Earlier, I speculated that the new Times Select (i.e., pay only access to columnists) might mean that the finances of the Times are worse than anyone realizes. Well - it seems that we have some evidence in that direction now:

NEW YORK -- The New York Times Co. said Tuesday it would cut about 500 jobs, or about 4 percent of its work force, as part of an ongoing effort to reduce costs. The reductions come atop another 200 jobs that were cut earlier this year.

The Times reaction - to start charging for opinion pieces - is just about the dumbest response possible, IMHO. Of all the services they provide, opinion making is the most heavily commoditized. Any blogger can express an opinion, and they can be read for free. Why on earth would I want to pay for that?