No. 1 iTunes download: Eminem’s “When I’m Gone”
(explicit version)
What you get for your money
“I turn around, find a gun on the ground, cock it / Put it to my brain and scream ‘Die Shady’ and pop it.”
Duration of fun
4:42.
Recommendation
“This song is f’n awesome and is the best one Ive ever heard.”
—DJ Craze (iTunes customer review)
Law & Order: SVU
What you get for your money
Access to a new episode within a few hours of airing.
Duration of fun
44 minutes, commercial-free.
Recommendation
For fans not sated by the 6,000 hours of Law & Order currently airing on broadcast and cable TV each week.
Sunbeam Baster
(at Jack’s 99 Cent Store)
What you get for your money
A 1.5-ounce-capacity baster that’s heat-resistant and dishwasher-safe.
Duration of fun
Comes with a lifetime warranty.
Recommendation
“Sunbeam is a good brand.”
—Sonia Talavera, 99 Cent Store shopper
The New York Times
(Monday through Saturday)
What you get for your money
The most influential newspaper on earth, and an emergency umbrella.
Duration of fun
Depends on whether you do more than skim the front page.
Recommendation
“It’s worth it, especially on Friday, because of the ‘Weekend’ section.”
—Jerry Delakas, Astor Place newsstand vendor
Used paperback edition of Den of Thieves, by James B. Stewart
from $1 bin outside Strand Book Store.
What you get for your money
Gripping account of Michael Milken insider-trading scandal. No noticeable cracking of spine or dog-eared pages.
Duration of fun
9 hrs. 54 mins. (at a reading rate of 1 min./page).
Recommendation
“Bursting with details … but told with magical clarity.”
—Washington Post (from back cover)
Small tub of Jordan River imported Israeli unpitted dates.
What you get for your money
A high-fiber, low-fat source of energy that contains more potassium per 100-gram serving than a banana.
Duration of fun
Eighteen-month shelf life.
Recommendation
“They’re healthy, fresh, and wholesome!”
—Sam Chay, bodega shopper
Discount holiday subway and bus fares.
What you get for your money
A ride on 2005’s computerized talking trains at 1986’s grubby train prices (unless there’s a strike).
Duration of fun
Weekends until December 24, then daily through January 2.
Recommendation
“The MTA wants to make your holidays even happier with discounts.”
—MTA Website
Wendy’s Jr. Cheeseburger Deluxe
What you get for your money
A single two-ounce beef patty with melted cheese: 360 calories, 16 grams total fat, 0.5 grams trans fat, and 45 milligrams cholesterol.
Duration of fun
Five greasy minutes.
Recommendation
“It’s got everything—lettuce, tomatoes, ketchup—for 99 cents.”
—Clara, Wendy’s counter staff at the 447 Lexington Avenue location