Headlines from December 22, 2014

Sony Pictures pivots, with attorney saying The Interview will be released in some format.
Hollywood should let the world know “we prize our goofy movies, along with the important ones, and the freedoms that they represent.”
For smaller nations, cyber warfare proves to be a better investment than conventional weapons systems.
New York’s de Blasio faces delicate test as cops turn their backs on the mayor over support of protesters.
The person with blood on his hands for the murder of two New York City cops is the murderer. #opinions
Texas’s most famous, possibly richest trial attorney still going strong at age 89. #profiles
In New Zealand, anything with fur and beady little eyes is an invader. New Zealand to wipe out all rats and other mammalian predators.
UPS to deliver 34 million packages today, attempting to correct last year’s Christmas debacle with new sorting systems.
In Oregon, where “Christmas tree plantations” were first born, Christmas trees outnumber humans 12 to 1.
Because the Arctic is changing rapidly, it’s hard to predict which traits will be most important for, say, a population of grolar bears.
Journalist’s account from Jonathan Coulton’s ultimate nerd cruise. #longreads
US hotel and travel companies see big opportunities in a newly opened Cuba.
Medicare cuts funding to hospitals with the highest rates of infection, inadvertently punishing hospitals with the toughest tasks.
“Live From Lockdown” is the closest thing to a social network for federal inmates, despite prisoners’ lack of web access.
Self-published author finds book suppressed by Amazon for too many hyphens, which “impact the book’s readability.”
Terrific account of the discovery of new material Graphene and what it can be used for in the future.
See also: Product review of the invisible backpack  of white privilege,  from L.L. Bean.