story_stack/item/the_tandem_shuttle_l_train_plan#When:18:35:00Z 2016-01-13T18:35:00+00:00 https://www.patspicks.com/blog/item/pat_kiernan_and_jamie_stelter_at_92y https://www.patspicks.com/blog/item/pat_kiernan_and_jamie_stelter_at_92y#When:13:17:00Z Pat finally gets to have a conversation longer than 30 seconds with his NY1 colleague Jamie Stelter. Featured, 2015-10-19T13:17:00+00:00 https://www.patspicks.com/blog/item/down_the_stretch_track_announcer_larry_collmus https://www.patspicks.com/blog/item/down_the_stretch_track_announcer_larry_collmus#When:12:44:00Z As a broadcaster it’s fun to watch others get the job done. 2015-06-04T12:44:00+00:00 https://www.patspicks.com/blog/item/straight_man_to_meredith_vieira_and_robin_roberts https://www.patspicks.com/blog/item/straight_man_to_meredith_vieira_and_robin_roberts#When:13:29:00Z Lost in the Christmas shuffle: Pat’s stepped in on The Meredith Vieira Show to help Meredith and Robin Roberts with a “Spot the Fake News Story” game. Featured, 2014-12-29T13:29:00+00:00 https://www.patspicks.com/blog/item/springsteen_subs_for_bono_in_times_square https://www.patspicks.com/blog/item/springsteen_subs_for_bono_in_times_square#When:13:32:00Z With U2’s Bono still recovering from his Central Park bicycle crash, Bruce Springsteen and Chris Martin filled in at the World AIDS Day concert in Times Square. 2014-12-02T13:32:00+00:00 https://www.patspicks.com/blog/item/eleven_subway_performers_team_up_and_you_wont_believe_what_happened_next https://www.patspicks.com/blog/item/eleven_subway_performers_team_up_and_you_wont_believe_what_happened_next#When:09:35:00Z Actually, you will believe it. I just wanted to write one of those ridiculous click-bait headlines. Featured, 2014-10-24T09:35:00+00:00 https://www.patspicks.com/blog/item/everybody_paid_attention_for_o_canada_after_ottawa_shooting https://www.patspicks.com/blog/item/everybody_paid_attention_for_o_canada_after_ottawa_shooting#When:12:33:00Z The Edmonton Oilers hosted Canada’s only NHL game on the night of the shooting at Canada’s Parliament. So the normally routine singing of the national anthem took on special significance. Featured, 2014-10-23T12:33:00+00:00 https://www.patspicks.com/blog/item/pats_winter_themed_trivia_night_at_bell_house https://www.patspicks.com/blog/item/pats_winter_themed_trivia_night_at_bell_house#When:13:37:00Z Bundle up and get ready for my winter-themed trivia night at Bell House in Gowanus, Brooklyn. Come test your knowledge of winter-themed TV & movie scenes, cold weather sports & activities, happenings around NYC, food, beverage and much more! Don’t miss out - it’s my final trivia event of 2014. Check out TrivWorks for more information. You can buy your tickets here. 2014-10-17T13:37:00+00:00 https://www.patspicks.com/blog/item/derek_jeter_farewell_tour_of_the_bronx https://www.patspicks.com/blog/item/derek_jeter_farewell_tour_of_the_bronx#When:12:40:00Z A well-executed Gatorade ad released today has Derek Jeter on a farewell walk through the Bronx. Featured, 2014-09-18T12:40:00+00:00 https://www.patspicks.com/blog/item/starbucks_name_mystery_solved https://www.patspicks.com/blog/item/starbucks_name_mystery_solved#When:11:50:00Z Over the years, we’ve documented many humorous name misspellings at the hands of Starbucks baristas. Now we may finally know the truth behind why even the simplest names get bungled. Starbucks Names, Featured, 2014-09-10T11:50:00+00:00 https://www.patspicks.com/blog/item/outrage_surprise_at_no_selfie_zone_enforcement https://www.patspicks.com/blog/item/outrage_surprise_at_no_selfie_zone_enforcement#When:18:39:00Z Comedian Jena Kingsley informs Central Park visitors that they’ve stepped into a “No Selfie” zone. 2014-08-11T18:39:00+00:00 https://www.patspicks.com/blog/item/patspapers.com_site_changes_ahead https://www.patspicks.com/blog/item/patspapers.com_site_changes_ahead#When:08:52:00Z We’re making some changes to the site this month to become more friendly to mobile browsers. In the meantime, PatsPicks.com for Pat’s favorite stories. 2014-08-11T08:52:00+00:00 https://www.patspicks.com/story_stack/item/testing_an_electric_harley_without_the_vroom_video https://www.patspicks.com/story_stack/item/testing_an_electric_harley_without_the_vroom_video#When:11:54:00Z Harley-Davidson is giving fans a first look at its new electric motorcycles. The question is - will riders go for a bike that doesn’t roar? The electric Harley has no exhaust, no vibration and no fumes. But there’s also no roar of the engine. Instead, the bike makes a jet-like whine. The company says the bikes reach 60 miles per hour in about 4 seconds and can go around 60 miles between charges. The Seattle Times says the company hopes the bikes will appeal to younger, tech-savvy riders. VIDEO 2014-08-08T11:54:00+00:00 https://www.patspicks.com/story_stack/item/state_fair_a_bonanza_for_scientific_research https://www.patspicks.com/story_stack/item/state_fair_a_bonanza_for_scientific_research#When:11:40:00Z If you want to take a break from riding the rides or seeing the sites, why not sign up for a scientific experiment? The Minnesota State Fair sets up every summer next to the University of Minnesota - and researchers have learned to take advantage. The Minneapolis Star Tribune says more than 30 scientists will be recruiting fair goers for studies. Researchers say the fair is a great way to gather so many subjects from such a wide geographical area. 2014-08-08T11:40:00+00:00 https://www.patspicks.com/story_stack/item/tick_bite_can_make_you_allergic_to_meat https://www.patspicks.com/story_stack/item/tick_bite_can_make_you_allergic_to_meat#When:11:29:00Z If you get bitten by a Lone Star tick, you may want to be careful the next time you eat a burger. The Associated Press reports doctors across the country are seeing cases of tick bites that cause a meat allergy in some people. Some patients have reactions so severe, they end up in the hospital. Doctors say the allergy doesn’t appear to be permanent, but additional tick bites do bring it back. 2014-08-08T11:29:00+00:00 https://www.patspicks.com/story_stack/item/california_assembly_passes_cellphone_kill_switch_bill https://www.patspicks.com/story_stack/item/california_assembly_passes_cellphone_kill_switch_bill#When:11:11:00Z Because of the size of its market, when California enacts a law about a consumer product, it often becomes the standard for the rest of the country. So it’s worth reporting that California’s assembly passed a measure requiring smartphones made after July 1, 2015 to feature a kill switch that would render the phone useless in the event that it’s stolen. The San Jose Merscury News says the state senate has already passed the bill and Governor Jerry Brown is expected to sign it. 2014-08-08T11:11:00+00:00 https://www.patspicks.com/story_stack/item/where_are_the_women_sports_pundits https://www.patspicks.com/story_stack/item/where_are_the_women_sports_pundits#When:10:59:00Z The Washington Post says while women have made major strides in sports journalism over the last two decades, there remains shockingly few women on sports-talk shows. ESPN has had only two women among the 33 regular and guest panelists who have appeared on Around the Horn. One simple reason may be that men are often in hiring positions in this industry - and they tend to hire other men. Featured, 2014-08-08T10:59:00+00:00 https://www.patspicks.com/story_stack/item/what_were_streaming_on_netflix https://www.patspicks.com/story_stack/item/what_were_streaming_on_netflix#When:10:47:00Z Despite its origins as a movie rental service, television shows have become even more popular among Netflix subscribers. USA Today has the results of a marketing survey showing the top shows streamed on Netflix. House of Cards was number one, followed by Breaking Bad and Dexter. But the next survey might have different results, as Netflix has said Orange is the New Black was its most watched show ever. Featured, 2014-08-08T10:47:00+00:00 https://www.patspicks.com/story_stack/item/six_more_1980s_cartoon_films_michael_bay_should_make https://www.patspicks.com/story_stack/item/six_more_1980s_cartoon_films_michael_bay_should_make#When:12:22:00Z With the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles being the latest of the 80s and 90s cartoons to be transformed into a live-action film, the Omaha World-Herald has suggestions of six more classic cartoons Michael Bay should make into movies, complete with posters, plot lines and suggested cast members. The gritty, grown-up version of Super Mario Brothers might star Mark Ruffalo and Channing Tatum. The tagline: “This time, it’s about more than mushrooms.” Featured, 2014-08-07T12:22:00+00:00 https://www.patspicks.com/story_stack/item/angels_work_to_win_over_young_dodgers_fan https://www.patspicks.com/story_stack/item/angels_work_to_win_over_young_dodgers_fan#When:12:11:00Z When several players from the Los Angeles Angels visited patients at the Children’s Hospital of Orange County, they met Luke, a 7-year-old, diehard Dodgers fan. Over the course of a few more visits, some of the Angels players worked hard to win Luke over as a fan. The Orange County Register says Luke finally did accept an offer of Angels tickets - but for a game against the Dodgers. 2014-08-07T12:11:00+00:00 https://www.patspicks.com/story_stack/item/more_options_for_round_the_world_flights https://www.patspicks.com/story_stack/item/more_options_for_round_the_world_flights#When:11:45:00Z You can get around the world in far fewer than 80 days. The Wall Street Journal says it’s getting easier and cheaper to book tickets to circumnavigate the globe. Longer nonstop flights mean flying around the world can be accomplished with just a few connections. The three major airline alliances are offering more options with big savings for round-the-world trips. Featured, 2014-08-07T11:45:00+00:00 https://www.patspicks.com/story_stack/item/impossible_to_win_twitter_fights https://www.patspicks.com/story_stack/item/impossible_to_win_twitter_fights#When:11:28:00Z How do you win an argument on social media? You can’t. The New York Times’ Nick Bilton says he learned the hard way that it’s impossible to come out on top when the fight is on Twitter. Experts say part of the problem is we are able to react so quickly on social media - and it’s difficult to gauge someone’s tone online. Featured, 2014-08-07T11:28:00+00:00 https://www.patspicks.com/story_stack/item/wireless_phone_charging_coming_soon https://www.patspicks.com/story_stack/item/wireless_phone_charging_coming_soon#When:11:11:00Z Your days of looking for an outlet to charge your phone at Starbucks may soon be over. The New York Times says the coffee shop is teaming up with Powermat, an industry leader in wireless charging technology, to embed charging mats in tables and counters. Cadillac announced plans to use the technology in car dashboards and other carmakers are following suit. 2014-08-07T11:11:00+00:00 https://www.patspicks.com/story_stack/item/cyberattack_fatigue_setting_in https://www.patspicks.com/story_stack/item/cyberattack_fatigue_setting_in#When:10:46:00Z Did you change your password after hearing about the latest security breach by Russian hackers? Many people haven’t. The Arizona Republic says we’re suffering from “breach fatigue.” Most people know that we’re at risk of having our information stolen, but we do little to protect ourselves from identity theft. 2014-08-07T10:46:00+00:00 https://www.patspicks.com/story_stack/item/ebola_drugs_a_low_priority_for_pharmaceutical_companies https://www.patspicks.com/story_stack/item/ebola_drugs_a_low_priority_for_pharmaceutical_companies#When:12:47:00Z While the world experiences the deadliest Ebola outbreak ever, the disease remains one that has no drugs to treat it. The San Francisco Chronicle says drug makers have little incentive to spend time and money on a disease that predominantly affects people in impoverished countries. Health officials tell the Chronicle this outbreak could encourage pharmaceutical companies to speed up the development process or lead small groups in risky drug trials. Featured, 2014-08-06T12:47:00+00:00 https://www.patspicks.com/story_stack/item/nra_commentator_blind_people_should_have_more_guns_video https://www.patspicks.com/story_stack/item/nra_commentator_blind_people_should_have_more_guns_video#When:12:38:00Z The New York Daily News jumped on this story of a news commentator on the National Rifle Association’s online news site defending the right of blind people to own guns. In a video, commentator Dom Raso says blind people should be able to have whatever guns they want, and those who disagree don’t understand the Constitution. One gun control advocate compared the idea to allowing blind people to drive. 2014-08-06T12:38:00+00:00 https://www.patspicks.com/story_stack/item/becky_hammon_hired_as_spurs_assistant_coach https://www.patspicks.com/story_stack/item/becky_hammon_hired_as_spurs_assistant_coach#When:12:22:00Z As a young girl, Becky Hammon asked her dad if she would ever play in the NBA. He broke the news to her that she wouldn’t. Well, now she’s the first woman hired by an American men’s professional sports team as a full-time assistant coach. The NBA champion San Antonio Spurs didn’t mention her gender once in announcing her hiring - saying their decision was based on her basketball IQ. Mike Monroe of the San Antonio Express-News says Hammon will begin working with the Spurs after wrapping up her 16th and final season in the WNBA. 2014-08-06T12:22:00+00:00 https://www.patspicks.com/story_stack/item/school_cafeteria_food_healthier_than_packed_lunches https://www.patspicks.com/story_stack/item/school_cafeteria_food_healthier_than_packed_lunches#When:11:16:00Z The San Francisco Chronicle reports on a new Tufts University survey that found school cafeteria lunches are often much healthier than lunches packed at home. Researchers found nearly a quarter of packed lunches lacked what would be considered an entree - such as a sandwich or leftovers. School lunches, which are held to federal standards, must provide specific amounts of milk, fruits, vegetables, grains and protein. Featured, 2014-08-06T11:16:00+00:00 https://www.patspicks.com/story_stack/item/need_a_new_laptop_get_a_macbook_air https://www.patspicks.com/story_stack/item/need_a_new_laptop_get_a_macbook_air#When:11:01:00Z The Wall Street Journal’s Joanna Stern puts the best Windows PCs, Chromebooks and MacBooks to the test. If you’re in the market for a laptop, the short answer is to get a MacBook Air. But if you’re looking for a Windows-powered Ultrabook, Stern recommends Lenovo’s Yoga 2 Pro or Acer’s Aspire S7. The $600 Asus VivoBook is good for those on a budget and if you’re really tight on cash, go for a Chromebook, such as Acer’s C720. Featured, 2014-08-06T11:01:00+00:00 https://www.patspicks.com/story_stack/item/russian_crime_ring_steals_1_billion_passwords https://www.patspicks.com/story_stack/item/russian_crime_ring_steals_1_billion_passwords#When:10:39:00Z Will this be the straw that breaks the Internet password’s back? A Milwaukee cyber security firm says Russian hackers have amassed 1.2 billion username and password combinations and half a billion email addresses to form the largest known collection of stolen Internet credentials. The New York Times says so far the criminals have not sold many of the passwords and are instead using them to send spam on behalf of others. 2014-08-06T10:39:00+00:00 https://www.patspicks.com/story_stack/item/ebola_containment_efforts_thwarted_by_lax_enforcement https://www.patspicks.com/story_stack/item/ebola_containment_efforts_thwarted_by_lax_enforcement#When:13:04:00Z Amid the world’s worst outbreak of Ebola, nations in West Africa are enacting strict measures meant to control the spread of the virus. But the New York Times says in many cases, those rules are being thwarted by lax enforcement. In some areas, people seem to challenge the very notion that Ebola is responsible for the deaths of their loved ones. Walter Lorenzi, the chief of the Doctors Without Borders’ mission in Sierra Leone says you can’t fight the spread of Ebola halfway. Featured, 2014-08-05T13:04:00+00:00 https://www.patspicks.com/story_stack/item/a_little_pessimism_is_a_good_thing https://www.patspicks.com/story_stack/item/a_little_pessimism_is_a_good_thing#When:12:51:00Z Maybe Debbie Downer is on to something. The Wall Street Journal says occasionally having a pessimistic outlook can help you manage anxiety and stay healthy. While optimism is generally seen as being the preferred trait for health and well-being, psychologists say those with a more negative outlook tend to handle stress better, as they typically have prepared for the worst. Ideally it’s best to be generally optimistic with a slight streak of pessimism thrown in. 2014-08-05T12:51:00+00:00 https://www.patspicks.com/story_stack/item/scrabble_adds_5000_words https://www.patspicks.com/story_stack/item/scrabble_adds_5000_words#When:12:34:00Z You can take a “selfie” with your “frenemy” and you’ll earn 24 points in your Scrabble game when you do. Merriam-Webster is adding 5,000 new words to the updated version of the Official Scrabble Players Dictionary, due out August 11th. The book’s editor tells the New York Daily News when slang becomes part of our culture, it becomes part of the dictionary. Purists say they fear the words will disappear from pop culture as quickly as they arrived. Featured, 2014-08-05T12:34:00+00:00 https://www.patspicks.com/story_stack/item/when_your_star_pitchman_gets_traded https://www.patspicks.com/story_stack/item/when_your_star_pitchman_gets_traded#When:12:07:00Z When the Red Sox traded ace pitcher Jon Lester to the Oakland Athletics, it wasn’t just Sox fans who were disappointed. Just days before the deal, People’s United Bank had featured Lester, their longtime pitchman, on a massive billboard near Fenway Park. Executives tell the Boston Globe that it’s always a risk to sign endorsement deals with athletes, but it’s often worth the gamble. Typically, as was the case in Lester’s deal, the endorsement contract ends if the player gets traded. Featured, 2014-08-05T12:07:00+00:00