Trimming the Times: Pessimistic America; Battle for Airwaves
Now that The New York Times pay wall is live, you only get 20 free clicks a month. For those worried about hitting their limit, we're taking a look through the paper each morning to find the stories that can make your clicks count.
One of the day's top stories centers on a building in Newark, New Jersey, that lost its contract with the federal government for subsidies that pay most of the tenants' rent. The tenants will still get Section 8 vouchers, but they now have to move elsewhere and most say they can't afford to. (Or pay the utilities in a new building.) Another feature looks at how theme parks have turned Halloween into a major destination date for visitors, but now have to find new ways to top themselves in the scare department.
World: The new release of some of Saddam Hussein's papers gives some insight into the mind of the dictator, revealing a paranoid, obsessive leader who was "prone to epic miscalculations" when it came to dealing with other nations.
U.S.: Did you know that 50 years ago, women were not allowed to (officially) run in road races? Julia Chase-Brand broke that barrier in 1961 and will commemorate the occasion on Thanksgiving. There's also new fuel for the fire on the HPV vaccine debate as a federal panel recommends giving the shot to young boys as well. Speaking of playing with fire, the paper looks at new anti-abortion laws that are attempting to give "personhood" to fertilized eggs and would turn even some birth control methods into murder.
Business / Technology: Amazon's stock lost about $16 billion yesterday after a weak earning reports sent investors fleeing to the woods. Chemical companies like DuPont, however, are still doing fine. They've beaten expectation for 11 straight quarters. Heinz is rolling the dice on a new fancy "balsamic vinegar" ketchup and new media sales strategy: it can only be purchased through Facebook. (For now.)
Science: Medical device companies have found an important ally in the war against government regulation. Venture capitalists are fighting to remove roadblocks to FDA approval of their products, which would remove a roadblock to VC's cashing in on their investments.
Sports: After a botched call to the bullpen in the Game 5 of the World Series, here's a look at the actual phones used to connect managers to relief pitchers and why they're used in the first place. (Haven't they heard of Skype?)
Arts: Fans of 80's nostalgia might want to check out this review of a new oral history of MTV.
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Dashiell Bennett
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