Free Republic

A Hard-on for Numbers: The Chron tries to stay, uh, abreast of circulation counts Newspapers everywhere are desperate to come up with new ways to produce high circulation figures. If the claims in a Harris County lawsuit are to be believed, the Houston Chronicle is a real leader in that effort. What was the Chron's trick? Offering readers compelling takes on hot topics? Brightening up its dreary pages with lively writing? No. Instead, the paper's reps took the independent auditors who monitor the circulation figures out to titty bars and kept them happy, liquored up and too distracted to count....

<p>NICOLLET, Minn. - Wide-eyed teen-age boys lined up at the Mirage Pure Gold early today as the strip club opened its doors to all ages in the latest battle with this small south-central Minnesota town.</p> <p>Although the dancers kept their clothes on for the night, about 100 people from age 16 on paid $10 to watch the ladies' moves.</p>