‘Butter death’ churns Sun site. “American falls into coma after eating 413 biscuits!” Oh Noes! Another terrible tale of American excess that we’re told the America-haters love. Reported an Arkansas website, local food writer Kevin Shalin had visited the local Red Lobster chain and, told the butter biscuits were free, bet that he could eat 415 of them. At 412 he reported feeling dizzy, it was reported. At 413 he fell into a coma! Later two gallons of butter were drained from his body. They had allegedly blocked the signals to his brain.

They’d blocked the signals to someone’s brain. The story was an obvious hoax. Each biscuit was reported to contain 150 calories — making a 62,000 calorie meal, or a month’s food, weighing in at around 25kg. A mildly funny story from a Little Rock satirical site. Even funnier was the biggest paper to fall for this satire both of American excess, and of reports on it:

Yes, the venerable Sun, hammer of the Americophobic elitists. Accessed today, the page had a 404 error message. Apparently, “we are morons who wrap anything around advertising, out of a profound contempt for our readers” is error 405. — Guy Rundle

Oz delivers unfair Cut. The Australian‘s Cut and Paste column (AKA Cut and Waste) is known for publishing anything to justify its blinkered view of things management doesn’t like. But does it really check (the way it accuses Media Watch of not doing)? Take this morning’s column:

Not newsworthy anyway: Linda Mottram, ABC702 yesterday:

“IF you don’t want to hear anything about the polls, which means your’e probably thinking along much the same lines as me, also send us a text. We’d like to hear one way or the other whether you think it is still of newsworthy value.”

Trouble is Mottram was off sick yesterday and Tracey Holmes filled in for the day in the 9am to 11am morning slot for 702. Mottram was back this morning. — Glenn Dyer

Front page of the day. Nik Wallenda used 30 years of high-wire experience and, Florida’s Sarasota Herald-Tribune reports, “deep religious faith” to successfully traverse the Grand Canyon gorge 457 metres above the Little Colorado River. Wallenda’s home-town paper captures the moment …