It’s what’s for dinner

I suppose it’s a good thing that one of the more controversial topics this morning was the flatiron steak photo on the cover of IN Life today. “News is a Conversation” blogger Russ Lipton says he’s going to reconsider vegetarianism. Marianne Love is reaching for the A-1 sauce.

The angle of the photo and the way the sauce is drizzled on the plate create the illusion that the meat is oozing juices - which could understandably be (un)appealing for some. Even the die-hard steak connoisseurs at the table could see how the photo might be off-putting, particularly for vegetarians.

Reader Jennifer Olsen provides a good insight on the challenges of food photography. All I can say is, what time is lunch?

Managing Editor Gary Graham did a quick survey of front pages to see how other papers treated Anne Bancroft’s death. Most did the same thing we did - putting a promo in the “rail” (the index down the side of the page) or the “skybox” (the area above the newspaper’s logo, also known as the “flag”). A notable exception was the L.A. Times, which ran a front page story.

At least one editor has some misgivings about referring to slain teenager Matthew Migaki as a “drug dealer” in today’s story (one in which, incidentally, his last name was misspelled throughout - look for a correction tomorrow). Reporter Tom Clouse explained that while two ounces of pot may seem like a small amount, it is in fact a wholesale quantity - first-time sellers and users typically deal in “dime bags,” a smaller quantity usually sold for around $10. The term “drug dealer” is meant to be descriptive of Migaki’s actions, but it’s also a term that carries a lot of connotations and should be used judiciously.

Coming up today:

-The effort to recall Mayor West faces its first legal test today at 1:30 p.m. Judge Craig Matheson is going to review whether the petition is legally sufficient, that is, whether the allegations listed would prove malfeasance if they are found to be true. It is important to distinguish that the judge will not be making a ruling on the veracity of the allegations themselves, only whether the recall can proceed.

-The Idaho Board of Education is considering change the way universities and fund-raising foundations operate, in response to UI’s failed attempt to build a branch campus in Boise.

-Spokane Valley police are cracking down on speeders around University High School. We’ll take a closer look at how and when the school zone limits are enforced.