Featurismo

After a holiday weekend, there's a shortage of real news, so papers get analytical and feature-y. Today's NY Times follows that pattern.

There's a little bit of breaking news. There's new religious strife in India. The Deep Impact space probe hit a comet (as planned!).

There's lots of analyis. Surprise: after Supreme Court Justices get lifetime appointments they become all independent and stuff. Developments in Iraq are causing the Pentagon to re-evaluate its strategery.

There are some good features with news pegs. Valerie Plame is, like, a real person, with something resembling a life. Tight security around the new Harry Potter includes everything short of the Cruciatus Curse.

There are a lot of pure features with little, if any, breaking news. One of them has what may be the best Times headline since their obit of the actor who played Blofeld in Diamonds Are Forever, which was titled "Charles Gray, 71, Cats' Friend, Bond's Enemy". My favorite headline today corrals a whole herd of contrasts and paradoxes: "Iranian Women's Dress Code Is Modest but Golf Friendly".