Results tagged “nytimes”

As you could probably tell by all those fliers piling up in your vestibule, the Census is ready to take your info. But apparently they've been having a hard time finding everyone in the city. The New York Times reports that the Census has discovered nearly 300,000 people they missed the last time around because they didn't have their addresses. more ›

For the second time this week, the New York Times has published a long, unfavorable look at Governor Paterson. Again, there are no reports of Paterson doing coke off strippers' tramp stamps during Executive Mansion swinger parties, but today's profile is actually quite damning in its own way, painting a portrait of a lazy, careless politician who's basically out to lunch. The low points: more ›

The Times business reporter who resigned yesterday after the Wall Street Journal accused him of lifting copy from their articles has come clean about the situation. 31-year-old Zachery Kouwe tells the Observer that when his editors told him about the allegations, he "was in complete shock. Then I started worrying and started thinking, how the fuck did this happen?" Apparently, it happened because Kouwe, in his rush to crank out content, forgot that some of the information he was piecing together was other people's writing, not his own: more ›

The Times has at last published its hotly anticipated bombshell exposé anticlimactic profile on Governor Paterson, and, as it turns out, the piece contains no salacious details on the rumored "drug fueled swinger parties" in the Executive Mansion. Instead, the article mainly focuses on Paterson's longtime right-hand man, David Johnson, and his shady past selling crack and (allegedly) beating women. Paterson and others call him D.J., and colleagues say that because he's 6-foot-7, with a booming voice, he makes the legally blind Governor feel safe. And when arguments with constituents got heated in Paterson's former Harlem office, one source explains, "It was good to have a big guy in the office." more ›

A day after the New York Times Co. shocked skeptics by revealing it actually turned a profit last year, it appears there might be more layoffs at Gray Lady. The Wrap reports that despite the paper's seemingly improving economic state, when asked whether there will be staff cuts in 2010 chief financial officer James Follo responded: "I think we would expect that to be the case, yes." It's not clear whether or not the cuts will be in the newsroom, which last year lost popular writers including Jennifer 8. Lee to buyouts, and others including trend piece extraordinaire Allen Salkin to layoffs. The paper is expected to introduce a controversial paywall on its website in 2010.
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Attention journalism fans: The New York Times Co. actually made money last year. And that's even before everyone started refreshing nytimes.com every five minutes in hopes the "bombshell" Paterson story would drop. The Times reports that a slight fourth quarter uptick allowed the company to turn a "modest profit" of $19.9 million in 2009, after losing $57.8 million in 2008. more ›

With speculation about the contents of a forthcoming New York Times "bombshell" report on Governor Paterson reaching a fever pitch, Paterson personally addressed the salacious rumors in an interview with the Associated Press yesterday, reiterating that he hasn't been involved sexually with another woman since he was separated from his wife a decade ago, and hasn't done drugs since his early 20s. "For the last couple of weeks I have been the subject of what, even by Albany standards, has been a spate of outrageous rumors about me," Paterson said. "There is an accountability that should exist in the media. How do I get my reputation back? Because I don't believe I have done anything to deserve this kind of bashing." (Yesterday, a source close to Paterson told Daily Intel that the Times's story "is PG-13, not XXX.") more ›

[UPDATES BELOW] Everyone's talking about the supposed "bombshell" article on Governor Paterson that the NY Times is said to be sitting on (except the NY Times). Over the weekend, Paterson met privately with key Democratic leaders, but his campaign spokesman says the "routine" meetings concerned his re-election plans, not the sensational rumors of a drug and sex scandal that some speculate will end his administration. "The governor started making calls two weeks ago to step up his campaign effort and get ready to officially announce his re-election campaign," Fife told the AP. "The calls were—and are—going well... And then look what happens—a coordinated effort to stop him and spread rumors." But one source reveals that Paterson's resignation was discussed. more ›

Finally, master thespian David Arquette (of Scream, Scream 2, Scream 3 and Scream 4) has spoken out in defense of his wife, Courtney Cox. It's been a little over a week since the New York Times's Andy Port declared that the incredibly thin actress looked like she put on a little weight (along with Jennifer Aniston and Kate Hudson), pointing out: "You could definitely see the difference if you concentrated solely on the upper arms." Now Arquette comes to his lady's rescue, saying: "Who really cares? I love round people, I love skinny people. I love people in general; we've got to get past labels and stop being so critical about everything." more ›

Thanks a lot, Times. It seems that since they blew the lid on smokeasies a few weeks ago, there has been serious re-cracking down on Bloomberg's smoking ban. The Times reported that bars like GoldBar and the Libertine freely allowed bar-goers to smoke inside, and some even hired cigarette girls to hand out free smokes. But Steve Lewis of BlackBook has seen a change since the piece was published: "Nightclubs are being inspected by teams of cops and health department mercenaries constantly and it’s beginning to get ugly. An operator has told me that you can expect a visit at least every other day." Well, it was fun while it lasted. Just nobody tell the Times about all those old-timey salteasies that have been popping up in Brooklyn! more ›

When Tyra sent her would-be top models out on the streets to pose as part of the homeless masses, never did we think the Gray Lady would follow her lead. But last night, the NY Times's Natasha Lennard went into the night to pose as a homeless person, as did 200 others, to test the system. Would she and her fellow faux-hobos get counted by the Homeless Outreach Population Estimate (HOPE) census takers? The count takes place one winter night a year... and (spoiler alert) she was counted by the organization (at which time she told them she was a decoy). more ›

This whole business of charging readers for access to the New York Times website got us thinking about a slight ethical dilemma we ignore every Sunday afternoon while liberating a fat, neglected copy of the Times from some out-of-towner's stoop. How early is too early to steal someone's Sunday Times? For guidance, we asked a couple NY Times reporters. (They don't get free subscriptions!) One veteran staff reporter, who agreed to speak anonymously, is surprisingly brazen: more ›

It's been a couple of days since we pointed out that the Gray Lady ran an altered image of Christina Hendricks at the Golden Globes, in an article where writer Cathy Horyn used an anonymous quote to call the actress "big." Since then, the story has made the rounds, and the Paper of Record has printed an explanation, of sorts, saying: "The photo was slightly distorted inadvertently due to an error during routine processing. The photograph has been replaced." more ›

The free ride's over (again) at the New York Times website. As expected, the Gray Lady's going to start making bitches pay for her services on the side of the information superhighway. Today the Times announced the details on its upcoming website pay wall; starting in 2011, visitors to NYTimes.com will get a certain number of articles free every month, then they'll be required to pay a flat fee for unlimited access. (Subscribers to the newspaper’s print edition will receive full access to the site.) According to this article on the Times website (copied and pasted below for you to read for free), the whole fate of the paper is riding on this one: more ›

After suspicious pasta salad (allegedly) took out fifteen New York Times employees who ate it in the paper's cafeteria, The Daily Finance had the bright idea to peruse the health inspection records of the Gray Lady's fancy office eatery. While the cafeteria's most recent inspection resulted in 10 violation points (lower than the city-wide average of 14 points), it's a horse of a different putrid color over at their printing plant in Queens. In February of last year it was cited for "evidence of roaches or live roaches in food and/or non-food areas," "conditions conducive to vermin" and improperly installed or maintained plumbing, earning it 18 violation points. That's not enough to shut it down, but apparently the Times thinks that's good enough for their blue collar workers. more ›

We've been getting some inquiries about when this year's Ringling Bros. Elephant Walk may be (it's usually at the end of March)... but before you get all amped up to see the mammals march through Manhattan, PETA has put a nice, big reminder in the NY Times today. The full page ad shows images of elephants being treated poorly, with the words "an elephant never forgets." It was last summer that the organization released incriminating video of animal abuse at Ringling, so it'll be interesting to see if that effects the turnout for this year's walk. more ›

A coffee war is brewing in Crown Heights, so you know the NY Times is on the scene to count the bodies (and the beans). Two new coffee shops, The Pulp and the Bean and The Breukelen Coffee House, began trading insults and blog posts leading up to opening this month on Franklin Avenue, two blocks away from each other. Besides vows to “buy your coffee machines in about eight months when you decide to close up,” it's actually a pretty friendly fight, but the Times sees a bigger picture, commenting on the neighborhood history and the new opportunities for local rivalries to bicker through the internet. The owner of The Pulp and the Bean sums it up nicely though: “I’d rather see more coffee shops and restaurants open than bodegas and nail salons.” more ›

According to the AP, police officers raided the circulation offices of the NY Times, Daily News, NY Post, and El Diario today "as part of a union corruption probe... Investigators were seeking paperwork related to the Newspaper and Mail Deliverers Union, which packages and delivers newspapers across the region." more ›

Oscar-winning actress Penelope Cruz and director Pedro Almodovar are the main feature of the NY Times' Holiday Movies section. But don't ask about Cruz's relationship with Javier Bardem! "Asked if a wedding is in the works, she said, with a pleasant smile and eyes of cold steel: 'You are a writer for The New York Times, yes? I think maybe you are not supposed to ask that kind of question.'" more ›

In reporting its parent company's $35.6 million third quarter loss, the NY Times notes that it "collect[ed] more from readers than from advertisers, in an industry where advertising traditionally outweighed circulation in revenue by at least three to one. At the company’s New York Times Media Group, which includes The Times and The International Herald Tribune, circulation revenue reached $175.2 million in the third quarter, while ad revenue dropped to $164.5 million." Earlier this week, the Times announced 100 newsroom positions would be slashed. more ›

Today, the NY Times launched announced its new editorial series on the incompetence of the NY State government, called "Failed State." A year away from state elections, a fired-up Times rails against the "inbred system [which] allows so many lawmakers to abuse the public trust," summarizing some of the more egregious abuses of the past couple years and some of the major grievances which they plan to address in the series. Warning—if you don't already want to head up to Albany with a pitchfork, you will now: more ›

The New York Times posted an article today for anyone who's ever had to endure subway transfers to get to their beloved. They track the story of one couple, Peter Horan and Afton Vermeer, who must trek nearly an hour and a half to see each other in the same city (Horan lives in western Harlem, Vermeer in Sunset Park.) While this is not news to many couples in the city, the Times reports that it seems to be happening more and more, with a variety of repercussions. more ›

After looking for bids since July, the NY Times Co. has decided not to sell the Boston Globe. The NY Times reports, "The Globe did not draw high bids, and the company chairman, Arthur Sulzberger Jr., said last month that the paper’s finances had improved enough that the company no longer believed it had to sell if the offers were not attractive enough." more ›

This week the new chief dining critic at the NY Times, Sam Sifton, debuts with a rave for DBGB, Daniel Boulud's casual sausage/beer/etc. joint on the Bowery. The first review from the former NY Press reporter boasts references to The Ramones, Talking Heads, and a declaration that "[Boulud's] food game, as they say in rap precincts, is tight... one bite of the crispy lamb ribs that were served in the bar area when the place first opened — sweetly glazed, grassy meat, with a dab of creamy mint-flecked yogurt sauce — ended all snark: Boulud has opened a very good restaurant. The lamb was sublime, earthy and spicy and rich, evidence of superb technique, the sort of snack that separates his empire from others in the celebrity firmament." more ›

After two entertaining yet vicious slams on Hotel Griffou and Gus & Gabriel, interim Times dining heavy Pete Wells throws a one-star bone to The Standard Grill, which has been winning over critics despite the grotesquely exclusive velvet rope scene at the door. Wells declares that "it is not the place I would send friends who want to study the latest contortions of the yoga masters of haute cuisine. But it is exactly where I would direct anybody who needs to recharge by plugging straight into the abundant, renewable energy source that is downtown Manhattan." And yet! "The tiled, barrel-vaulted ceiling makes for treacherous acoustics. At times conversations across the room are beamed directly to your table. Sitting by the open kitchen one night, we heard an expediter shouting out orders as if he were communicating with cooks in Jersey City." Still, "with 100 seats in this room, another 100 in an even noisier antechamber, and 85 more on the sidewalk, it is a marvel that the kitchen reliably bangs out solid, flavorful food." more ›

Since it would be a shame if you missed this and walked around Williamsburg like a fool without a coconut, here's the latest NY Times style piece about walking around Williamsburg with a coconut. Although we share NYMag's apprehension of this "trend," as we've actually never seen anyone doing it, and even if we did, there's allegedly no alcohol in these coconuts; we are simply not interested in your virgin trends, Gray Lady. more ›

The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation announced 24 "Genius Awards" recipients today, including New Yorkers Theodore Zoli, Deborah Eisenberg and Rackstraw Downes. They also include L. Mahadevan, "an applied mathematician at Harvard who investigates behaviors like how flags flutter and how skin wrinkles." Apparently, studies like this merit $500,000? The Times has a full list of the winners. more ›

Having blown one of the most coveted jobs in journalism through sheer mendacity, laziness, and drug abuse, former New York Times reporter Jayson Blair has found work coaching others on how to live their lives. It was over six years ago that Blair caused a huge scandal at the Times, after it was discovered that he'd fabricated a number of articles, deeply embarrassing the paper of record and bringing down executive editor Howell Raines and managing editor Gerald M. Boyd with him. But now Blair's turned the beat around and is certified to coach lives, at a mental health practice in northern Virginia—here's his website. Blair tells the AP, "People say, 'Wait a minute. You're a life coach?' That makes no sense. Then they think about my life experiences and what I've been through and they say 'Wait a minute. It does make sense.'" And Blair's boss, psychologist Michael Oberschneider, coos, "Very few people can go through what he did and come back. He really is a success story." Unfortunately, that's exactly what Raines thought before Blair went and burned his house down. more ›

Today Frank Bruni ends his five year gig at the Times with a review of the Redhead, an East Village bar that gradually evolved into a casual restaurant with, some say, the best fried chicken in town. Quoth the Bruni: "It isn’t exactly like any other downtown restaurant I know—its semi-polished, Southern-inflected pub grub is all its own—but it sharply reflects a few of the most prominent and rewarding developments in Manhattan dining over the years during which I’ve had the privilege of serving as The Times’s restaurant critic. more ›

JC Penney has arrived in Herald Square, leaving locals disaffected and tourists hurling towards a familiar sight. Is Penney's our TGIFriday's of retail? The NY Times reports on the department store's new digs, look and goods with, dare we say, a biting tone that's less becoming than a plethora of polysynthetics. Miss Size 2 reporter guesstimates that 96% of the inventory is made of polyester, and it's nearly impossible to find anything below a size 10. She adds, "it has the most obese mannequins I have ever seen. They probably need special insulin-based epoxy injections just to make their limbs stay on. It’s like a headless wax museum devoted entirely to the cast of Roseanne.” Hopefully there are enough airbrushed magazine covers out there to combat this, lest little girls grow up thinking it's okay to be anything more than a size 2. more ›