Who Is Strumpette?

The piece is useless because they didn't slam the Republicans?

Maureen Dowd's column today might be called Same Old Bush:

"The open-microphone incident at the G-8 lunch in St. Petersburg on Monday illustrated once more that W. never made any effort to adapt. The president has enshrined his immaturity and insularity, turning every environment he inhabits -- no matter how decorous or serious -- into a comfortable frat house.

"No matter what the trappings or the ceremonies require of the leader of the free world, he brings the same DKE diction, bearing and cadences, the same insouciance and smart-alecky attitude, the same simplistic approach -- swearing, swaggering, talking to Tony Blair with his mouth full of buttered roll."

Some reminders that this is a tough time for the newspaper biz:

"The New York Times is planning to reduce the size of the newspaper , making it narrower by one and a half inches, and to close its printing operation in Edison, N.J." That will cost 250 production jobs. And while lots of papers, including The Washington Post, have done this, it will mean a 5 percent cut in Times news space.

Plus: "The Wall Street Journal calls it a 'jewel box,' but readers of its front page will know it by its common name: advertising. The Journal today confirmed long-time speculation that it would open its front page to advertising , probably in September, a move that could bring in tens of millions of dollars in advertising revenue each year."

And on the hockey front, "L.A. Times beat writers will no longer routinely cover road trips of the Kings and Ducks."

Here's some big media news: "The National Enquirer published an apology and retraction in its British edition Tuesday to pop star Britney Spears , whom the tabloid last month reported was ready to split from husband Kevin Federline."

Finally, did you get a look at Bush's hands-on diplomacy with Angela Merkel? Is it me, or does she look not all that thrilled at the shoulder massage?