Here's How the NYT Crafts Bestseller Lists — and How Authors Try to Game Them
The New York Times builds its bestseller lists by aggregating sales data from a curated network of retailers, applying weighted formulas, and periodically auditing titles for anomalies. The paper’s methodology, while opaque, aims to reflect genuine consumer demand across print, e‑book, and audio formats. Over decades, authors and publishers have experimented with tactics—bulk purchases, coordinated buying clubs, and promotional giveaways—to inflate sales and secure a coveted list placement. Recent investigations reveal that some of these schemes succeed, prompting the Times to tighten verification and adjust its ranking algorithms.
How AI Is Speeding New Business Creation, Especially Among Gen Z Entrepreneurs
AI is accelerating new business creation, especially among Gen Z entrepreneurs, according to a recent NPR report. A Gusto survey of 1,000 founders who launched in 2025 found that more than 70% of Gen Z entrepreneurs relied on AI tools to streamline...
A Tale of Two Manufacturers: How Two Companies Are Diversifying Their Supply Chains
The NPR piece follows two manufacturers—China‑based Shoebot and Texas‑based Isotherm—who are reshaping their supply chains after Trump‑era tariffs surged 145% on Chinese goods. Shoebot responded by launching a joint venture in Vietnam, while Isotherm, reliant on Chinese titanium, is weighing...
Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago CEO on Inflation and Latest Consumer Price Index
Austan Goolsbee, president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, told NPR that the latest consumer price index showed a 3.8% year‑over‑year increase, well above the Fed’s 2% target. He identified energy costs as the chief driver but...
'Atlanta Journal-Constitution' Chief Steps Down as Bold Goals Yield to Tough Realities
Andrew Morse is leaving his role as publisher and president of the Atlanta Journal‑Constitution after a three‑and‑a‑half‑year tenure. He launched a $150 million digital‑first plan that targeted 500,000 paying subscribers by 2026, but the paper has reached only about 101,000. The...
Looking Back at Jerome Powell's 8-Year Term as Federal Reserve Chair
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell concludes his eight‑year tenure on May 15, 2026, but will stay on the Board as a governor. In an NPR interview, former Philadelphia Fed president Patrick Harker praised Powell’s steady, consensus‑building style and his forceful...
They Graduate to Six Figure Salaries, and Grueling Work
SUNY Maritime College’s new training vessel, the Empire State VII, is preparing hundreds of cadets for mandatory sea time as the nation grapples with an estimated 8,000 vacant maritime jobs, many tied to the Military Sealift Command. Graduates earn U.S. Coast...
Prices Are up, but Mother's Day Still Means Brunch
Mother’s Day spending is forecast to hit a record $38 billion, an 11% jump from last year, driven by strong demand for flowers, cards and dining out. Restaurant reservations are up roughly 30% year‑over‑year, confirming the holiday’s status as the busiest...
Gas Prices Keep Rising, but Do Big Oil Companies Plan to Drill More? Not so Far
Oil majors such as Chevron, ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips are keeping production plans steady despite Brent crude trading above $100 per barrel after the Iran‑Hormuz conflict disrupted supplies. Executives cite uncertainty over the war’s duration and a disciplined capital strategy that...
How the Petrodollar Regime Came to Be, and What Losing It Would Mean for the U.S.
The petrodollar system began in 1974 when the United States struck a deal with Saudi Arabia to price oil exclusively in dollars in exchange for military and economic support. This arrangement funneled massive oil revenues into U.S. Treasury bonds, cementing...
A Trip to Europe? In This Economy? Expensive Flights Keep Vacations Closer to Home
Airline ticket prices have surged as jet‑fuel costs doubled since the Iran conflict, pushing the average international fare up about $150 in mid‑April versus a year ago. The hike is prompting U.S. travelers to cancel or postpone overseas trips, with...
NPR Went Looking for Polymarket's Panama Headquarters. It's Elusive
Polymarket, a $15 billion‑valued prediction‑market platform, lists its corporate headquarters on the 21st floor of the Oceania Business Plaza in Panama City, an address it shares with more than a dozen other crypto firms. NPR’s investigation found the listed office is...
The Iran War Sent Jet Fuel Prices Sky-High. Here's What Air Travelers Should Know
Jet fuel prices have roughly doubled since the start of 2024, a surge tied to the Iran conflict that has already forced Spirit Airlines into bankruptcy. Delta announced it will stop providing snacks and drinks on domestic flights under 350...
GameStop Makes Unsolicited Bid to Acquire Online Auction Giant eBay for $56B
GameStop has lodged an unsolicited $56 billion offer to acquire eBay, a valuation roughly five times its own $11 billion market cap. The proposal would be financed half in cash—leveraging a $20 billion loan from TD Bank and $9 billion on hand—and half in...
Oil and Gas Companies Making Hay by Making Plastic?
The surge in U.S. fracking has turned ethane—a by‑product of natural‑gas extraction—into a cheap feedstock for polyethylene, the world’s most common plastic. Petrochemical plants built to process this ethane are energy‑intensive, emitting greenhouse gases comparable to half a million cars....