Spying, Lying, Druglords and Wonderfully Offensive Europeans
There were protests in Iran, Toyota lied about dangerous defects, digital readers may dominate the holidays, Italians hate the CIA (and probably America) Mexican druglords take over the US and Europeans politicians rock. Unless you're autistic or a castrato.
Of course this all came in the midst of news that the Yankees were better with their baseball racquets than some other men, and an election happened yesterday that is still pretty meaningless (though all the papers seek meaning). Luckily bored editors spiced things up with some intrigue and orginality.
The New York Times: like most of the papers today it's all baseball and politics. You know, man things that ladies don't understand. The lead picture is of Hideki Matsui hitting a ball somewhere for some purpose. Bloomberg is mending fences, that previously he just would have bought and had coated in diamonds, following his slim election victory. We're all going to die of swine flu, and regular flu too, because there's not enough vaccine. New Jersey's new governor tries to prove he's more than just not Jon Corzine. And Mickey Mouse is to be reimagined as a crack-smoking, pistol-wielding badass. Or something like that.
The Washington Post: well done Washington Post, for leading with a completely different story about Iran. Apparently people took to the streets to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the seizing of the American embassy in Tehran. Other people took to the same streets to protest against the government. I did not know this had happened. Now I do. Journalism in action! Digital readers are poised to break through over the holidays, maybe. Computers went wrong and stuck 750 traffic lights on red. And then a lot of politics stuff that is too similar to yesterday's election analysis to summarise without destroying my very soul. Here, here and here.
The LA Times: in the 'it's not really interesting but we wish it was because it's a good piece of reporting' column on the left is a story about native Americans rebuilding after a feud. Toyota lied to people about a safety defect. There's a report on Italy's trial-in-absentia of 23 Americans for kidnapping (rendering, whatever) an Egyptian man on their soil. They have to worry about water in California, apparently. And again, the same dull anlaysis of the nothing that happened yesterday in politics here. Finally a story about the Senate extending credits for homebuyers that is notable mainly because I am Facebook friends with the reporter but had forgotten. Must poke him.
The New York Post: before you comment on the tiny image - I know. The Post goes with (see if you can guess) the headline 27th Heaven, referring to the Yankees' 27th World Series victory last night!
The Daily News: before you comment on the tiny image - I know. The News goes with (see if you can guess) the headline 27th Heaven, referring to the Yankees' 27th World Series victory last night! Great minds etc.
The Wall Street Journal: has also gone with a Native Americans story on the front page. Apparently Mexican pot growers are sick of smuggling bundles of weed across the border and are sneakily growing it on Indian reservations. Police seized 233,000 plants on Indian lands last year. I'm just disappointed they didn't use some kind of smoke signals based joke in the headline.
The Guardian (UK): frankly I just really liked this headline. Here someone shouting 'you lie' at the President is a big deal. In Europe, politicians get to impugn people with mental disabilities and accuse colleagues of cutting a country's penis off. Also Patrick Wintour, bylined on the story, is the brother of Anna.