Sunday morning roundup

Prostitution in India is just another industry "where information technology has undermined the role of middlemen," with mixed results for prostitutes.

Drug companies have an increasing influence over medical research.

Yesterday, when I mock-glibly blogged about the boots I ordered in a post that started with a story about Syrian dissidents, my logic was, "look, wearing crappy boots isn't going to bring peace to Syria. I blog about my first-world problems not because I lack perspective on third-world problems; in fact, I essentially have a master's degree in third-world problems (or developing-world problems, as we like to call them). I blog about first-world problems because those are the ones I can do something about. The conflict in Syria, not so much. But I, you, we can give to Oxfam, etc. to mitigate Syrian refugees' brutal winter.

Since only about 35 percent of the $70 million budgeted for winterization has been funded, only the most vulnerable third of the population will get help, Mr. Moumtzis said. Or as one senior diplomat put it, the refugees will be fed, “but not generously,” and they will be clothed, but “they will be cold.” 

You know something's really not right when I respect Kim Kardashian's position.

Steve Pearlstein pleas--no, makes the case--for outside-the-box thinking and positioning on the budget deal.

Crafty hipsters embrace Martha Stewart.

The question is, when will the caviar vending machines hit Japan?

I'm quite satisfied with Google Voice Search. It is particularly useful for speaking addresses for the maps/navigation apps, when you don't have time to type.

Sorry, guys--I should have published this two hours ago before I got distracted. I'll get you the rest in an afternoon or evening roundup.