Republican New York mayoral nominee Joe Lhota has brought a new, urgent issue to the fore in the race to be the next chief executive of the city: Where do the candidates stand on the Nicaraguan civil war of the 1980s?

Patagonia is a company that sells jackets with the subtle, socially responsible message "I am a significantly better human being than you." People who wear Patagonia jackets are successful enough to take ski vacations and purchase $250 items of clothing that resemble trash bags, but also conscientious enough to donate…