Selections from the New York Times

October 5, 2010

Cities in Debt Turn to States, Adding Strain
By MARY WILLIAMS WALSH
A growing number of towns and cities are seeking refuge in programs that many states provide as alternatives to federal bankruptcy court.


Young Soldier Both Revered and Reviled
By WILLIAM YARDLEY
Members of Sgt. Calvin Gibbs’s unit in Afghanistan paint a picture of him as the ringleader of murders of Afghan civilians for sport while family and friends reject characterizations of him as a murderer.


Plan to Expand Rail Service Imperiled at State Level
By MICHAEL COOPER
Republicans running for governor in a handful of states could block
President Obama’s plan for high-speed rail.


Integrity at Issue in Connecticut Senate Debate
By RAYMOND HERNANDEZ
Richard Blumenthal and Linda E. McMahon questioned each other’s truthfulness and qualifications in a debate marked by tart exchanges.


11 Arrests in Alabama Bingo Investigation
By CAMPBELL ROBERTSON
Lobbyists and businessmen were also arrested in a wide-ranging
investigation into bribery and corruption.


SMARTER THAN YOU THINK
Aiming to Learn as We Do, a Machine Teaches Itself
By STEVE LOHR
Researchers are fine-tuning a computer system that is trying to master semantics by learning more like a human.


2 E-Books Cost More Than Amazon Hardcovers
By JULIE BOSMAN
E-book readers are used to paying less, but new titles from Ken Follett and James Patterson have bucked that trend.


CRITIC’S NOTEBOOK
Paris Rediscovers Monet’s Magic at Grand Palais
By MICHAEL KIMMELMAN
A major re-evaluation of the work of Claude Monet finds the enduring magic behind familiar images.{Note: This article contains great commentary on how Claude Monet approached his art.}


ON MESSAGE
In Ads, Democratic Candidates Play Down Party
By DAVID W. CHEN
In and around New York, Democrats seldom note in ads that they are Democrats, portraying themselves instead as independent-minded opponents of wasteful spending.


Integrity at Issue in Connecticut Senate Debate
By RAYMOND HERNANDEZ
Richard Blumenthal and Linda E. McMahon questioned each other’s truthfulness and qualifications in a debate marked by tart exchanges.


Comptroller Rivals Debate Wall Street Ties
By SAM DOLNICK
Harry Wilson, a Republican and former hedge fund manager, squared off against Thomas P. DiNapoli, the Democratic incumbent, in a lively back-and-forth.


EDITORIALS:


An Illegal Search, by GPS
The courts are wrestling with whether new technology requires them to think differently about what is a reasonable expectation of privacy.


Confusion Over Secure Communities
A data-sharing program between federal departments is blurring the line between local policing and federal immigration enforcement.