All the papers trumpet the cost of the Senate healthcare bill, released today. It's the dumbest thing they've done in a while (and the Post gave away Madoff's shirts the other day).

Newspapers love a price, or a percentage or something to officially impose order on the disordered world. Which is probably why they all trumpet the cost of the Senate healthcare bill at the tops of their stories. It is ridiculous and pointless unless it is contrasted with the current system, which is outlandishly expensive. The bill may literally cost hundreds of billions, but it is replacing a system that costs more and still leaves thousands dead, bankrupt, miserable or a combination of the three. The reform may in fact represent a saving. Taking just the cost - saying the "PACKAGE COSTS $849 BILLION" like the Washington Post, and every other paper, does, is disingeneuous and dangerous and fuels the misunderstanding many people have that the bill is fiscally irresponsible. The current system is actually fiscally irresponsible and cruel. Even if changing it was expensive, it would still be worth it. But it's not, so why report a bald figure that means nothing and will confuse people?

Luckily there's some other news to help distract from this. About Katrina being the fault of the army, the cleric who inspired the Fort Hood shooter and Derek Jeter's vacation. Click away!

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.

The New York Times: runs a picture of Hillary Clinton in a bizarre jacket that looks like something Chairman Mao might have worn on an avant-garde day. Close readers of the Afghanistan story that accompanies it might read into the fact that she's laughing with Ambassador Eikenberry (wants no more troops) and General McChrystal (wants lots more troops) is looking dour in the background. The news that the Senate has finally released its version of the healthcare reform bill is greeted as promising, and the conflicting advice on mammograms takes another turn. The Times does what the Times does best in two stories - one on the wider ideological impact of Islamic cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, who communicated with the Fort Hood shooter and the other on the accidental shooting in the Bronx. The news that the Army is held responsible for some flooding in New Orleans is something we'll probably see more of - it broke too late last night for analysis. And finally luxury stores are fighting the recession - by stocking fewer of each item they sell.

The Washington Post: oh good, another climate threat to worry about; the Post report that peat lands in Indonesia "unleash vast amounts of carbon." Does this mean we'll start to hear chants of "peat baby peat"? The Senate healthcare bill gets a slightly sensational treatment here, as everywhere else, and is paired with more on the mammogram debate, as everywhere else. Lawmakers want more help from the White House to investigate the Fort Hood shootings, and the shame of women who secretly like Twilight. The paper does not have the Katrina story on the front - perhaps because of earlier deadlines.

The LA Times: has, surprise surprise, the cost of the healthcare bill in it's standfirst (the smaller type under the headline). In other national news the Katrina story gets good play. They look further afield, to the EU for this story, but stay local after that with pieces on gang wars (a favorite at the LAT), fees at the University of California and how the recession is affecting a Tijuana roadside-seller.

The Wall Street Journal: decided not to put their front page up this morning, so you get a screengrab of the home page. Think of it as a metaphor for the future of news delivery. They characterise the healthcare bill as a 'showdown' and continue the dramatic language in a piece on the breast cancer screening debate. A "hedge fund king" tries to rebuild, California is still in trouble financially (and is banning power-hungry TVs) and the best flu scare story ever: your doctors' tie could make you ill. Go see him on dress-down Friday. Also, Iran doesn't care what we say.

The New York Post: likes baseball and girls. Plus they had a serious story yesterday, so why not indulge?

The Daily News: comparing the News and the Post you'd think that the former was one of the oldest papers in the country and had been in New York for centuries. But you'd be wrong. They lead again with the local story — the developments in the accidental shooting in the Bronx.

AM New York: if you live in NY you can stop this story coming true! Tip people tip! Think of it as stimulus.

The Telegraph (India): pollution here is something Al Gore talks about. In India, in creeps into your house at night and is nicknamed the "Calcutta Killer".

http://www.wsj-asia.com/