Categories
Kitchen sink

[1374] Of NYT dumps TimesSelect

Just over 2 years after putting a number of high quality articles behind subscription, NYT sees the light (via):

NEW YORK (Reuters) – The New York Times Co said on Monday it will end its paid TimesSelect Web service and make most of its Web site available for free in the hopes of attracting more readers and higher advertising revenue.

TimesSelect will shut down on Wednesday, two years after the Times launched it, which charges subscribers $7.95 a month or $49.95 a year to read articles by columnists such as Maureen Dowd and Thomas Friedman.

The trademark orange “T’s” marking premium articles will begin disappearing Tuesday night, said the Web site’s Vice President and General Manager Vivian Schiller. [New York Times to end paid Internet service. Reuters. September 17 2007]

Told you they made the wrong move.

Screenshot. Fair use.

Entitled to their opinion?

I demand the NYT apologize to each and every reader that was deprived of Krugman’s polemics! A dear readers is not enough!

Heh.

Categories
Economics

[1373] Of 50 basis points cut!

Whoa!

The Federal Open Market Committee decided today to lower its target for the federal funds rate 50 basis points to 4-3/4 percent.

Economic growth was moderate during the first half of the year, but the tightening of credit conditions has the potential to intensify the housing correction and to restrain economic growth more generally.  Today’s action is intended to help forestall some of the adverse effects on the broader economy that might otherwise arise from the disruptions in financial markets and to promote moderate growth over time.

Readings on core inflation have improved modestly this year.  However, the Committee judges that some inflation risks remain, and it will continue to monitor inflation developments carefully.

Developments in financial markets since the Committee’s last regular meeting have increased the uncertainty surrounding the economic outlook.  The Committee will continue to assess the effects of these and other developments on economic prospects and will act as needed to foster price stability and sustainable economic growth.

Voting for the FOMC monetary policy action were: Ben S. Bernanke, Chairman; Timothy F. Geithner, Vice Chairman; Charles L. Evans; Thomas M. Hoenig; Donald L. Kohn; Randall S. Kroszner; Frederic S. Mishkin; William Poole; Eric Rosengren; and Kevin M. Warsh.

In a related action, the Board of Governors unanimously approved a 50-basis-point decrease in the discount rate to 5-1/4 percent.  In taking this action, the Board approved the requests submitted by the Boards of Directors of the Federal Reserve Banks of Boston, New York, Cleveland, St. Louis, Minneapolis, Kansas City, and San Francisco. [Press Release. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. September 18 2007]

Categories
Photography

[1372] Of Nikon D40

’nuff said.

Categories
Liberty

[1371] Of 45th Malaysia Day

September 16 2007 is the 45th Malaysia Day, marking the 44th year of the Malaysian federation.

Public domain.

And no. There is no mistake.

Categories
History & heritage

[1370] Of Asia around 1200s, before the fall of Srivijaya

There are wonderful maps at Wikipedia and this is one of them.

Wikipedia. Public domain.

The map approximates the situation in Asia at the turn of the 13th century. That is roughly 500 years after Jayavarman II declared Khmer’s independence from Srivijaya, about 300 years after the devastating raids by the Cholas on Srivijaya and less than a century before Majapahit sealed the end of one of the greatest maritime empires in Southeast Asia.