Trimming the Times

New York's Grid, Life in Hospitals, and Darth Vader's Backup

The Atlantic Wire / Cyril Bousselet's Flickr
Dashiell Bennett 687 Views Jan 3, 2012

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.

Top Stories: It's the 200th anniversary of "the grid," Manhattan's decision to structure its city based on the parallel lines of numbered streets and avenues. How the goal of every Iowa candidate is simply to do better (or make it look like they did better) than people expected. 

Opinion: An expert on the region says that organized criminals, not the Muslim group Boko Haram, are responsible for the violence and unrest in Nigeria.

World: How poor families ration food and take days off from eating to stay alive in the Congo. An activist in China who was left crippled and homeless by police is about to be sentenced to prison again for "picking quarrels" and disturbing public order.

U.S.: Indiana is the next battleground over "right to work" laws, which prevent unions from charging mandatory dues on employees.

Health: Hospitals are filled with (and paying the bill for) uninsured patients or illegal immigrants who could be discharged or sent to cheaper facilities, but can't be kicked out without somewhere else to go. Some of them are stuck in this "bureaucratic limbo" for years. Some researchers are questioning a common tactic for treating anorexia patients, who are typically fed very small meals out of fear that too much food will shock the system.

Books: Two new reads for anyone spending time in a hospital: Confessions of a Surgeon and The Patient's Checklist.

Science: How a Ph.D. in mathematics ended up teaching freshman biology (a course he never took in school) to M.I.T. students.

Arts: Blindfolded professional violinists are unable to tell the difference between a Stradivarius and a cheaper instrument, and they often prefer the newer version.

Obituaries: Bob Anderson, an ex-Olympic fencer who choreographed some of Hollywood's greatest swords fights, and even took part in some as a stand-in for Darth Vader.

Want to add to this story? Let us know in comments or send an email to the author at dbennett at theatlantic dot com. You can share ideas for stories on the Open Wire.

Related Articles   More by Dashiell Bennett

Trimming the Times: An American in Pakistan; Weekend Storms

Trimming the Times: Obama and Jobs; Farewell Clamshells

Trimming the Times: Phone Hack Testimony; Island's Tale

 

Read Obama's Big Speech on Drones and a New 'Targeted' War

The Mystery of the Queens Accountant Held for $3 Million for 32 Days

Elsewhere on the Web

User Comments

Please type your comment and click Post. If you’re not already logged in you will be prompted to log in or register

  • The Atlantic Wire on Twitter
  • The Atlantic Wire RSS Feed
  • The Atlantic Wire iPhone App