Trimming the Times: Farewell Shuttles; Preparing for Default

A guide to what's in the New York Times for those worried about hitting its pay wall

Now that the New York Times pay wall is live, you only get 20 free clicks a month. For those worried about hitting their limit, we're taking a look through the paper each morning to find the stories that can make your clicks count.

The home page today features a little photo series of the Space Shuttle Atlantis landing, along with a short write-up noting the shuttle program's end. But the big serious lead story, which is also our top pick for today's paper, sits just below that, outlining the steps Wall Street is taking to shore itself up against a possible U.S. debt default.

World: The feature on Thailand's attraction for foreign fugitives, and a government crackdown on them there, definitely grabs the imagination. Also, in the ongoing News International hacking scandal, the Murdoch-owned corporation has stopped paying the legal fees of a private investigator at the center of the whole mess. And in further international intrigue, we get a great look at Bulgaria's fight against its organized crime bosses.

U.S.: In an interesting environmental report from Oakland, California, we learn how the city is using fish bone meal to counteract pollution in some of its soil. Also, read about the recently deceased Adm. Noel Gayler, who commanded U.S. forces in the pacific in the 1970s and opposed nuclear weapons. And yes, it's a little scandal-indulgent, but the coverage of the media's hunt for the freed Casey Anthony is pretty interesting anyway.

New York: It's hardly groundbreaking journalism, but the slide show of New Yorkers' tattoos is eminently clickable.

Business: With eyes on the imperiled U.S. national debt, a report on Greece's "selective default" is sure to get plenty of scrutiny from the business world. Also, check out the preview of next week's contract negotiations between American carmakers and the United Automobile Workers union.

Technology: The story about employers checking potential employees' Facebook and LinkedIn accounts is a pretty well-worn one, but the section's lead report about formal social media background checks, and the companies that perform them, adds a new wrinkle. And check out the Bits blog interview with Google CFO Patrick Pichette, who insists the company is good at managing its money.

Science: The coverage of a split within the Nuclear Regulatory Commission over safety proposals is fairly dry, but the possible implications are big, so try to get through it. More exciting, at least for biotech nerds, is the report on using semiconductors to cheaply sequence human genomes.

Sports: If you love the Tour de France as much as us, you'll be fascinated by the drama between the Schleck brothers, who must work together to win, but only one of whom may wear the yellow jersey.

Opinion: Jonathan Turley, a law professor at George Washington University, contributed today's op-ed arguing that laws against polygamy constitute government intrusion.

Arts: The story on the sounds of the ballpark is a great read, as well as a fun listen.

Style: The feature on very fancy tree-houses for well-to-do families is a classic mockable, but readable, Times trend piece.