I have a subscription to the online version of the Wall Street Journal and I subscribe to an email list that sends three news updates each day: morning, noon, and – wait for it – evening. Those updates usually lead off with breaking stories about events of widespread interest – you know, disasters like earthquakes in Chile or Charlie Rangel in Washington, and economic/financial news of import such as the content of the latest Fed Beige Book* or Tiger’s dwindling sponsorships.
But today must be a slow news day, because the noon update led off with this story – A Game of Tag Breaks Out Between London’s Graffiti Elite (think Hatfields and McCoys armed with Rust-Oleum) – and the evening wrap has this in the lead: Should This Move Be Banned? (an article about a “devastating penalty-kick” employed by the Brazilian World Cup soccer team). This had the effect of pushing down more important news like the status of Mideast peace talks (“promising and yet inevitably failing”) and Leno’s whupping of Letterman on his first night back (“promising and yet inevitably failing”).
I’m not complaining, mind you (although I am eagerly awaiting a report of a devastating penalty kick delivered to Letterman; now that would be news). But it does make one wonder if the Journal is going for a different image, sort of a “Drive your Veyron to a 7-11 for a raspberry-lime Slurpee” vibe.
*”Beige Book”? Talk about someone whose image could use some sprucing up.