Everyone Loves Breasts

Mammograms is a word that gets stuck in one's head very easily, and "uproar" about them is the only consistent story today. Dictator kids, drug wars and the chance to win Madoff's polo shirts await!

The tabloids, much to my chagrin, do not characterize mammograms as 'tit tests'. Which surely is the quintessential tabloid-ization. Other than that shoo-in, the lull in the healthcare and Fort Hood stories gives the editors a chance to flex their muscles a little bit and show how original they are. The Times explores Google maps and the kids of dictators, the Washington Post digs up a couple of government reports that no-one else seems to have thought front-page important, and the LA Times throws caution to the wind and does whatever the hell it likes, including a picture of some men pointing big guns around. The Post crosses the line from the ridiculous to the sublime with a giveaway of two of Madoff's polo shirts, crisply ironed for the cover photo.

Disclosure: I freelance write and report for newspapers that are included in this roundup. Where there is a direct conflict of interest I will make it clear.