Scaled-Down Fourth of July

There will be "less flash for the Fourth" this year says the New York Times this morning. Cities across the country are coping with smaller budgets for their fireworks celebrations.  In Houston, the budget is about half of what it was last year.

Plane Crash Survivor Speaks

The New York Post has an interview and the first photos of the lone survivor from yesterday's Yemenia Airways crash. She says initially when she found herself in the water she heard other people speak.  But she was the only person who held on long enough to be rescued.

Pet Python Strangled Toddler

A two-year-old girl from Florida is dead after her family's pet eight-foot python escaped from its cage and strangled her. The boyfriend of the girl's mother also has a six-foot boa constrictor in the house and could be charged with child endangerment says the Sun Sentinel.

Guilt-Free Dogs

Have you ever come home to a house full of chewed shoes - and a four-legged culprit sitting nearby looking guilty?  Don't misinterpret that hangdog expression says the Washington Post. A new study has found that what owners perceive as human emotions in their pets are more likely the "reaction to subtle cues from their owners."

Naked Man on a Plane

We laughed earlier this week at the naked safety video for Air New Zealand passengers.  This tops that:  a man stripped naked in his seat on a US Airways flight en route to Los Angeles yesterday. The plane was forced to make an emergency landing in New Mexico after he refused to cover up. The Albuquerque Journal has some great photos and this quote from a fellow passenger: "They used to show you a movie on a plane, now you get a skin flick."

Inside Page One

There's a very interesting glimpse inside the 4pm "page one" editorial meeting at the New York Times in today's paper.  The article defends the ritual, which some critics see as anachronistic in the age of digital journalism, and says there will always be a need for editors to separate the "wheat from chaff."

Standing on "the Ledge"

If you feel the need to stare down 1,353 feet to the ground below, get to Chicago. "The ledge," an enclosed glass box that juts out 4.3 feet from the 103rd floor of the Sears Tower, opens today reports the Tribune.

Auto Industry Sees Bottom

The bottom is in sight for auto makers reports the Wall Street Journal this morning. The paper says an increase in sales is expected for July as Americans take advantage of the "cash for clunkers" program.

The Detroit News writes that Ford outpaced global leader Toyota in the US market last month. Said a Ford economist: "The tide seems to have shifted in recent weeks, with more indicators improving than receding."

Mills Goes Gluten-Free

What has General Mills, makers of Wheaties cereal, been up to recently? Making gluten-free food says the Wall Street Journal. The wheat-less products are proving to be cheap to market because no advertising is required - customers are eager for them.

Review from the Cheeseburger Bureau

Who knew that there was a cheeseburger bureau at the Chicago Tribune, let alone a cheeseburger bureau chief? Well, there is and this morning he reviews the first new burger to hit McDonalds' menu in eight years.  The verdict? The new Angus burger beats the competition, except the venerable Big Mac.

Fattest State Awards

Colorado weighs in last on the annual "fattest state" rankings says the Grand Junction Sentinel. Top honors go to Mississippi for the fifth year running. The state also has the largest number of overweight children reports the Biloxi Sun Herald - almost 45 percent are considered too heavy.

Slim Jim Crisis

A crisis looms for Slim Jim fans. The factory was disabled a few weeks ago by an explosion.  And the New York Post says stockpiles of the indestructible meat snack are running out!

Diana Ross Named Guardian in MJ's Will

The New York Daily News has an image of Michael Jackson's will on page four and notes that Diana Ross was named as the backup guardian for Jackson's three kids.

Health But No Wealth at 107

The Washington Post profiles a Virginia man who has reached the ripe age of 107. He looks great and takes no medication. There's only one problem: He has run out of money (again) because he keeps living so long.

Actor Karl Malden Dead at 97

Oscar-winning actor Karl Malden is dead reports his hometown paper the Chicago Tribune.   Malden was one of the original Actors Studio members. To younger audiences he will be remember as the man who popularized the American Express slogan "don't leave home without it." To an older generation, he was best known for the 1970s series "The Streets of San Francisco" with Michael Douglas and for his role as Mitch in the 1951 film "A Streetcar Named Desire." He was 97. VIDEO BONUS: American Express Commercials from the 1970s and 1980s.