Story Stack

Story Stack is where stories first appear on the site. These stories have made our first cut, but haven't necessarily earned the "Smartly Selected" designation for inclusion as one of Pat's Picks.

  1. GoPro Works on its Brand

    Friday, 31 January 2014 8:35 AM | by Pat's Picks

    GoPro, the company whose cameras are the go-to gadgets for daredevils, is now working on becoming a media company. The New York Times says GoPro is focusing efforts on distributing the content created with its cameras. The Times says the move is designed to help the company survive in a market where standalone cameras have been devastated by smartphones and tablets.

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  2. This Time, the Tech Bubble is Real

    Friday, 31 January 2014 8:13 AM | by Pat's Picks

    USA Today’s Jon Swartz says the tech bubble is legitimate this time, since companies like Google and Facebook are posting real revenue numbers. In the 1990s, the tech bubble was based almost entirely on speculation about the potential of e-commerce. One analyst says these days, markets are already thriving for smartphones, social media, cloud computing and e-commerce.

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  3. Feds Seek Death Penalty in Boston Marathon Bombings

    Friday, 31 January 2014 7:36 AM | by Pat's Picks

    The Boston Herald describes the court filing in which federal prosecutors laid out their reasoning for seeking the death penalty for accused Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. Calling his acts “heinous, cruel and depraved,” the prosecutors pointed out that Tsarnaev received asylum from the United States and citizenship before betraying his allegiance to the country.

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  4. The Best Way to Eat Chicken Wings

    Friday, 31 January 2014 7:26 AM | by Pat's Picks

    There may be more chicken wings consumed this weekend than at any other time of the year. So the New York Daily News has some advice from expert eaters on the best way to eat wings quickly and efficiently. Use the “typewriter” method for the drumstick, and the “wishbone” method for the upper wing.

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  5. Super Bowl Guide for Beginner, Intermediate and Expert Viewers

    Friday, 31 January 2014 7:10 AM | by Pat's Picks

    The Wall Street Journal recognizes the fact that not everyone sitting down to watch the Super Bowl on Sunday is a football expert. They’ve put together a guide for watching the Super Bowl, based on your level of football knowledge. The Journal points out it should be a good game, since it’s only the second time in 20 years the teams with the best record in each conference are squaring off.

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  6. Beer Drone Plan Grounded

    Friday, 31 January 2014 6:54 AM | by Pat's Picks

    Minnesota beer brewer Jack Supple thought he came up with a great idea: Deliver cases of beer by drone to ice fisherman on a nearby lake. But the Federal Aviation Administration grounded the idea before his first flight. Supple says he understands the FAA’s point that the agency needs to figure out how to regulate commercial drones before allowing their use.

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  7. Breaking Bad Still a Draw, Still Controversial in Albuquerque

    Friday, 31 January 2014 6:22 AM | by Pat's Picks

    Months after its finale, the LA Times says, Breaking Bad is still a big deal in Albuquerque. Fans are still flocking to the city, taking photos of filming locations and buying methamphetamine-themed items. Law enforcement officials lament that the show has not brought more attention to the city’s real drug problem.

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  8. New Jersey Transit Scrambles to Protect Logos

    Thursday, 30 January 2014 9:28 AM | by Pat's Picks

    The Bergen Record says New Jersey Transit officials are quickly trying to register seven trademarks because the agency failed to renew the trademarks before a 2012 deadline and a six-month grace period expired. But it’s unlikely you’ll see someone printing up their own NJ Transit brochures. Experts say the agency’s continued use of the logos would make it difficult for someone else to take them over.

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  9. Lessons Atlanta Learned After 2011 Snow Debacle Weren’t Enough

    Thursday, 30 January 2014 8:44 AM | by Pat's Picks

    Two years ago, a snowstorm paralyzed Atlanta - and state and local officials said they had learned their lessons. But when another storm brought the city to its knees this week, it became clear those lessons weren’t enough. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution says while the big problem in 2011 was a lack of resources, this time, it was too many people crammed onto highways at the same time. The paper says officials should have been more forceful about telling residents to stay home.

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  10. Brazilian Bikini Wax Falling Out of Favor

    Thursday, 30 January 2014 8:32 AM | by Pat's Picks

    The New York Times says while the Brazilian bikini wax is still popular, a more natural look is reportedly gaining some of the momentum it lost in the past decade. Some celebrities, including Gwenyth Paltrow and Cameron Diaz have voiced their opinions in favor of what one salon owner calls “the grown look.”

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  11. High-End Haircuts Top $1000

    Thursday, 30 January 2014 7:32 AM | by Pat's Picks

    The Wall Street Journal says more and more of the top hair stylists are now charging more than $1000 for a haircut. So what’s the difference between a haircut that costs $1000 and one that costs $350 or even just $50? You’re paying for the stylists’ artistic vision and attention to detail. He or she will customize your hairstyle to fit your body and bone structure.

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  12. Review: The Fitbit Force

    Thursday, 30 January 2014 7:07 AM | by Pat's Picks

    The New York Times’ Jenna Wortham says the Fitbit Force stands out as one of the top personal fitness trackers. She says the best feature is that it buzzes when you hit 10,000 steps for the day. Another cool feature, if you wear it to bed, you can set it to wake you up by buzzing the wristband. But she questions whether it’s worth the cost.

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  13. Jay Leno’s Tonight Show Exit Interview

    Thursday, 30 January 2014 6:36 AM | by Pat's Picks

    Jay Leno gives an exit interview with USA Today as he prepares to leave the Tonight Show after 22 years. He says one of the tricks to remaining sane in the television business is having a normal live off-camera. Leno says he won’t be sentimental about his place in TV history, saying his interns couldn’t tell you who starred in Gunsmoke, and that was on for 20 years too.

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  14. Racing 135 Miles in -24 Degree Temperatures

    Tuesday, 28 January 2014 8:46 AM | by Pat's Picks

    You’ve got to be tough - and possibly crazy to endure this race. The Arrowhead 135 in International Falls, Minnesota this week, requires competitors to travel by bike, foot or ski, 135 miles along snowmobile trails. This year’s race is particularly grueling with a temperature of -24 degrees at the starting line. Some participants tell the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, “the colder, the better.”

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  15. Are the Angry Birds Government Spies?

    Tuesday, 28 January 2014 8:19 AM | by Pat's Picks

    The next time you play a game of Angry Birds, beware, American and British spies may be lurking in the background. The New York Times says documents uncovered by Edward Snowden reveal spy agencies are using so-called leaky apps to extract data ranging from where you are to your age, sex and even your address books and phone logs. Both the NSA and the British spy agency GCHQ played particular attention to Google Maps.

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  16. Why LaGuardia is the Worst

    Tuesday, 28 January 2014 7:09 AM | by Pat's Picks

    You know an airport is bad if a newspaper on the other side of the country is doing a front page story on it. The LA Times examines why LaGuardia Airport is ranked as the worst in the country, and why improving it is so difficult. The number of flights at LaGuardia is increasing, but there is no room for expansion. Politics plays a role in the airport’s troubles. It’s run by the Port Authority - the massive bureaucracy now in the headlines over the “Bridgegate” scandal.

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  17. SEC Hands Over Ridiculously Redacted Documents on AIG

    Tuesday, 28 January 2014 7:00 AM | by Pat's Picks

    When the Wall Street Journal requested records from the Securities and Exchange Commission’s investigation into AIG’s near-collapse, the SEC complied by sending back documents that were so redacted, they offered few clues about what the probe uncovered and why it was closed. On one page, there were just four words remaining: “okay,” “by,” “in” and “did.”

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  18. Fast Food, Slow Exit

    Tuesday, 28 January 2014 6:44 AM | by Pat's Picks

    Across the country, McDonald’s restaurants are becoming what the New York Times calls a sort of “everyman’s Starbucks” where the elderly, school kids and the homeless linger for hours. Customers can buy a cup of coffee for a dollar, and then camp out, at times causing friction with management. One manager at a Queens, NY McDonald’s called the police on a group of older Koreans that had been gathering at the restaurant.

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  19. Rapid DNA Tests a Major Law Enforcement Breakthrough

    Tuesday, 28 January 2014 6:26 AM | by Pat's Picks

    USA Today says researchers are on the cusp of producing a method for DNA testing that would yield results in 90 minutes, instead of the current two to three weeks. This would be a huge boost for law enforcement as officers would be able to analyze DNA while suspects are still being held. The tests could be done in the field - instead of at a lab, saving more time.

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  20. Towns and Counties Looking to Ban Marijuana Sales

    Monday, 27 January 2014 8:50 AM | by Pat's Picks

    With marijuana sales now legal in Colorado and soon in Washington - the New York Times says towns and counties are pushing efforts to ban the legal sale of marijuana. It’s reminiscent of the Post-Prohibition era when some towns went dry. The Times says it remains to be seen whether marijuana sales will eventually be a national industry, or if it will remain a patchwork system.

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  21. Colleges Recruiting Junior High Athletes

    Monday, 27 January 2014 8:31 AM | by Pat's Picks

    The New York Times says more and more college coaches are recruiting athletes before they even get into high school. Coaches exploit loopholes in NCAA rules in a race to fill up their rosters before rival coaches get their hands on talented young athletes. The Times says the problem is more pronounced among girls both because girls mature faster than boys and also because Title IX has vastly increased the number of scholarships given out to girls.

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  22. Is 2014 the Year of the Raise?

    Monday, 27 January 2014 8:09 AM | by Pat's Picks

    USA Today says falling unemployment rates are shifting some leverage to the worker, making it possible that 2014 will be a good year to get a raise. The best candidates are those in cities with full employment and those who are willing to change jobs. One economist says the pool of workers that companies have been using to keep wages down will turn into a puddle.

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  23. Surviving Soap Operas are Thriving

    Monday, 27 January 2014 7:19 AM | by Pat's Picks

    A few years ago, it seemed the daytime Soap Opera’s days were numbered and several long-time shows were cancelled. But then a funny thing happened, the ones that survived got a lot better. The New York Post says the four remaining network soaps, “The Young and the Restless”, “The Bold and the Beautiful”, “General Hospital” and “Days of Our Lives” are posting their best ratings in years. TV Guide Reporter Michael Logan tells the Post, the loss of 4 landmark shows so quickly, “scared the crap out of a lot of people.”

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  24. Online Video vs Cable: ESPN’s Balancing Act

    Monday, 27 January 2014 7:07 AM | by Pat's Picks

    The Wall Street Journal examines ESPN’s efforts to expand into internet distribution. The cable sports network sees its WatchESPN app as a way to cash in on the growth of online video. But the network must be careful not to encourage cable customers to drop their subscriptions. For now, ESPN only allows pay-television customers to stream live games on the app.

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  25. Lively Night at the Grammys

    Monday, 27 January 2014 6:36 AM | by Pat's Picks

    The LA Times has a nice recap of last night’s Grammy Awards. It was a big night for the helmeted French duo Daft Punk which took home album of the year and record of the year. The show also featured a mass wedding and a reunion performance by Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr.

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  26. Oreo Introducing Far-Fetched New Flavors

    Friday, 24 January 2014 8:06 AM | by Pat's Picks

    They’ve done it again. Oreo is releasing two new flavors next month: Cookie Dough and Marshmallow Crispy. The Daily News shared some of the new cookies with New Yorkers, and got mixed reactions. Though most of them said if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Last year, Nabisco created two new flavors, Watermelon and Candy Corn.

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  27. Robotic Fuel Pump Fills Car For You

    Friday, 24 January 2014 7:58 AM | by Pat's Picks

    The St. Louis Post-Dispatch says a local company is working on a robotic fuel pump that would allow you to fill your gas tank from the comfort of your car. You could pay and select your grade of gas either by touchscreen or through a smartphone app. The developers hope to have it up and running in 6 to 9 months, though it remains to be seen whether drivers would be willing to pay a little extra for the convenience.

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  28. New Jersey’s Long History as a Punchline

    Friday, 24 January 2014 7:30 AM | by Pat's Picks

    New Jersey’s role as host of the Super Bowl is sure to spark all kinds of “Jersey jokes.” But the Newark Star-Ledger says New Jersey has been a target since colonial times. Benjamin Franklin is once said to have described the wedge of land sandwiched between New York and Philadelphia as a “keg tapped at both ends.” The jokes really picked up in the 1950s, when New Jersey license plates began to carry the nickname “Garden State.”

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  29. Weather Forced 1932 NFL Championship Onto Tiny Indoor Field

    Friday, 24 January 2014 7:05 AM | by Pat's Picks

    With the NFL’s first cold weather, outdoor Super Bowl just over a week away, the Wall Street Journal tells the story of the 1932 NFL Championship game. A snowstorm forced the game into Chicago Stadium, home of the Blackhawks. The field was just 60 yards long and 45 yards wide. Field goals were banned and the final score was just 9-0. But the shrunken field did spark efforts to increase scoring which helped increase the popularity of the game.

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  30. Mars Rover Celebrates Unexpected 10th Anniversary

    Friday, 24 January 2014 6:51 AM | by Pat's Picks

    It was supposed to be a 3-month exploration. But 10 years later, NASA’s Opportunity rover is still roaming the surface of Mars, making discoveries. The New York Times says instead of the planned one kilometer, Opportunity has traveled nearly 39 (or 24 miles). 10 years later, it still comes up with new discoveries, like a “jelly doughnut” rock that was not there when Opportunity passed the same spot two weeks earlier.

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