Sunday Breakfast Menu, Dec. 29

Stephen Crowley/The New York Times

The political talk shows will air their final editions of the year on Sunday, mostly looking back at a couple of issues that dominated the news in 2013 and won’t likely be forgotten in the new year.

In June, Edward J. Snowden, a former contractor for the National Security Agency, released documents that revealed the extent to which the N.S.A. collects information about Americans’ phone and e-mail communications. On Wednesday, Mr. Snowden appeared on British television to warn about the dangers of this kind of surveillance.

CBS’s “Face the Nation” will discuss the N.S.A. revelations with Barton Gellman, a Washington Post reporter to whom Mr. Snowden leaked documents, Jesselyn Radack, one of Mr. Snowden’s legal advisers and Thomas Drake, a former N.S.A. whistle-blower. Gen. Michael V. Hayden, a former director of the N.S.A. and the Central Intelligence Agency, will also appear.

Ben Wizner, another of Mr. Snowden’s legal advisers, will appear on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

On “Fox News Sunday,” Representative Mike Rogers, Republican of Michigan and chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, and Representative Adam Schiff, a Democrat from California who also sits on that committee, will discuss the future of the N.S.A.

The shows will also focus on the struggle of President Obama’s administration to implement the Affordable Care Act. HealthCare.gov, the nationwide exchange for health insurance, began running in October, but was overwhelmed by the amount of users, many of whom had to wait hours or days before successfully enrolling. Mr. Obama has also been criticized for claiming that people with insurance would not lose it, when in practice, many who were previously insured had to sign up for new coverage. Mr. Obama admitted earlier this month that these problems were his biggest mistake of 2013.

One of Mr. Obama’s most prominent critics, Representative Darrell Issa, Republican of California and chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, will be on “Meet the Press” to discuss the future of the health care law. Representative Joaquin Castro, Democrat of Texas, will also appear.

The health care law will also be a topic on “Fox News Sunday,” when Howard Dean â€" former Vermont governor, a presidential candidate in 2004 and a medical doctor â€" appears, along with Dr. Scott Gottlieb, a former official in the Food and Drug Administration and a fellow with the American Enterprise Institute.

On ABC’s “This Week” and CNN’s “State of the Union,” year-end roundups will discuss these issues and others, including schisms in the Republican Party, the “nuclear option” in the Senate, and Pope Francis, the new head of the Roman Catholic church.

Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, will discuss education and standardized testing on C-SPAN’s “Newsmakers.”

The author and philosopher Michael Novak appeared Friday on Bloomberg television’s “Political Capital,” to discuss the beginning of Pope Francis’ tenure. The show airs throughout the weekend.

Obamas Go Out on the Town in Hawaii

HONOLULU â€" When President Obama left Washington on Friday, he said he was eager to soak up the sun and relax during his 17-day vacation in Hawaii. But on Sunday, the president â€" accompanied by his wife, Michelle, and his daughters, Sasha and Malia â€" hit the town, venturing out twice from their private vacation reteat on the windward side of Oahu.

First, the Obamas headed to the University of Hawaii, where the Oregon State Beavers were taking on the Akron Zips as part of Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic basketball tournament. Mrs. Obama’s brother, Craig Robinson, is the head coach at Oregon State, and the Obamas cheered on his team.

But the First Family did not bring any basketball magic; the Beavers, who never held the lead, lost, 83-71.

That, however, did not prevent the Obamas from enjoying the game from their courtside seats just behind the Oregon State bench. Mr. Obama, who was greeted with cheers when he entered the arena, high-fived fans during half-time, and was joined by his in-laws â€" Marian Robinson, Mrs. Obama’s mother and the “First Grandmother,” who lives in the White House with the family; and Mr. Robinson’s wife and children.

Also in attendance was Josh Earnest, a White House spokesman; Sam Kass, the White House chef; and Robert Titcomb, a childhood friend of the president’s who in 2011 pleaded guilty to soliciting a prostitute.

At one point, a man and a woman entered the arena to protest the Keystone pipeline, the man dressed in a polar bear suit. (“Beavers Hate Pipelines,” read their sign). The pair danced to the music during a second-half time-out, though it was unclear whether Mr. Obama noticed them.

Later in the day, the First Family headed out again, this time to dinner at Morimoto Waikiki, an upscale restaurant from Masaharu Morimoto, the star of “Iron Chef” and “Iron Chef America.”

No word on what the Obamas ordered, though the restaurant boasts a $140-per-person “omakase” chef’s choice tasting menu.

Obama Says ‘Further Action’ Possible in South Sudan

HONOLULU â€" After an attack on three United States aircraft attempting to evacuate American citizens from South Sudan, President Obama sent a letter Sunday to top congressional leaders in which he said he might take “further action” to support United States citizens and interests in the contested region.

In a letter to Speaker John A. Boehner of Ohio and Senator Patrick J. Leahy, Democrat of Vermont and the Senate’s president pro tempore, Mr. Obama, who is on vacation in Hawaii, wrote, “As I monitor the situation in South Sudan, I may take further action to support the security of U.S. citizens, personnel, and property, including our embassy, in South Sudan.”

Mr. Obama’s letter is consistent with the War Powers Resolution of 1937, which requires the president to inform Congress within 48 hours of committing armed forces to military action, and does not necessarily mean that the administration plans further increases in its military operations in the region.

On Saturday, Mr. Obama sent Special Operations forces to Bor, the capital of Jonglei State, where roughly 14,000 refugees had gathered in a United Nations compound surrounded by armed rebel forces. The mission was aborted after all three aircraft took small-arms fire and were damaged. Four service members were injured, one seriously.

Though the United States had been evacuating American citizens from the country, Saturday’s mission was the first time military forces ventured into rebel-controlled territory. All four service members were reported in stable condition.

A White House official said the president was updated on the situation Sunday, after a meeting that Susan E. Rice, his national security adviser, held with senior members of the administration’s national security team. Mr. Obama had also been briefed by Ms. Rice in a conference call on Saturday.

On Sunday morning, the United States continued to evacuate United States citizens from Bor on United Nations and United States civilian helicopters. The State Department, in a statement, said that they have so far evacuated approximately 380 United States officials and private citizens, as well as roughly 300 citizens of other countries, to Nairobi, Kenya, and other locations outside the country.

“The U.S. government is doing everything possible to ensure the safety and security of United States citizens in South Sudan,” said Jen Psaki, a State Department spokeswoman, in an email statement. “We are working with our allies around the world to connect with and evacuate U.S. citizens as quickly and safely as possible. For their safety and security, we will not outline specific evacuation plans.”

Sunday Breakfast Menu, Dec. 22

Stephen Crowley/The New York Times

This week, a White House-appointed panel recommended that President Obama rein in the National Security Agency and impose more oversight. Also, a United States District Court judge ruled Monday that an N.S.A. program that systematically collects records of American phone calls is probably unconstitutional, but he stayed his order while the case is appealed.

But four House and Senate Intelligence committee leaders rejected the White House report, arguing that the call data program was a valuable tool for catching terrorists.

Representative Mike Rogers, Republican of Michigan, and chairman of the House Intelligence Committee,  will defend that message on ABC’s “This Week.” Senator Mark Udall, Democrat of Colorado, and a member of the Senate Intelligence committee, will join Mr. Rogers.

On CBS’s “Face the Nation,” the former C.I.A. director Michael J. Morell, one of the members of the N.S.A. review panel, will talk about the 46 recommendations it made to Mr. Obama on curbing the agency’s power.

Senator Patrick J. Leahy, Democrat of Vermont, and Representative Peter T. King, Republican of New York, will weigh in on domestic surveillance on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” Christine Lagarde, the head of the International Monetary Fund, will also appear on the show to analyze the state of the global economy and the strength of the ongoing financial recovery. As many Congressmen head home for the holidays, Senators Charles Schumer, Democrat of New York, and Tom Coburn, Republican of Oklahoma, will stick around to discuss what is ahead for the Senate in the new year.

On CNN “State of the Union” Senator Joe Manchin III, Democrat of West Virginia, will talk about the budget deal, the future of the health care law and the chances of passing gun control legislation during the next year. Leaders of the Congressional Future Caucus, a bipartisan group of millennials, will also appear on the show. Representatives Tulsi Gabbard, Democrat of Hawaii, and Aaron J. Schock, Republican of Illinois, will explain how they want to get things done on Capitol Hill.

On CSPAN’s “Newsmakers,” Senator David B. Vitter, Republican of Louisiana and ranking member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, will lay out his criticisms of the Obama administration’s environmental policies and discuss a possible gubernatorial run in 2015. Gov. Bobby Jindal cannot seek re-election due to state term limits.

Will you run? That’s another question on “Fox News Sunday,” where former Gov. Mike Huckabee of Arkansas will talk about  2014 and 2016 election prospects, and his plans, if any, to run.

Representative Ileana Ross-Lehtinen, Republican of Florida, is also looking forward to legislative priorities in 2014, especially immigration reform, on Univison’s “Al Punto.” The program airs 10 a.m. Eastern.

Senator Rob Portman, Republican of Ohio, appearing on Bloomberg’s “Political Capital,” discussed the budget deal, the debt ceiling deadline and entitlement reform. The program aired on Fridays, but repeats through the weekend.

On Telemundo’s “Enfoque,” Senator Roger Wicker, Republican of Mississippi, and Representative Juan Vargas, Democrat of California, will debate immigration reform. They will be joined by Pablo Alvarado, director of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network, and Tania Unzueta, an immigration activist.

Obamas Arrive in Hawaii for Vacation

HONOLULU â€" After an end-of-the-year news conference whose first question â€" “Has this been the worst year of your presidency?” â€" offered a trenchant reminder of President Obama’s troubled 2013, the president seemed especially ready for a break from the nation’s capital.

And so it was, less than 24-hours later, that Mr. Obama touched down in Hawaii, his boyhood home, for his annual holiday vacation. Accompanied by his wife, Michelle, his two daughters, and the First Family’s two Portuguese Water Dogs, Sunny and Bo, Mr. Obama walked off Air Force One and into the muggy Hawaiian darkness just before midnight Friday.

Already in vacation-casual â€" clad in khakis and blue button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up (no tie) â€" the president greeted the several dozen well-wishers and servicemen and women who had gathered at Hickam Air Force Base to watch his arrival.

He was also met by Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie; Kirk Caldwell, the mayor of Honolulu; Representative Tulsi Gabbard, Democrat of Hawaii (who Tweeted a photo of Mr. and Mrs. Obama exiting Air Force One); and Admiral Samuel Locklear, the commander of the United States Pacific Command.

The responsibilities of the Oval Office have often followed Mr. Obama to his Pacific retreat. (Think the fiscal crisis of 2012, or the Christmas day bomber of 2009.) But the president’s aides said that barring any unexpected surprises, they were hoping to keep his two-week island vacation low-key and largely news-free.

After all, a bit of rest and relaxation is just what their boss called for at his news conference. “So, you know, the end of the year is always a good time to reflect and see what can you do better next year,” Mr. Obama said Friday afternoon. “That’s how I intend to approach it. I am sure that I will have even better ideas after a couple days of sleep and sun.”

Live Coverage of Obama’s News Conference

President Obama will hold a news conference at 2 p.m. on Friday before he departs with his family for a two-week vacation in Hawaii, and Times reporters will provide updates and analysis during the event.

Auto-Refresh: ON

Turn ON

Refresh Now

Feed

Twitter

Scott Brown Plans New Hampshire Move

So Scott Brown is moving to New Hampshire, he confirmed Thursday. The former senator from Massachusetts said his reasons for moving were “strictly personal,” and that they had more to do with empty-nesting than with his political future.

But he did not take the opportunity to quash the rampant speculation that he was moving from Massachusetts for political purposes â€" to challenge Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a New Hampshire Democrat, in her bid next year for re-election.

“Both Gail and I love Massachusetts and like many parents whose children have grown and are moving on with their own lives, we are making personal choices that will reflect our new lifestyle without the kids,” Mr. Brown said in a statement.

By stressing the personal over the political, he only teased the tea-leaf readers who are looking for signs that he is ready to jump back into the political fray after having lost his Senate seat last year to Elizabeth Warren.

“For those who have read my book, you know that my first home was in New Hampshire,” he said. “My family and I have long and strong ties to the Granite State that go back many generations.”

He added: “I am looking forward to being close to my mom as she gets older and needs assistance from my sister and me. I am also looking forward to being closer to my immediate and extended family.”

His message was received by the tea-leaf readers with a great deal of skepticism, especially since it coincided with a $70,000 attack ad against Senator Shaheen from a Super PAC that is urging Mr. Brown to get into the race.

His statement came in advance of his appearance Thursday night at the state Republican Party’s holiday reception in Nashua. Several demonstrators showed up, including strong backers of the Second Amendment who were protesting Mr. Brown’s support for a federal ban on assault weapons.

As he has said for many months, he reiterated that has no immediate deadline by which he expects to make a decision about whether to become a candidate.

Scott Brown Plans New Hampshire Move

So Scott Brown is moving to New Hampshire, he confirmed Thursday. The former senator from Massachusetts said his reasons for moving were “strictly personal,” and that they had more to do with empty-nesting than with his political future.

But he did not take the opportunity to quash the rampant speculation that he was moving from Massachusetts for political purposes â€" to challenge Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a New Hampshire Democrat, in her bid next year for re-election.

“Both Gail and I love Massachusetts and like many parents whose children have grown and are moving on with their own lives, we are making personal choices that will reflect our new lifestyle without the kids,” Mr. Brown said in a statement.

By stressing the personal over the political, he only teased the tea-leaf readers who are looking for signs that he is ready to jump back into the political fray after having lost his Senate seat last year to Elizabeth Warren.

“For those who have read my book, you know that my first home was in New Hampshire,” he said. “My family and I have long and strong ties to the Granite State that go back many generations.”

He added: “I am looking forward to being close to my mom as she gets older and needs assistance from my sister and me. I am also looking forward to being closer to my immediate and extended family.”

His message was received by the tea-leaf readers with a great deal of skepticism, especially since it coincided with a $70,000 attack ad against Senator Shaheen from a Super PAC that is urging Mr. Brown to get into the race.

His statement came in advance of his appearance Thursday night at the state Republican Party’s holiday reception in Nashua. Several demonstrators showed up, including strong backers of the Second Amendment who were protesting Mr. Brown’s support for a federal ban on assault weapons.

As he has said for many months, he reiterated that has no immediate deadline by which he expects to make a decision about whether to become a candidate.

Senate Confirms New Homeland Security Chief

The Senate on Monday evening confirmed Jeh C. Johnson as President Obama’s secretary of homeland security.

Mr. Johnson’s nomination was held up in the Senate fight over filibusters. In the end, however, his appointment was approved, 78 to 16, after the relaxed filibuster rules forced by the Democrats allowed a final vote.

It will not be the first time that Mr. Johnson has a significant influence on the Obama administration’s national security policies. He framed many of them as the Defense Department’s general counsel during Mr. Obama’s first term.

“Jeh has been a critical member of my national security team,” Mr. Obama said in a statement on Monday night. “As secretary of homeland security, Jeh will play a leading role in our efforts to protect the homeland against terrorist attacks, adapt to changing threats, stay prepared for natural disasters, strengthen our border security, and make our immigration system fairer.”

Mr. Johnson, 56, will fill the vacancy left by Janet Napolitano, a former governor of Arizona. She resigned in July to lead the University of California system.

He does not come to the job with Ms. Napolitano’s credentials on border security and immigration. But Mr. Johnson â€" whose first name is pronounced Jay â€" was a legal adviser to Mr. Obama during his first presidential campaign and shares many of the president’s ideas about counterterrorism operations.

In the first term, Mr. Johnson helped Mr. Obama reshape President George W. Bush’s counterterrorism policies. Mr. Johnson influenced the administration’s approach to the detention of terrorism suspects and drone strikes in Yemen and Somalia. And he was a leading force in the drive to end the “don’t ask, don’t tell” law and to allow gay men and lesbians to serve openly in the military.

He has also said that the United States must not be too quick to declare that the fight with Al Qaeda is over. In speeches over the last several years, he has stressed that Qaeda affiliates in Yemen and in North and West Africa continue to pose threats to the United States’ security.

Yet, he has criticized the Obama administration for being too secretive, especially when it comes to drone strikes. “The problem is that the American public is suspicious of executive power shrouded in secrecy,” Mr. Johnson said in a speech at Fordham University this year. “In the absence of an official picture of what our government is doing, and by what authority, many in the public fill the void by imagining the worst.”

Sunday Breakfast Menu, Dec. 15

Stephen Crowley/The New York Times

Things are looking up on Capitol Hill this week after the House approved a bipartisan budget deal to fund the government into 2015. The Senate is expected to pass it next week. But the compromise left some Tea Party groups grumbling.

The architects of the deal â€" the Budget Committee chairmen Representative Paul D. Ryan, Republican of Wisconsin, and Senator Patty Murray, Democrat of Washington â€" will lay out their bipartisan budget on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” The former head of the National Security Agency, Gen. Michael V. Hayden, will also appear on the show to discuss the leaks by the former N.S.A. contractor Edward J. Snowden, as American officials admitted Saturday they may never know the entirety of the files he extracted.

Mr. Ryan will also discuss his bipartisan handiwork on “Fox News Sunday.” In light of the one-year anniversary of the Newtown school shootings, Capt. Mark Kelly, husband of former Representative Gabrielle Giffords, who was shot during an event in her Arizona district, and Larry Pratt, director of Gun Owners of America, will debate gun control.

ABC’s “This Week” will feature an interview with Secretary of State John Kerry, who will discuss his efforts to find Robert Levinson â€" the former F.B.I. agent who went missing in Iran seven years ago. This week, Mr. Levinson’s family confirmed he was working for the C.I.A. when he disappeared and accused the government of betraying him.

Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona and a member of the Foreign Relations committee, will also talk on international affairs when he appears on both CNN’s “State of the Union” and CBS’s “Face the Nation.” Senator Richard J. Durbin, Democrat of Illinois, will join Mr. McCain on CBS to discuss the budget deal. The show will also show a tribute to the victims of the Newtown shooting.

On C-SPAN’s “Newsmakers,” Representative Harold Rogers, Republican of Kentucky, will weigh in on the budget compromise. Mr. Rogers, the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, had put pressure on Mr. Ryan and Ms. Murray to make a deal by early December.

The Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, Democrat of Nevada, and Representative Chris Van Hollen, Democrat of Maryland, discussed the budget and the 2014 midterm elections on Bloomberg Television’s “Political Capital” on Friday. The program will be repeated throughout the weekend.

On Univision’s “Al Punto,” the president of Uruguay, José Mujica, will talk about the legalization of marijuana in his country. Representative Henry Cuellar, Democrat of Texas, will stop by the show to talk about immigration reform, which may gain more traction now that Congress has passed a budget. The program will air at 1 p.m. Eastern.

App Smart: Playing in Ice and Snow, Without Ever Venturing Outdoors

Playing in Ice and Snow, Without Ever Venturing Outdoors

App Smart: Winter Games: Apps for iOS and Android let you enjoy winter-themed games, including skiing and snowboarding, from the comfort of the indoors.

Yes, it's cold outside. And yes, it's getting slushy and dark and snowy and wet.

Ski Challenge 14 is one of the winter-themed games available as apps for iOS and Android.

Crazy Snowboard places you in control of a snowboarder navigating a downhill terrain peppered with obstacles and jumps.

In Icycle: On Thin Ice, the player is a tiny, naked cartoon figure riding a bicycle.

Fear not, winter also means playing in the snow and skating, skiing and building snowmen. And if you really don't want to go outside, you can enjoy some of this fun with winter-themed games, played on your phone.

Fresh on iOS is the hilarious and highly addictive icycle: on Thin Ice. The app is a 2-D action game that blends traditional gaming genres like platforms and ladders with racing.

But this description does not do the game justice. What other game lets you play a tiny naked cartoon guy riding a tiny bicycle over difficult terrain? The graphics are fabulously cute, and as the gameplay changes from level to level it requires different skills. In some levels, you have to carefully time moves to dodge falling icicles. In others, you have to navigate through mazelike obstacles.

Icycle: On Thin Ice is great fun. But it's not easy, and you'll find yourself revisiting levels to complete challenges like finding hidden items. I can't find much to criticize in this game apart from how much time it may eat up. Also, be careful of the in-app purchases if you give it to your children to play, because those purchases can cost up to $20. The nudity in the game is definitely cartoonish and should be of the safe-for-work variety in most cases. The app costs $1.

For a more winter-sports-like game that may remind you of the fabulous snowboarding game SSX on gaming consoles, try out Crazy Snowboard, free on iOS or Android. This pseudosimulation game places you in control of a snowboarder navigating a downhill terrain peppered with obstacles and jumps. You steer your phone in the air to make turns and tap on the screen to spin or do tricks like grabbing your snowboard in any one of a number of impressive ways.

The game has 3-D graphics, engaging music and sounds and such extras as changeable boards and snowsuits. There are several playing modes, like free play or mission-based downhill runs, to keep your interest. And as you earn more points, you can buy more outfits or more impressive tricks.

But amusing as the game is, it lacks some of the compelling sizzle you might expect if you've played a console skiing or boarding game, partly because you travel the slopes alone with no other players to race (or crash) against. The full “pro” versions ($2 on iOS and $1.03 on Android) do have more content, including more outfits, tricks and missions, and this may account for why the game is so popular on both platforms.

An alternative game on iOS and Android is Ski & Snowboard 2013. This game also has 3-D graphics that simulate real winter sports environments, and has a number of gameplay styles. But it's less about pulling off tricks than cleverly negotiating courses like giant slaloms or proper ski jumps, and in some modes it pits you against other downhill racers so it feels more dynamic.

There's also the option of choosing between playing as a skier or snowboarder, and you can choose to have on-screen touch controls instead of waving your phone in the air to steer your character.

It is fun, and you can try the free edition before paying $2 for the “full” editions on iOS and $1 on Android, which have more tracks to complete and more options. But the paid versions also lack a certain addictive edge for me, and there's one strange flaw: While you can choose which character you want to be - each with slightly different skills - there are no female racers.

If it's a skiing game experience you're after, then Ski Challenge 14, free on Android and iOS, is definitely one to try. This game has perhaps the most impressive graphics of the apps mentioned here. Playing it by rotating your phone, you almost get the sensation of skis biting into the snow to make tight turns.

There are several courses to choose from, though you have to qualify and race on them to unlock the later ones. There's even a sense of competition, thanks to the online mode where your live race times are compared with other players. But the game requires you set up a (free) account, and it's designed to get you to buy in-app “coins” to upgrade your experience or repair your skis, which have limited on-snow time. This can quickly get annoying.

Finally, check out Ski on Neon, $1 on iOS, and Stickman Snowboarder, free on Android, for some simple 2-D casual gaming. Both are games you'll come back to again and again.

Oh, don't forget to go outside, too! Winter really isn't that bad.

Quick Call

The popular finance app Mint has hit Windows Phone 8 devices. It's integrated into Microsoft's Live Tiles system so a glance at your phone's home screen keeps you up to date on your spending. Mint is free.

A version of this article appears in print on December 12, 2013, on page B7 of the New York edition with the headline: Playing in Ice and Snow, Without Ever Venturing Outdoors.

State of the Art: Keep an Eye on Children, or Other Valuables

Keep an Eye on Children, or Other Valuables

The Dropcam Pro can stream video to a computer or mobile device. The recorded feed from earlier in the week can be retrieved from a timeline.

I still remember the baby monitor my parents had - my friends and I used as a primitive walkie-talkie.

It was very basic: One boxy unit went in the baby's room near the crib. It had a microphone so if the baby made a sound you'd hear it on the other unit, at the end of a long wire. You could even send your voice back up the wire to lull the little one back to sleep.

Needless to say, our games were limited by that wire.

Technology has improved quite a bit since my childhood, of course, a point made ridiculously clear by the newly released Dropcam Pro.

Dropcam Pro is a $200 wireless webcam with two-way audio and night-vision capabilities. It's an upgrade over the previous model, simply named Dropcam. The size-imaging sensor in the new unit is twice as big, which means the camera captures much more light and can deliver a better picture with more zoom capability.

Plus, it has a 130-degree field of view, bigger than the previous 107 degrees. What does this mean? In my case, it means that after standing the camera on a shelf in my children's room it can see a lot of the floor, a bit of the ceiling, the window, the door and their beds from about six feet away. All in up to 1080p, HD video detail, even at night.

The camera unit itself is a sturdy, plain, hockey-puck-shaped device, and it clips into a similarly sturdy and plain metal stand. The stand can be placed on a flat surface, and you can turn it left and right and tilt the camera up and down. This stand can also be clipped into a plastic mount that can be screwed to a wall or ceiling for a more permanent installation.

The main limitation: you need to be within about 10 feet of a power socket, because that's the length of the cable that comes with it.

Over the years, my wife and I have tried a number of baby monitors, but they've either been unreliable or tricky to set up and maintain. This seems to be the situation the team at Dropcam has tried to avoid. Installing, then setting Dropcam up and using it via a web-based control from a computer or an app on an iOS or Android device couldn't be simpler.

To start, you hook the cam's cable to your computer's USB port and follow the on-screen instructions, either on a Mac or a PC. The menus appear in a web browser interface and are fuss-free. They guide you through the steps of setting up a free account with Dropcam's cloud services and connecting your camera to your home's wireless network. The whole process takes about two minutes.

Next, plug the camera in where you want it. The browser window you were using for the setup changes to the camera's view, and 12 or so pop-up instructions walk you through controls on the screen.

Through this webpage interface, you view the camera feed and can zoom and pan around the image. In my home, the impressive, eight-times digital zoom is enough to see if my children's eyes are open or shut from six feet away.

At night, the camera automatically switches to an infrared mode. The color video feed is then replaced with an eerie black-and-white view - the Dropcam unit includes its own infrared transmitters to “light up” the dark.

The camera has a microphone so you can listen through your PC and can transmit your voice through a small, built-in loudspeaker by tapping a control on the web page. You can also tell the system to be sensitive to movements or to loud noises and even send an alert to your phone.

Although I've introduced Dropcam Pro as a baby monitor, you can imagine it's capable of much more. The wide-screen camera, night vision and movement or sound alerts make it handy as a home or small business security monitor. But you're hardly going to be watching around the clock.

That's where Dropcam's secure, cloud-recording service comes in handy. It encrypts the video feed in the camera and constantly records it on the company's servers. Then it streams it back to your home using security like your bank's website.

Kit Eaton, a regular contributor to The Times, is a guest columnist for State of the Art.

A version of this article appears in print on December 12, 2013, on page B1 of the New York edition with the headline: Keep an Eye On Children, Or Other Valuables.

Despite Improving Indicators, Poll Finds Harsh View of Obama on Economy

Last week’s reports of hopeful economic indicators did nothing to improve the American public’s negative opinion of President Obama’s stewardship of the nation’s economy. However, while most Americans describe the economy as in bad condition, there has been a slight uptick in the number who view the nation’s fiscal circumstances positively, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll.

The poll found 37 percent of those surveyed approve of Mr. Obama’s handling of the economy; 58 percent disapprove. These numbers are indistinguishable from the results of a CBS News poll taken last month, although better-than-expected unemployment numbers and other positive economic data were released last week. Interviewing for the nationwide poll was conducted Thursday through Sunday.

Last week’s encouraging reports on the economy may have had some influence on the public, however. While over all the impression of the economy remains negative, the number who see it in a positive light has grown slightly. In the latest poll, 37 percent said the economy was in good condition, up from 32 percent in last month’s CBS News poll.

Still, 61 percent regard the economy negatively, including a majority of all age and income levels, most independents and 80 percent of Republicans. Only among Democrats, people with a postgraduate education and blacks do a majority regard the economy as good.

There is division on whether the economy is improving or deteriorating, with about 3 in 10 each holding that view. Among the 42 percent who describe the economy’s trajectory as holding steady, about a third said it was in good shape while 6 in 10 said it was in poor condition.

The telephone poll of 1,000 adults has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus three percentage points. More results from this survey will be released on nytimes.com after 6:30 p.m.

Texas Conservative Steve Stockman to Challenge Senator John Cornyn

WASHINGTON â€" In a surprise move, conservative Representative Steve Stockman of Texas filed just before the Monday evening deadline to challenge two-term
incumbent Senator John Cornyn in next year’s Texas Republican primary.

Mr. Stockman’s challenge of Mr. Cornyn, the second-ranking Senate Republican, offers the potential for yet another ideological showdown in the 2014 Republican Senate primaries.

But to be viable, Mr. Stockman will have to move swiftly. He has just $32,000 in his House campaign account and the Texas primary is on March 4th. Mr. Cornyn, who had been hoping to avoid a primary from the right, has just under $7 million stocked for his re-election.

The congressman, who returned to the House this year after serving a single term in the 1990s, will also need significant help from outside conservative groups. But in the hours after he suddenly became a Senate candidate, it was not clear if Mr. Stockman would enjoy such support. Two groups that often back primaries against incumbent senators, the Senate Conservatives Fund and Madison Project, both praised the general concept of a conservative challenge against Mr. Cornyn but stopped short of endorsing Mr. Stockman. A spokesman for the well-endowed Club for Growth did not immediately comment on the unexpected match-up.

Further, it appears that Mr. Stockman will not have the support of Mr. Cornyn’s colleague, Senator Ted Cruz, who is popular among the sort of grassroots conservatives in the state the congressman would need to upset Mr. Cornyn.

“As the Senator has said many times, he will likely not get involved in any incumbent primaries,” said Sean Rushton, Mr. Cruz’s communications director.

Mr. Cruz’s presence in the Senate is an illustration of the conservative bent of the state’s Republican primary voters and the potential of at least
an opening for Mr. Stockman. The freshman senator toppled a better-funded and better-known opponent, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, to win his party’s Senate nomination last year. But there are myriad differences between that race and Mr. Stockman’s 11th-hour challenge, most notably the short window the congressman has to put together a campaign against a formidable opponent who has a solidly conservative record.

Mr. Cornyn’s campaign manager, Brendan Steinhauser, made no mention of Mr.Stockman in a statement Monday night.

“Endorsed by Texas Right to Life and ranked as the 2nd most conservative Senator in America, Senator Cornyn looks forward to discussing his
conservative record with Texans,” said Mr. Steinhauser.

What is certain, though, is that Mr. Stockman will keep Mr. Cornyn tethered to the right at least through March. A supporter of impeaching President Barack Obama who has a penchant for making provocative statements, the Houston-area congressman is likely to raise questions about the incumbent’s fidelity to the conservative movement. Mr. Cornyn was criticized by some on the right for breaking with Mr. Cruz in the debate over whether to tie the federal health law to funding the federal government. In entering the race Monday, Mr. Stockman cited that split, telling a conservative website that the incumbent “undermined” Mr. Cruz’s effort to block funding for the health law.

Sunday Breakfast Menu, Dec. 8

Stephen Crowley/The New York Times

Nelson Mandela, the first black president of South Africa, died Thursday, leaving many to eulogize and honor the world leader. Mr. Mandela led his country’s emancipation from white minority control, after spending 27 years in prison for opposing apartheid rule. Many Sunday shows will celebrate the life and legacy of Mr. Mandela, gathering guests who knew him both personally and professionally.

A six-month interim nuclear deal with Iran, signed by six world powers, including the United States, last month, has drawn both praise and criticism from political leaders. The deal aims to ease painful economic sanctions on Iran in return for a freeze on part of the country’s nuclear program.

Both subjects are likely to dominate the conversation on the Sunday morning news shows.

Guests on ABC’s “This Week” will include Jendayi Frazer, a former United States ambassador to South Africa; Stan Greenberg, who was a pollster for Mr. Mandela; Bill Keller, a former South Africa bureau chief for The New York Times who has written a biography of Mr. Mandela; and Gary McDougall, who was a member of the electoral commission that oversaw the South Africa’s first democratic elections in 1994. Also on the show, Senators Dick Durbin, Democrat of Illinois, and Rob Portman, Republican of Ohio, will go toe-to-toe over the budget and income inequality, topics President Obama has addressed directly this past week.

The poet Maya Angelou, who first met Mr. Mandela in the 1960s and published a poem Friday in honor of the former president, will appear on CBS’s “Face the Nation.” She will be joined by James Baker, former secretary of state, who was the first high-level American official to meet with Mr. Mandela after his release from prison in 1990, and Randall Robinson, the founder of TransAfrica, the oldest African-American foreign policy organization.

On “Fox News Sunday,” South Africa’s former foreign minister, Pik Botha, will share his reflections on Mr. Mandela. Senator Rand Paul, Republican of Kentucky, will also appear on the show to discuss the possibility of a 2016 presidential run and his latest thoughts on the Affordable Care Act.

Representative Michael McCaul, Republican of Texas and the chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, will join Representative Adam Schiff, Democrat of California and a member of the Intelligence Committee, to discuss the Iran nuclear deal on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

On CSPAN’s “Newsmakers,” another Democrat, Representative Adam Smith of Washington, will discuss foreign and defense policies, including the Defense Authorization bill, the sequester and the Iranian nuclear deal. The program airs Sunday at 10 a.m. Eastern.

Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright already weighed in on Iran, North Korea and China’s relationship with the United States on Bloomberg’s “Political Capital” Friday, which will be broadcast again over the weekend.

Ms. Albright’s former boss, former President Bill Clinton, will appear Sunday morning on Univision’s “Al Punto,” to talk about the Affordable Care Act. Last month, Mr. Clinton criticized Mr. Obama for not keeping his promise to allow Americans to keep their current health insurance under the new law. But Mr. Clinton recently defended those comments, telling CNN he meant them to be “supportive.” The show airs at 10 a.m. Eastern.

Coalition of Evangelical Churches Seeks Prayers for Boehner on Immigration

A coalition of evangelical Christian churches pushing for an overhaul of the immigration laws will run radio commercials over the next two weeks calling for prayers for the speaker of the House, John A. Boehner of Ohio, to take up legislation on the issue.

The Evangelical Immigration Table, which includes the National Association of Evangelicals and 10 other Christian organizations and churches, will run 60-second spots on WTOP, a news and talk station in Washington, and on more than 30 Christian radio stations throughout North Carolina and the Dallas-Fort Worth region. Ads in Spanish will run in Orange County, Calif.

“More than ever, Speaker Boehner needs our prayers,” says Pastor Dub Karriker of the Christian Assembly Church in Durham, N.C., in the ads running in that state. He says Congress should pass “a true conservative solution” to fix the immigration system. “Please join me in praying for Speaker Boehner and House leadership, that God will help them find an immigration solution that reflects biblical values,” Pastor Karriker says.

The coalition said it had spent more than $1 million this year on ads promoting its message, and more than 200,000 people have signed up online to pray for House leaders. The groups favor broad legislation that includes a path to citizenship for immigrants in the country illegally.

Although House Republican leaders have said time is short to schedule immigration votes this year, Mr. Boehner said again this week he is “hopeful” for action on the issue. Many House Republicans have been reluctant to move on the divisive issue, saying support is not clear in their districts, while conservative opponents are active and vocal. Many Republican districts have small populations of immigrants and Latinos.

“Members of the House need to hear from constituents who may not be Latino but who are evangelical Christians who are in favor of immigration reform,” Leith Anderson, president of the National Association of Evangelicals, said on a press call Thursday.