the above was today's headline in the Sun-Times, which is the classic definition of a tabloid, both in format and content. others have assured me that this was not always the case. in fact, this sun-times was once considered the more liberal of the two city dailies. whether that is true or not, the war has provided plenty of opportunity for the paper to fall back on our own nativistic, populist, less-than literate instincts.

Choice headlines have included "Taliban Cry Uncle" and "Al-Qaeda Beg For Mercy". Now, believe me, i'm no expert on Central Asia or Islamic fundamentalism, but i do know that both of these propositions are highly unlikely (i'm not even ready to discuss issues of cultural sensitivity around these pearls of wisdom). Of course, these blasts are nothing in comparison to my favorite NY Post headline: 'Ban on the Run (i'm curious to know if there was an uptick in sales for Wingspan after that issue...i know that the damn song was stuck in my head for at least a week).

But now to the point...when did the word propaganda cease to be sinister and become something to be proudly proclaimed in banner headlines? if the sun-times is using it, i mean, it's grammatically correct and all, but the tone seems all wrong. propaganda is something the enemy does, like nazis, or communists, or nike. when we do it, it's the Voice of America, a beacon of freedom, a light in the darkness. am i wrong?

speaking of propaganda: has anyone seen the teaser ads for winter olympic coverage? it involves some crap song about coming home (i think creed are involved in some way) and the theme is the olympics are coming home. ok now, i don't mean to be a spoiler but the folks at the nbc networks need to get some better fact checkers, because the olympics originated in greece, not the united states and they ain't going home until 2004 (and even that is a crap shoot...be ready on short notice Sydney and Barcelona). i mean, yay for the home team and all (sometimes i get choked up when our national anthem is played in the winners circle, i'll admit it), but let's get real here. Salt Lake City is NOT Athens (on more levels than I can even begin to contemplate) and...well, there is no AND. nuff said. Be warned that I will have plenty more to say about these Olympics before that flame is extinguished.

additionally, have you seen these new walgreens ads where every single soulless stucco mansion in the subdivision has a glowing neon walgreens sign on its roof? this one actually makes me shudder. THIS future is not out of the question. it's only a matter of time before private citizens begin selling themselves and their environs as advertising space.

Of course, now, WE pay for the privilege of hocking someone's product on our chest, our feet, our heads. At least, in this new paradigm, you and I get a piece of the action. what about zoning laws, you cry? surely, local political bodies will never let this travesty befall us. such naivete is almost quaint. you mean the same boards and councils that let Sam Walton put main street out of business and let Channel One into our public schools?(wow, this turned out pretty bleak.)

either there has been a complete derailment of my train of thought or someone dammed up my stream of consciousness. later.