InTheEmpire

This is the seed blog for InTheEmpire, a Streetwise Media site specifically for NYC, set to officially launch this April. Follow @InTheEmpire for up-to-the-minute news. The talented folks running this site are -- Will Wei, Sam Dwyer, & Sarah Shanfield. For more info, feel free to email us at [email protected].

[intheempire-blog]

Linsanity In Book Form: Jeremy Lin Bio Coming Out March 31

By Will Wei

Judging by the drastically reduced prices of Jeremy Lin gear, it's safe to say that Linsanity is over. Hell, even the New York Times declared "Linsanity has left the building."

Sounds like no one told Right Fit Reading the news of Linsanity's departure, though. The New York based publishing company announced today that it will release the "first-to-print unauthorized biography" of Jeremy Lin. The bio, titled "From the End of the Bench to Stardom," is authored by Bill Davis and will hit the bookshelves on March 31st.

Here's what the unauthorized bio is all about, via a release by Right Fit Reading:

"From the End of the Bench to Stardom" traces the life of the basketball star, from childhood into his college years at Harvard University, and beyond. Through exclusive interviews and the colorful recollections of Harvard insiders, including his college basketball coach, author Bill Davis introduces the real Jeremy Lin as told by those who know him best.

Capitalizing on Lin's heritage and immense popularity in China and Taiwan, the bio will also be available in Chinese. 

Lin's numbers have been down coming out of the All Star Break, but since the departure of Mike D'Antoni, the Knicks have won four straight and Lin has been putting up solid, though not Linsane, numbers.

Even if Lin's on-court production kicks back up, will New Yorkers care? Because, you know, Tim Tebow.

[intheempire-blog]

BREAKING: Jets Acquire Tebow For 4th Round Pick

By Sam Dwyer

According to ESPN.com, our very own NY Jets have acquired Denver Bronco's QB Tim Tebow for a fourth round draft pick.  

After the Bronco's announced their signing of Peyton Manning--arguably the best passer in NFL history--to a 5-year, $96 mil contract, it was apparent the team would have limited use for their former starter.  

Still, the trade has already raised a few eyebrows.  Here's what ESPN had to say: 

The timing of the trade is curious.

Two weeks ago, the Jets gave Sanchez a three-year, $40.5 million contract extension, professing their faith in him even though he regressed in certain areas last season. They signed former Detroit Lion backup Drew Stanton last week to be their No. 2 quarterback, handing him a $500,000 signing bonus. They also have former Alabama star Greg McElroy.

With the Jets suffering from a plague of off-the-field issues that culminated in a season-ending collapse on the field, notoriously religious Tebow may be the prayer the team has been searching for.

Apparently, not everyone agrees.  Take a look at Antonio Cromartie's recent tweets:

  I couldn't care less what Cromartie has to say.  Bring on the #Timsanity. 

More to come on this breaking story.

[intheempire-blog]

The 41 New Yorkers You Need To Follow On Twitter

By Will Wei

Time just published a slideshow of the 140 best Twitter feeds of 2012. A little strange, considering it's March and we rang in 2012 less than three months ago.

At any rate, social media editors Allie Townsend and Amy Lombard of Time were tasked with the assignment of choosing the "140 Twitter feeds that are shaping the online conversation in 2012." 

Each Twitter handle falls under a certain category: Experts; Art, Style & Photography; Culture; Humor; Sports; News & Information; Tech & Geek; and Politics.

Tim Tebow made the list under the Sports category. He really belongs in the News & Information, Culture, Humor, and Experts categories, though. Because, he's Tim Tebow and he's made us all laugh, scream, feel more informed, and (maybe) cry at least once in our lives.

Of the 140 Twitter handles on this list, a whopping 41 of them reside in New York City. Take a look at the 41 New Yorkers you NEED to follow on Twitter:

Pat Kiernan -- I anchor the news on NY1 and host game shows. And I’m up early digging through the headlines to find interesting and important stories to Tweet.

Seth Meyers -- Head writer for Saturday Night Live and host of its Weekend Update segment.

Brian Stelter -- I report on TV & digital media for The New York Times. RT & links aren't endorsements.

Anderson Cooper -- Personal tweets by Anderson Cooper. Anchor of @AC360, weeknights at 8p/ET & 10p/ET on @CNN and daytime talk show host of @Anderson, airing weekdays.

John Hodgman -- All you need to know about wine, wealth, sports, and the end of the world.

BuzzFeed -- Feeding the buzz and such. Tweets by @_mikehayes.

Jay Rosen -- I teach journalism at NYU, direct the Studio 20 program there, critique the press and try to grok new media. I don't do lifecasting but mindcasting on Twitter.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta -- Staff Neurosurgeon, Emory Clinic CNN Chief Medical Correspondent

Cecile Richards -- President of Planned Parenthood Federation of America and Planned Parenthood Action Fund

OccupyWallSt -- News and information about the Occupy Wall Street movement. Opinions tweeted do not reflect the occupation as a whole. Official twitter of occupywallst.org #OWS

Ed Husain -- Senior Fellow for Middle Eastern Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR); author, 'The Islamist' (Penguin).

Daisy Khan -- Executive Director and Co-Founder of American Society of Muslim Advancement

Neil deGrasse Tyson -- Astrophysicist, American Museum of Natural History. Author: Space Chronicle, The Pluto Files,. Host: StarTalk Radio

GalleyCat -- The First Word on the Book Publishing Industry

McNally Jackson -- Bookstore dispatches from McNJ booksellers Dustin Kurtz and Sam MacLaughlin

Baratunde -- Author of #HowToBeBlack (http://howtobeblack.me) Dir. of Digital for @TheOnion. Reside in Brooklyn Live in Twitter. My tweets represent your employer's opinions

Longreads -- The best long-form stories on the web. Great with @ReadItLater, Flipboard, Instapaper. Use the #longreads tag to share your favorite stories. Est. 2009.

Vulture -- Devouring culture. Purveyor of #clickables.

Teju Cole -- Writer, art historian, street photographer, Distinguished Writer in Residence at Bard College.

Vogue -- The official twitter page of Vogue Magazine.

Kate Spade NY -- quick and curious and playful and strong. follow us for a glimpse into the world of kate spade new york.

Amy Odell -- BuzzFeed writer of girly things, cat owner, Beyonce lover.

Fashionista.com -- All the fashion news you need to know...and fast.

The Cut -- New York Magazine's fashion blog.

Tory Burch -- CEO and designer of Tory Burch, a "a luxury lifestyle brand."

Cathy Horyn -- Fashion critic of The New York Times, editor of the On the Runway blog. Reports from the shows in Paris, Milan and New York.

Joe Zee -- Creative Director of ELLE Magazine, Host of Sundance Channel's original series All On The Line With Joe Zee, Stylist, Fashion Loudmouth, Backup Dancer

Oscar PR Girl -- PR girl for Oscar de la Renta reporting from inside one of the world's most prestigious fashion houses. http://oscarprgirl.tumblr.com

Yoko Ono -- I love dancing. I think it's better to dance than to march through life.

Joe Randazzo -- Thinking about changing my profile photo since 2009. Editor of The Onion. 

Grace Helbig -- I vlog. I like funny.

The Onion -- America's Finest News Source. Follow @OnionPolitics for the latest War For The White House election coverage. 

The Times Is On It -- Because sometimes stories in newspapers are just *that* obvious.

Andy Revkin -- Pursuing ways to forge progress on a finite planet on http://j.mp/dotEARTH and at Pace U. The rest? Family, friends, living, music: http://j.mp/unclewade

Today Show -- America's favorite morning show. News, weather and everything else to help you make the most of your day. 4 hours of live TV, 140 characters at a time...

Tim Pool -- Independent Journalist covering political action and activism.#OpStream Agent

Matthew Keys -- Deputy Social Media Editor at @Reuters.(Any opinions are my own)

Rachel Zoll -- Associated Press national religion writer based in NYC. Native of Salem, Mass. RT are not endorsements.

Maria Popova -- Interestingness curator and semi-secret geek obsessed with combinatorial creativity. Editor of @brainpickings & @explorer. Bylines for @WiredUK & @TheAtlantic

Andy Borowitz -- There is a fine line between social networking and wasting your fucking life.

Taegan Goddard -- Publisher of Political Wire

If you're curious who else made the cut of Time's best Twitter feeds of 2012, check out their slideshow here. Or, if you hate clicking, check out their full list.

[intheempire-blog]

NYC Prepares To Double Its Renewable Energy Capacity

By Sam Dwyer

Fresh Kills Landfill--the 2,200 acre dump in Staten Island (pictured) where the majority of NYC's rotting garbage is laid to rest after stinking up our streets--is set to change its image from malodorous wasteland to green, clean, fighting machine.  

Yesterday, through the PlaNYC program, the City government released an official Request for Proposals (RFP) for companies to "design, construct, install and operate solar and wind power facilities" on 75 acres of the fill's land. 

Officials say that, if fully utilized, the project will more than double the city's renewable energy capacity and power over 6,000 homes. 

The announcement is a significant step for New York's plan to turn the city into the greenest and cleanest in the world but if I lived in Staten Island, I'd simply be happy that the heaping pile of 65 year-old filth is finally getting a few fans to air it out.

The RFP will operate on a rolling basis, accepting applications from now until February 2013.  Applicants will be judged mainly on the quality of their proposal, their experience in the industry, and their success with similar projects.  

[intheempire-blog]

Wanna Make Bank? Work In NYC's IT Industry

By Sam Dwyer

For any city to draw the best talent in an industry, it cannot rely on culture and community alone.  Employees could enjoy every minute they spend in the city and their office, but if they aren't adequately compensated for the service they provide, they're guaranteed to leave for greener pastures.  

Thankfully for New York's tech scene, a recent study by recruiting firm CyberCoders shows that the city ranks among the highest for IT salaries. The study analyzed the salaries of over 3,000 jobs in the industry and found that NY IT employees earn an average of $105,192.  

This doesn't land NYC at the top of the list though. Coming in ahead of the Big Apple are San Jose at $119,412 and San Fran at $112,739.  

According to CyberCoder's CTO Matt Miller via eWeek, employees who capture the higher range of salaries have intensity and a wide range of skills. "The highest-paid candidates," he said, "are those who have multi-platform skills and can design and code for the fast-paced, ever-changing world of mobile applications."

It's great to see our city challenging San Francisco on every level. Such an even playing field for salary means developers and programmers will base their employment decisions on every factor but salary...like which city spawns daytime stripper shows in the middle of the street. 

[intheempire-blog]

Wine and Dine with Walt 'Clyde' Frazier Tonight

By Sam Dwyer

Knickerbockers legend and current color commentator for MSG's Knicks coverage has opened a new restaurant only a few blocks away from MSG on March 16th.  The place is called Wine and Dine (it was between that or Lunch and Munch, which was deemed to limiting to the menu) and is located on in Hell's Kitchen at 485 10th Avenue.

Using his Twitter Walt has invited his followers to "slide and glide with 'Clyde'" at the restaurant after the game! 

I had the great honor of spending a few days with Clyde when I was a production assistant on MSG Network's Who Wore it Best and I can assure you that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity.  While I can't speak for the quality of food to be served, Walt is one of the greatest gentlemen, scholars, orators, and "cool cats" of his generation. Miss this and you'll be kicking yourself for the rest of your life.

[intheempire-blog]

Capitalize on 'Big Data' or Risk Failure, Says IBM [INFOGRAPHIC]

By Sam Dwyer

The hype around Big Data-- the use of "structured data found inside databases" and unstructured data "flowing from new sources like social media, mobile devices, sensors, RFID, smart meters and financial systems" to gain industry insights--has reached a deafening roar.  

Ardent supporters claim it can improve virtually every aspect of our lives in unimaginable ways.  Vehement opponents believe it could be an uncontrollable leviathan that, with the slightest miscalculation, could cause another crisis as disastrous as the 2008 financial collapse. 

Today, IBM released a Big Data infographic that will almost certainly intimidate a few businesses that find themselves on the other side of the debate. 

According to the infographic (below) Big Data is growing at an unprecedented rate.  By the end of 2012, the "digital universe" will grow to 2.7zb--48% larger than 2011.  If, like me, you weren't born with the inherent knowledge of what a zettabit is, 2.7zb = 2,700,000,000,000,000,000,000 bits.  What's more, the "digital universe" is predicted to triple over the three years after that to 8zb by 2015.  Still wonder why the NSA is building a $2bil, 25,000 sq ft data server in the middle of Utah?

The most interesting information in the infographic relates Big Data's effect on businesses.  With analytics, organizations are 2.2 times more likely to outperform their peers, earn 1.6 times higher revenue growth, 2 times the profit, and 2.5 times more stock appreciation.  At that rate, can any business afford to not look into Big Data?  

Take a look:

These are remarkable statistics but, in my opinion, they don't change much for the argument against Big Data. Few people will argue that Big Data doesn't have a role to play in most businesses. As with all hot new business tools, it is inevitable that Big Data helps those businesses that use it from the start.  What opponents are afraid of are the answers to questions like, "What happens when everyone has Big Data on their side? What happens when people rely too much on the quantifiable and too little on the qualifiable? What happens when a 'too big to fail' makes a minute mistake using Big Data?"

For now, IBM's statistics bode well for Big Data but they have to be taken with a grain of salt as the effect of applying Big Data over the long-term is still completely unclear.

[intheempire-blog]

Pole Dancing On The Corner Of 7th Ave & 30th St. RIGHT NOW [PHOTOS]

By Will Wei

So, this is happening: There's a stripper pole set up on 7th Ave between 29th and 30th St, and of course, there's a dancer twirling and spinning her way around and upside down the pole.

We have no idea what this could be for other than to maybe promote the US Pole Dance Championships. Or maybe the friendly folks from Panzai ("men's & ladies' custom made clothing") or LZ Sushi are up to this.

If you have any idea what this outdoor pole dancing is all about, Tweet us at @InTheEmpire.

(Images via Evan Novis)

[intheempire-blog]

Kickstarter Project Of The Day: Comedian Starts A Kickstarter To Buy Kickstarter

By Will Wei

Comedian Eric Moneypenny started a Kickstarter project titled "I Would Like To Buy Kickstarter." Needless to say, Mr. Moneypenny would like to buy Kickstarter. 

The funding goal of this project? A cool $19 million. Here's Moneypenny on his Kickstarter page:

Hi, my name is Eric Moneypenny. I would like to raise money to buy Kickstarter. WorthOfWeb.com estimates Kickstarter's worth at 18.6 million dollars. Therefore, I estimate that I will need at least 19,000,000 to make this happen.

Pledgers who donate $10,000 or more get to have a pizza party with Mr. Moneypenny himself, "the new owner and CEO of Kickstarter."

Now, of course, this all just one big joke. Although, if Moneypenny somehow did raise the $19 million, who knows what he'll do with the money. Maybe he'll really try to buy Kickstarter. Or maybe he'll just spend the rest of his life counting the money.

Either way, his Kickstarter is sitting stagnant with exactly 0 backers and $0 pledged toward his $19 million goal. Come on, people. Don't you want to have a pizza party with the soon-to-be owner and CEO of Kickstarter? I hear it's a pretty hot startup.

[intheempire-blog]

The Ultimate Mad Men Reading List

By Sam Dwyer

Earlier this month, we satisfied your stomach's hunger for Mad Men when we posted a map of every restaurant in NYC via Eater. Today, as the Season 5 air date approaches, we're quenching your thirst for Mad Men knowledge with an Ultimate Reading List.  

Using a list compiled by the New York Public Library--who are much more adept at judging books by their covers...on T.V. sets--here is every book seen and referenced in the series by season and episode, with links to Amazon so you can read more.  

The books range from children's novels to dictionaries.  Some are spiritual, self-help, or practical.  Others are well-regarded and there are a few I've never heard of. Regardless of their genres, audiences, or statures, almost all of them are more than mere props and provide insight into the show's characters, its direction, or the times as a whole. 

To help you analyze the subliminal messages or underlying themes behind the use of each book, we've also linked each season and episode to their appropriate guides. 

Season 1

Episode 1 — "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes"

Masterpieces of World Literature in Digest Form / Frank Magill

La Presidenta / Lois Gould

The Peking Man is Missing / Claire Taschdjian

The View from Chivo / H. Allen Smith

The Crisis of the Old Order / Arthur Schlesinger Jr. 

Episode 3 — "Marriage of Figaro"

Lady Chatterley's Lover / D. H. Lawrence

Episode 4 — "New Amsterdam"

Italy / Herbert Kubly and the editors of Life

Nursery Friends from France / translated by Olive Beaupre Miller

Episode 6 — "Babylon"

Exodus / Leon Uris

The Best of Everything / Rona Jaffe

Episode 8 — "The Hobo Code"

The Americans: The Colonial Experience / Daniel Boorstin

The Crisis of the Old Order / Arthur Schlesinger Jr.

Atlas Shrugged / Ayn Rand

--------------------

Season 2

Episode 1 — "For Those Who Think Young"

Meditations in an Emergency / Frank O’Hara

Episode 2 — "Flight 1"

The Agony and the Ecstasy / Irving Stone

Episode 3 — "The Benefactor"

Marjorie Morningstar / Herman Wouk

Episode 4 — "Three Sundays"

“A Diamond as Big as the Ritz” from Babylon Revisited and Other Stories / F. Scott Fitzgerald

Episode 8 — "A Night to Remember"

Admiral Hornblower in the West Indies / C. S. Forester

Episode 9 — "Six Month Leave"

Ship of Fools / Katherine Anne Porter

Episode 10 — "The Inheritance"

Junior Classics Volume One (Fairy Tales And Fables) and Volume Seven (The Animal Book)

Episode 11 — "Jet Set"

The Sound and the Fury/ William Faulkner

--------------------

Season 3

Episode 2 — "Love Among the Ruins"

The Compact Edition of the Oxford English Dictionary

Episode 3 — "My Old Kentucky Home"

The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire / Edward Gibbon

Episode 6 — "Guy Walks into an Advertising Agency"

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer / Mark Twain

Episode 7 — "Seven Twenty Three"

Be My Guest/ Conrad Hilton

Confessions of an Advertising Man / David Ogilvy

Episode 9 — "Wee Small Hours"

The Bible

Episode 10 — "The Color Blue"

Helping Yourself with Psychiatry / Frank Caprio 

Set Theory and Logic / Robert Stoll

Meeting with Japan / Fosco Maraini

The Corps (Series) / W.E.B. Griffin

The Group / Mary McCarthy

--------------------

Season 4

Episode 5 — "The Chrysanthemum and the Sword"

The Horse That Liked Sandwiches / Vivian L. Thompson

The Chrysanthemum and the Sword / Ruth Benedict

The Twenty-One Balloons / William Pène DuBois

Episode 9 — "The Beautiful Girls"

The Clue of the Black Keys / Carolyn Keene

Episode 11 — "Chinese Wall"

Sterling’s Gold / Roger Sterling

Games People Play: The Psychology of Human Relationships / Eric Berne

Meeting with Japan / Fosco Maraini

Episode 13 — "Tomorrowland" 

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn / Mark Twain 

The Spy Who Came in From the Cold / John Le Carré

You Are Not The Target / Laura Archera Huxley

Gazella / Stuart Cloete 

--------------------

Season 5

TBD

[intheempire-blog]

New York City Ranks 8th In Global Appeal -- Really, 8th?

By Will Wei

Last week, the Economist Intelligence Unit released a study that confirmed the obvious: New York City is the most competitive city in the world. 

But check out this not so obvious finding from the same study: New York City ranks 8th in Global Appeal.

8th? Eighth? Octavo? Oh, come on!

Whatever, Economist "Intelligence" Unit. Here's how they determined a city's global appeal.

We studied the attractiveness of each city by considering the presence of globally renowned institutions (Fortune 500 companies, world-renowned think-tanks, top universities and colleges) headquartered in the city, and its international orientation. This mix is an indication of diversity, global attractiveness and civil society strength in each city, factors which arguably add to a city’s competitiveness. 

Overall, global appeal accounts for just 10% of the score that goes into determining a city's competitiveness. But, come on, being in the most competitive city, New Yorkers better care about its rather lackluster global appeal ranking. 

Take a look at which cities rank in the top 10 and which cities are supposedly more appealing than New York City:

Apparently, no city in the world is really all that appealing. The top two cities London and Paris get barely passing grades of 65.1 and 64.8, respectively. Every other city, meanwhile, falls behind by over 20 points. And, if you look closely enough, you'll notice that New York City is the only American city to rank in the top 10 of the Global Appeals list. 

Well, at least New York beat out Barcelona and its ridiculously undersized portions of food called "tapas." And Boston. Let's not forget that New York City is more appealing (and better at everything) than Boston.

[intheempire-blog]

MTA Gives Pigeons the Bird and Fails

By Sam Dwyer

The MTA is standing up to its biggest bully, once and for all. According to local ABC News, our favorite department in the entire NYC government is tackling its Roosevelt Island pigeon problem head on with a uniquely useless strategy:

The agency recently installed a $375 bird call system.

The recorded sound of birds sends out distress and predator calls every two to 10 minutes.

Does the MTA really think that distress and predator calls will scare away pigeons? Pigeons are soulless, fetid creatures. Distress calls are music to pigeon's ears. Nothing makes a heartless pigeon happier than hearing the sound of another bird suffering. Hell, distress calls could attract pigeons. If anything, all the distress calls will do is soothe the pigeons and lull them into a deep sleep so they can be swept from the rafters with a Swiffer like dust from a ceiling fan.

Plus, predator calls? How can the pigeon possibly have predators when there isn't another animal on Earth that would ever be willing to eat New York City Sky Rat. The only predator of the pigeon is that Swiffer coming to sweep it from rafters.

If I put a pigeon in my family Rottweiler's bowl, he'd be out the door, through the electric fence wearing two shock collars on full power, and gone forever. Not just because the pigeon is such a foul animal and he'd be offended that I offered it to him, but because one of three things must have happened. One: I lost my mind. Only a lunatic would handle a dead pigeon, bring into the house, and put it in a dog bowl. No dog wants to live with a lunatic. Two: I've become so poor that I can't afford to feed my dog and have resorted to gathering roadkill as substitute. Obviously, no dog wants that situation either. Third, I'm actively attempting to poison my dog to collect the payout of both his Will and Testament and his life insurance. You think my dog is gonna get played like that?

The MTA is claiming that the system is working (surprise, surprise), but station users are saying, "the noise [is] more annoying than the pigeons."

Well done, MTA. Another classic upgrade/downgrade switcheroo.

[intheempire-blog]

Midtown Trashcan Arsonist: Do Less; NYPD: Do More

By Sam Dwyer

[UPDATE: Finkle is Einhorn.  Einhorn is Finkle. The trashcan arsonist is a MAN!]

Maybe I was given a PG rated version of Hansel and Gretel when I was a kid, but I'm pretty sure it's bread crumbs, not burning trash cans right? 

Well, someone might want to inform this woman who galavanted around midtown Manhattan leaving a trail of burning trashcans in her wake while leading the police AND the fire department on a wild arsonist chase around midtown Manhattan beginning at 3pm yesterday.  In total, she set fifteen trash cans on fire--two of which were in Grant Central. According to the NY Times, she is believed to be in her fifties, five feet tall, and pushing around a small shopping cart.  

So, this old, short woman is traipsing around some of the busiest locations in all of Manhattan, pushing a shopping cart, setting trashcan after trashcan on fire, and we can't catch her? Really?

Do you know how hard it is to navigate the streets of Gotham with a shopping cart? It completely changes the game. Its the difference between a smart car and an aircraft carrier.  Weaving in and out of the hoards of people in midtown, navigating intersections, using the sidewalk ramps, and staying inconspicuous is virtually impossible with a shopping cart.

What could the police possibly have been doing here? 

Witness: "Officer! The woman that lit the trashcans on fire is a block away! She's old and pushing a shopping cart! She's stopped at the traffic light because she can't jaywalk fast enough with her cart! You can get her!"

Police: "Damnit!! Back in the car, boys. From the looks of it, she's gotten away. We'll just have to guard every trashcan in the city with its own personal police officer until we catch her..."

Is this really possible?

A Fire Department chief by the name of Mark Rosenbaum said via the NY Times that they do not know what she used to start the fires, but "whatever she's using, she's got to be running out of it."

Really, Mark? This is New York City, if she were using Unobtainum from Avatar to spark the cans she'd still be able to find someone in Washington Park peddling the crap. The only reason you're assuming she's running out of her accelerant is because you're assuming she's homeless. And the only reason you're assuming she's homeless is because she's pushing a shopping cart. You, sir, sounds like an anti-cartite. Even if she is homeless that doesn't mean she can't walk into a few bars and grab a handful of matches at each.  This could go on for years.

Regardless of what the NYPD and NYFD are or aren't doing about this, someone needs to tell this woman that this isn't the deep south.  Our city's trash smells bad enough, the last thing we need to do is accelerate the rotting process by lighting it on fire and turning it into an airborne toxicant.  

Where did she get this idea anyway? Batman Begins, but she couldn't figure out how to steal her own prototype vaporizer?  Is this really the best plan b she coud come up with?

This is an outrageous story all around. The trashcan bandit needs to stop stinking up our city but, at the same time, it is pretty unbelievable that she hasn't been caught.

[intheempire-blog]

New York Times Is Building Up Its Paywall, Knocking Down Access To Free Articles

By Will Wei

The New York Times introduced its paywall almost one year ago to this exact date, allowing readers access to 20 "free" articles a month before making them pay for a subscription to read more content. Today, the Times just announced that they're cutting down on the free access from 20 articles a month to just 10. 

This change will begin to take effect in the beginning of April, says Brian Stelter via Twitter.

Some people, like Arianna Huffington, think the paywall isn't working because there are so many ways around it. One way to read NYTimes.com content without having to pay for it is by simply copying the headline of the story you want to read, pasting it into Google, and then clicking on the story link via your Google search results. Any New York Times articles posted on Facebook or Twitter are also free to access.

Overall, the New York Times Media Group has around 454,000 digital subscribers paying for access to content from the New York Times and International Herald Tribune. Barclays Capital speculates that while the New York Times could see revenue from its online paywall reach $100 million a year, its ad revenue will likely decline year-after-year as a result of the decline in print readership and lack of access to the site due to the paywall.

According to Stelter, the New York Times Media Group thinks cutting down free access to its content from 20 to 10 articles a month "strikes a better balance between visiting and subscribing."

Sure, this tactic will probably get the New York Times some more subscribers who want to support the paper/website or who just can't be bothered with copying and pasting headlines into Google. But for the more savvy web surfers out there, they'll just continue to find ways to circumvent the paywall. After all, why would people pay for something when they can it for free -- especially if it's on the Internet?

[intheempire-blog]

Americans Spend $1,092 On Coffee A Year [INFOGRAPHIC]

By Will Wei

Here's something to think about as you stand in line at Starbucks waiting for your fancy non-fat, soy, double-shot, latte macchiato -- 50% of the American workforce spend an average of $1,092 on coffee a year, according to data from Accounting Principals.

To break it down further, 54% of men in the workforce spend roughly $25.70 a week on coffee, while 45% of women spend just $15. Apparently, dudes need more caffeine. Or women are better at saving money.

Men in the workforce also spend a ton more money on lunch than women do. Guys pay an average of $46.30 a week on lunch; gals pay just $26.50. That's almost a $20 weekly difference.

Check out the infographic below by Mindflash to find out how much average American workers are spending on coffee, lunch, and commuting costs.

[intheempire-blog]

'Dine In Brooklyn' Week Starts Tonight!

By Sam Dwyer

Whether you live in BK or not, make sure you take advantage of "Dine in Brooklyn" week.  The program boasts nearly 200 participating restaurants, offering two person brunches for $20.12, three course lunches for $20.12, and three course dinners for $25.

If you're looking to use the deal at high traffic restaurants like Blue Ribbon, make sure you call ahead.  Also, don't forget to mention "Dine in Brooklyn" or many restaurants will register you as a standard patron.  

The full list of restaurants, their addresses, the closest subway stops, and their websites can be found here. 

[intheempire-blog]

Can Crowdfunding Save A Staple Of The Lower East Side?

By Sam Dwyer

Kate's Joint has been a staple of the Lower East Side for over 16 years. After accruing an overwhelming $30,000 of back rent however, the vegetarian restaurant is on the verge of being pushed out its own doors.  

The restaurant's owner Kate Halpern said that the "changing neighborhood and economic recession" have pushed her into arrears with her landlord, but she is not giving up hope.  Rather than seek financial help from more traditional sources, she is turning to a more unique solution: crowdfunding.  

Crowdfunding is often used by startups, tech companies, and art projects seeking early stage funding. It is rare to see such an established restaurant use the system to stay alive.  

Luckily for Kate, her restaurant shares similar qualities with many of the projects that have earned full-funding on sites like Kickstarter. Most importantly, her restaurant has a following.  Kate's Joint is a "neighborhood landmark." It was one of the first vegetarian restaurants in the area and as the East Village continues to lose similar establishments in what has been termed the Vegpocalypse, more and more people have relied on Kate's. From purely a volume perspective, projects with massive public support stand a much better chance of earning funding.

Equally as important as this support is Kate's story.  There is a name, face, and heartfelt tale of financial hardship behind Kate's quest. She isn't asking for funding to grow her personal bank statements, she will put the money towards her "plans to increase business,   including transforming a section of the restaurant into a bakery featuring vegan and gluten free baked goods."

This isn't Donald Trump asking for people's hard earned money so he can open a new restaurant that nobody can afford.  This is a long-standing local establishment that people connect with on a personal level.  

At the time of writing, Kate's funding request has only $955 behind it with 10 days left to gather the remaining $29,000+. Contributors to the project can earn a number of great perks for their participation including food, clothes, dinners, parties, even catering.  

The application of crowdfunding to support such a "normal" business endeavor raises the question of, "What can't be crowdfunded?" If Kate's succeeds, earns the $30k it needs, and  prospers for years to come, we could see waves upon waves of "normal" businesses seeking similar results.

Is this good for the crowdfunding platform or could an influx of monotonous business ideas kill the industry by burning people out with monotonous business ideas?