In a similar vein, the contrast on the same day between noble and crude reactions to what really is shaping up as a depression was pretty fascinating in DI/DO and the WSJ. The former was cheering rising prices that might make Americans realize crap is not unleaded when it comes to human fuel; the latter was cheering the awful truth that people who might be priced out of Applebee’s etc. would never be able to pass up dollar meals (even the sorry exploited souls grinding that scary meat). I would have lost the morning in total despair if not for reactions from either coast to the source of the main reading matter. One described it as “forgettable as a PIN,” the other as warranting attention “coming close to the length of an average dump.” Which I suspect is longer than it takes to cook something instantly steamable in a microwave.

Then again, any editor passing through there hits the same wall. No good ideas go unrepeated. I was reminded of that adage “there are no new stories, only new reporters” when the NYP dredged up not one but two blockbusters that were actually novel during my indentured servitude: chefs surveil you while you eat, and people — get ready! — steal shit from restaurants. Next we’ll be reading about scary stairs. . . .