fit-to-print

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In Washington, D.C., Peggielene Bartels is a Secretary. In Ghana, She's a King.

by Phoebe Connelly Peggielene Bartels was a secretary until a 4 a.m. phone call turned her into... READ ON

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Watch "The Naked Writer" Write, Live (But Not in the Nude)

Most of us who write for a living recoil at the thought of other people (outsiders!) watching us write, live, as it happens -- the masses would see not only our terrible typers typos, but also have a way to judge our ultra-slow progress. Most of us don't write in a gallery with a crowd watching. So it's surprising that author Silvia Hartmann has invited readers to watch her write her novel The Dragon Lords live on Google Docs. Yes, Hartmann has asked the world to watch every keystroke as it lands, every... READ ON

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Old News: Very Early Media Coverage of the GOP Candidates

Every week, I used to wander into the New York Times archives to find the first time the paper covered various topics (like The Walkman). In honor of tonight's Iowa Caucus, we're bringing back "The First Time News Was Fit to Print." Here are the first times The Times mentioned each of the remaining GOP candidates. Mitt Romney February 28, 1960 A Maverick Starts a New 'Crusade' George Romney feels that he has pat across the compact car. Now he is turning his missionary fervor to a campaign to reshape... READ ON

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10 Headlines from 9/11/01

We spent the summer of 2001 chastising Gary Condit, mourning Mr. Belvedere, and pardoning Microsoft. But on the second Tuesday of September, a mere twenty months after widespread wisecracks about the world ending on Y2K, it felt like the world did. I've been reading through the online archives of The New York Times from September 11, 2001, to see what was in the news the morning of the attacks. Here are some of the headlines: 1. Taliban Suicide Bombers Target Deposed Afghan Leaders "If the would-be... READ ON

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The First Time News Was Fit to Print: Disneyland, Search Engines & Texlahoma

Welcome to another edition of The First Time News Was Fit To Print, the semi-regular feature where we travel into the archives of The New York Times and find the first time the paper covered various subjects. If you have a suggestion for a future installment, leave a comment. Disneyland May 2, 1954 Land of Fantasia Is Rising on Coast A cost estimate of $9,000,000 for the building of Disneyland was made today with the announcement that a 160-acre site had been selected for the ambitious amusement... READ ON

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The First Time News Was Fit to Print: Michael Jackson

Every now and again, we head into the archives of The New York Times to find the first time the paper covered a particular topic. With the media offering non-stop coverage of his memorial service today, let's look back at what the Times had to say about Michael Jackson when he was just getting started: Michael Jackson April 25, 1973 The Jackson Five, black and from Detroit, were the pioneers, and their weeny-bopper attraction is Michael, now aged 14, who at this year's Academy Award ceremonies sang... READ ON

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The Walkman Turns 30

I just heard that the Sony Walkman turns 30 this week. To celebrate, let's revisit the first time The New York Times gave it a mention, in an article titled "Stereo-to-Go "“ and Only You Can Hear": "Josh Lansing and the young blonde woman had never even met before, but as they passed each other on Madison Avenue the other afternoon, she waved and smiled and he tipped his headphones in salute....What the two well-dressed strangers first noticed about each other was that they were both possessors... READ ON

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The First Time News Was Fit To Print

It's time for another edition of The First Time News Was Fit To Print, the semi-regular feature where we travel into the archives of The New York Times to find the first time the paper covered various subjects. If you have a suggestion for a future installment, leave a comment. Hubble Telescope January 3, 1989 Delayed NASA Missions Prepare for Takeoff In December the long-awaited Hubble Space Telescope is scheduled to be lofted into Earth orbit from a shuttle, giving astronomers not only a clearer... READ ON

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The First Time News Was Fit To Print

It's time for another edition of The First Time News Was Fit To Print, the semi-regular feature where we travel into the archives of The New York Times and find the first time the paper covered various subjects. If you have a suggestion for a future installment, leave a comment. Chat Rooms June 20, 1993 Tomorrow's TV: Will They Sit By The Set, Or Ride A Data Highway? "It surprised us," said Stephen M. Case, the company's president, "to discover that our subscribers don't look to America Online... READ ON

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Clay Shirky on Newspapers: How the Unthinkable Happened

Clay Shirky is an adjunct professor of New Media at NYU. He writes about technology (okay, pretty much just the internet) and its effects on relationships and culture. Recently he posted a brilliant essay called Newspapers and Thinking the Unthinkable, about what happened to newspapers in the 90s, how they saw the internet coming (and what it meant for the newspaper's business model), and what happened to those pragmatists who observed what was happening. In short, Shirky explains "the unthinkable... READ ON