NYT, 503, Cookies

I have for some time been frustrated that I could not access stories in the New York Times from home. I could reach the front page, but every time I tried to read individual stories, I would get an HTTP 503 Error “No server is available to handle your request”. I had assumed this was some arcane paywall/blacklist thing to punish the English but stumbled on the answer through Usenet this morning: that error message is what the Times gives you when your browser is set to reject third-party cookies. Informative, huh! Why not just come out and tell the truth? “Your browser is configured to make it difficult for advertisers to spy on you. So we refuse to show you any of our content”? At least, that way, readers could make an informed choice.

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