• Google to sell print ads! What's next, newspapers with websites? [NYT]
  

What could be better than free cone day or free coffee day? Why, it's Free Paul Krugman Week at the New York Times. The Philips Electronics consortium is sponsoring a week of free TimesSelect access for the huddled masses, today through November 12. (Assuming you're not already getting it free through the devices of the mysterious "dinyah.") Still not excited? Two words: Ted Koppel.

Anyone who's watched video on the New York Times' website knows that they range from the unintentionally hilarious (the Vows column, David Carr) to the unintentionally really fucking lame (the Vows column). Fortuntately, NYT video editor Lawrie Mifflin is here to explain it all to us. One reader asks:

How bad are things getting at the Times? Among the rumblings of mutiny comes the following complaint, which, per standard procedure, we will pass along without verification in hopes of eventual confirmation:

Today's front-page story about how 'special sales' — a term we've never really loved, are other sales unspecial? sad — are becoming a bigger slice of the bookselling pie details what we think are actually two distinct trends. 1. Books as accessories: "A pop-up book called One Red Dot echoed a display of polka-dotted canvas sneakers, while another title, The Persistence of Yellow, perfectly matched a strategically positioned yellow sweater" — a trend that won't be unfamiliar to anyone who's seen a ribbon-belted preppie reading Prep on the subway and 2. Megachains as cultural arbiters, a trend that won't be unfamiliar to anyone who read this article about Starbucks's choice of Mitch Albom's For One More Day as the newest recipient of the coffee monolith's coveted "halo" effect: the perception that any product they offer will convey their signature "quality, good will, trust [and] intelligence" to their "hippyish, rockish" core consumer base. (Our personal favorite aspect of this promotion is the 'personal' staff reccommendation, pictured above, that's in every Starbucks. Classy.)

• Mika Salmi, the new head of MTV (Global Digital Media) will be an "enabler," helping MTV's various websites work better together. [NYP]
  

We're not sure what's going on over at the Times, but they might want to get a man to Michigan pronto:

Valleywag notes that Times tech columnist David Pogue is going back for another bite of the apple in his most recent column, "taking a look back at some of my weekly tech-review columns to see how their subjects have withstood the very brief test of time... Here it is, then, a review of the reviews." That seems to be the trend at the Times, at least tech-wise. Here's the opener of an article from today's Circuits:

• Tabloid Wars: Mort Zuckerman "panicky," "furious." Nice color: Although News staff knew about the circulation numbers on Friday, they kept them from Mort until Monday. [NYP]
  

Hey, if you wanna compete with blogs, you gotta start acting like one.

"The Ethicist" is Randy Cohen's long-running advice column in the New York Times. Each week, Worker #3116's "The Unethicist" will answer the same questions as "The Ethicist," with obvious differences.

Monday's NYT Media section brings news of two recent events in the industry: First, David Carr tackles those John Mellencamp "This is our country" car commercials that ran approximately five times for each Tiger pitching error during the World Series. You may have heard about it elsewhere on the Internet, but it's worth reading for Carr's chiding ("you can wave the flag or you can drape one over a coffin. You can't do both.") and his masterful display of what's obviously a deep familiarity with Mellencamp's back catalog. Also, Richard Siklos covers the recent roast of deposed Viacom head Tom Freston, noting the "small clutch of writers who specialize in the genre of media-mogul laughs," of whom Mark Katz, the "reigning king," is cited. Katz was also cited last week by both Radar and B&C, but this story mentions his "[initial reticence] about being interviewed because he does not want to appear to be diminishing the comedic chops of his clients." Guy won't give it up for Jeff Bercovici, but will happily talk to the Times: this is why we still need print media.

G.O.P. Moves Fast to Reignite Issue of Gay Marriage [NYT]
4 Firefighters Killed by Blaze in California [NYT]

• Will Kristine Johnson replace Roz Abrams as weekday anchor on WCBS News? Yeah, us either. [NYDN]

In today's New York Times, Alessandra Stanley points out to us the uncanny parallels between the television appearances by Madonna and George W. Bush.

Apparently missing the sweet taste of martyrdom's liqueur, former New York Times reporter, WMD confabulist, and leak-protecting jailbird Judith Miller sent out a letter to 600 friends thanking them for their support during her time in the clink. Naturally, by "thank," Judy means, "how wise you were to agree with me." In her own words: "I chose to defend your right to know and you were kind enough to write to support my stance." Take your pick of the worst offense, from Miller or the Washington Post paraphrase:

To be fair, it has been three years. Who remembers back that far?

There's an old joke about a guy who gets a flat tire in front of a mental institution. It's dark, and as he's putting the spare on he somehow knocks away all the lug nuts. After about ten minutes of fruitless searching, he hears a patient from the hospital yell down through the window.
"Hey mister," yells the patient, "you lose your lug nuts?"
"Yes," says the guy apprehensively.
"Well, why don't you take one nut off of each of the other wheels and use them for your spare? You should be able to get home that way."
The guy thinks for a second and realizes he's right. "Thanks," he yells up. "That's brilliant! How'd you come up with that?"
"Mister," yells the patient, "I may be crazy, but I'm not stupid."

• News: Post full of shit on circulation figures. Expect to see a similar story about the News in tomorrow's Post. [NYDN]

The kids at Adfreak point us to this wonder in contextual advertising on the New York Times. Unfortunately, they are not bringing Jayson Blair or Judith Miller back to the newsroom (like there's going to be room for them, what with the paper leasing out five floors).