--- title: The Alibaba IPO and Other Fascinating News on the Web description: September 19, 2014 canonical: https://time.com/3404717/the-alibaba-ipo-and-other-fascinating-news-on-the-web/ author: Dave Pell article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-09-19T20:53:03.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-05-11T04:48:24.960Z og:title: The Alibaba IPO and Other Fascinating News on the Web og:description: September 19, 2014 og:url: https://time.com/3404717/the-alibaba-ipo-and-other-fascinating-news-on-the-web/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: TIME og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: The Alibaba IPO and Other Fascinating News on the Web twitter:description: September 19, 2014 twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- # The Alibaba IPO and Other Fascinating News on the Web > Sponsored content. 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Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement.  by [Dave Pell](https://time.com/author/dave-pell/)  ## Dave Pell Sep 19, 2014 8:53 PM UTC  by [Dave Pell](https://time.com/author/dave-pell/)  ## Dave Pell Sep 19, 2014 8:53 PM UTC  ## 1\. The Alibaba IPO One of the most feverishly anticipated tech stock IPOs lived up to its first day hype as Alibaba [raised $21 billion](http://recode.net/2014/09/19/alibaba-will-ring-the-bell-at-nyse-this-morning-to-a-historic-ipo/) and [passed Facebook’s market capitalization](http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-09-19/alibaba-passes-facebook-in-market-value-on-first-trade.html) on its first trade. \+ The _NYT Dealbook_ takes you to Hangzhou: [The city that minted thousands of Internet millionaires](http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/09/18/alibaba-with-its-i-p-o-mints-millionaires-and-risk-takers) (and launched a whole lot of other Internet startups). \+ Yahoo owns a big chunk of Alibaba stock. How big? Big enough [to be worth almost as much as Yahoo itself](http://www.buzzfeed.com/mattlynley/alibabas-colossal-ipo-has-minted-a-huge-profit-for-yahoo). \+ The _WSJ_ has an excellent interactive piece that answers the question of the day: [What is Alibaba](http://projects.wsj.com/alibaba/)? Imagine all the Internet’s most powerful business models rolled into one and aimed at the world’s most populated markets. (Just wait until the Alibaba Watch comes out.) ## 2\. No “They spiked the fountains with bubble bath in anticipation of a party in what was dubbed Scotland’s _Yes city_. But this morning only a hardy few supporters of Scottish independence remained in Dundee’s City Square.” By a significant margin, Scotland citizens voted against independence. From the _BBC_: [The morning after the No before](http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-29272200). \+ The referendum also served as a no vote for pollsters, [and a yes vote for the bookies](http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/20/upshot/scotlands-no-vote-a-loss-for-pollsters-and-a-win-for-betting-markets.html). \+ Here’s [a look at some UK front pages](http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/09/19/349865107/look-u-k-front-pages-on-scotlands-no-vote). \+ Some interesting [insights into why](http://www.buzzfeed.com/jimwaterson/7-fascinating-insights-into-why-scotland-voted-against-indep) people voted the way they did, and a look at why Scotland’s vote [won’t be the last battle of the generations](http://blogs.wsj.com/moneybeat/2014/09/19/scotlands-vote-wont-be-the-last-battle-of-the-generations/). ## 3\. Weekend Reads If I looked really young, the last thing I’d want to do is sneak back into high school. But “Charity Johnson enrolled in 10th grade at New Life Christian School in Longview, Texas, a few weeks before her 34th birthday … [She wasn’t a con artist for money. She was a con artist for love](http://www.buzzfeed.com/katiejmbaker/why-did-charity-johnson-pretend-to-be-a-teenager-for-20-year).” \+ ““Follow me around. I don’t care. I’m serious. If anybody wants to put a tail on me, go ahead. They’d be very bored.” From Matt Bai in the _NYT Magazine_: [How Gary Hart’s downfall forever changed American politics](http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/21/magazine/how-gary-harts-downfall-forever-changed-american-politics.html). \+ _Boston Globe Magazine_: The [secret world of the Dunkin’ Donuts franchise kings](http://www.bostonglobe.com/magazine/2014/09/17/the-secret-world-dunkin-donuts-franchise-kings/pb2UmxauJrZv08wcBig6CO/story.html). \+ _Businessweek’s_ [Tim Cook interview](http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-09-17/tim-cook-interview-the-iphone-6-the-apple-watch-and-being-nice): “Anybody coming out of there yesterday knows that innovation is alive and well in Cupertino. If there were any doubts, I think that they should be put to bed.” ## 4\. Fear Itself “This virus preys on care and love, piggybacking on the deepest, most distinctively human virtues. Affected parties are almost all medical professionals and family members, snared by Ebola while in the business of caring for their fellow humans. More strikingly, 75 percent of Ebola victims are women, people who do much of the care work throughout Africa and the rest of the world. In short, Ebola parasitizes our humanity.” _Slate’s_ Benjamin Hale on [the most terrifying thing about Ebola](http://www.slate.com/articles/health%5Fand%5Fscience/medical%5Fexaminer/2014/09/why%5Febola%5Fis%5Fterrifying%5Fand%5Fdangerous%5Fit%5Fpreys%5Fon%5Ffamily%5Fcaregiving%5Fand.html). \+ _The Wire_: Eight health workers in Guinea [killed by villagers fearful of Ebola](http://www.thewire.com/global/2014/09/health-workers-killed-by-villagers-fearful-of-ebola-in-guinea/380493/). \+ _The New Yorker’s_ Michael Specter: [Ebola and the cost of fear](http://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/ebola-cost-fear). ## 5\. Food and Water “Many governments will face challenges to meet even the basic needs of their people as they confront demographic change, resource constraints, effects of climate change, and risks of global infectious disease outbreaks.” While we’re focused on combating terrorism, _Foreign Policy_ reminds us that there are new — and potentially much bigger — challenges facing America and its allies: [Water Wars](http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2014/09/18/water%5Fwars%5Fclimate%5Fchange%5Fintelligence%5Fstrategy). \+ “A team of recently hired mathematicians is building an online database that one day could catalog the behavior of practically every plant protein on earth … a collection of digital information that could allow \[them\] to model the creation of new foods using computer software.” From _Wired_: [The Future of Food Is Data](http://www.wired.com/2014/09/ex-googler-using-big-data-model-creation-new-foods/). ## 6\. Rich Man, Richer Man There is a wide and growing gap between the rich and the really rich. Here’s _Vox_ with a report on the growing gap [between the megamillionaire and the millionaire next door](http://www.vox.com/xpress/2014/9/19/6526317/the-growing-gap-between-the-megamillionaire-and-the-millionaire-next). ## 7\. When the Lights Go Down When I was growing up, football was my favorite sport to play and watch. But the sport has taken some serious hits over the last few years. I’m a former player who would never let his son play. And here’s _Friday Night Lights_ author Buzz Bissinger arguing that kids and parents should be repeatedly warned of the known risks of playing football: “Will they still be ready for some football after that? Only if [they and those who love them have already lost their mind](http://time.com/3398910/buzz-bissinger-football/).” \+ And here’s Peter Berg, writer and director of the incredibly great TV series _Friday Night Lights_: Why [my son is no longer allowed to play football](http://time.com/3395089/berg-football-lacrosse/). \+ “Over the past several weeks, we have seen all too much of the NFL doing wrong. And that starts with me … I got it wrong … and I’m sorry for that … but now I will get it right.” Roger Goodell [vows to get the NFL’s house in order](http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/%5F/id/11553201/roger-goodell-vows-nfl-get-house-order). \+ Most people probably assumed that the half-mile line in Baltimore was made up of people trying to get a new iPhone. But it was actually people [waiting to trade in their Ray Rice jerseys](http://consumerist.com/2014/09/19/no-this-isnt-the-iphone-6-line-its-the-ray-rice-jersey-exchange-line/). \+ OK, we need a positive NFL story. Ma’ake Kemoeatu [retired from football to donate his kidney](http://mic.com/articles/99136/these-two-brothers-gave-us-the-best-feel-good-football-story-of-the-year) to his brother (and fellow player) Chris Kemoeatu, ## 8\. With Friends Like These… “Remember when you first came to my office — now look you’re ready for Hollywood!” Think of that quote as a warning before you enter the weird (and apparently, like so many weird things these days, completely normal) world of [professors and students who friend each other on Facebook](http://www.psmag.com/navigation/books-and-culture/um-professors-creeping-facebook-page-90906/). (College students already vomit due to excessive drinking … did they really need another trigger?) \+ Why [are men still paying for first dates](http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2014/09/why-do-men-keep-paying-for-the-first-date/380387/)? ## 9\. I’m Too Old to Do Lines And yes, today is new Apple iPhone day. And yes, [that meant long, long lines](http://www.thewire.com/technology/2014/09/these-massive-iphone-lines-just-wont-go-away/380492/). The first person to get one in Australia [dropped it on the ground](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bPwfLe13Uo). And in today’s world, that means instant fame. \+ And no, you can’t charge your phone [by putting it into the microwave](http://www.buzzfeed.com/ryanhatesthis/do-not-believe-the-rumors-going-around-that-you-can-charge-y#1vb20uu). ## 10\. The Bottom of the News In the latest salvo in the new cold war, a Russian brewer [has acquired Pabst Blue Ribbon](http://money.cnn.com/2014/09/19/news/companies/pabst-oasis/index.html). Pabst also owns Old Milwaukee, Schlitz and Colt 45\. They might want to acquire Pepto Bismol next. \+ The Suitsy [is a one piece suit](http://www.businessinsider.com/one-piece-suit-the-suitsy-2014-9). \+ It’s _Talk Like a Pirrrrate Day_. So it’s fair to ask [why we think pirates talk like that](http://www.slate.com/blogs/lexicon%5Fvalley/2014/09/19/pirate%5Fspeech%5Forigins%5Fin%5Fwest%5Fcountry%5Fenglish%5Fvia%5Frobert%5Fnewton%5Faka%5Flong.html). \+ And we’ve reached peak delivery service as Air Food One promises to [deliver airline food right to your front door](http://www.springwise.com/airline-food-service-wings-door-week/).  ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3404717/the-alibaba-ipo-and-other-fascinating-news-on-the-web/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3404717/the-alibaba-ipo-and-other-fascinating-news-on-the-web/"},"headline":"The Alibaba IPO and Other Fascinating News on the Web","datePublished":"2014-09-19T20:53:03.000Z","dateModified":"2026-05-11T04:48:24.960Z","description":"September 19, 2014","url":"https://time.com/3404717/the-alibaba-ipo-and-other-fascinating-news-on-the-web/","keywords":["Newsfeed","NextDraft"],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Dave Pell","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/dave-pell/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-newsfeed/","name":"Newsfeed"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3404717/the-alibaba-ipo-and-other-fascinating-news-on-the-web/","name":"The Alibaba IPO and Other Fascinating News on the Web"}}]}] ```