CNN International versus CNN for Dummies

A couple of days ago I complained about how the International Version of CNN's homepage is more apt to run lead stories about real news while the Version for Americans ("Dummies" of the heading) is more apt to run lead stories about Michael Jackson, Paula Abdul, and the Runafuckingwaybride (or whomever the media has agreed will be the White Female Victim - or in the case of the R.A.F.W.B., the potential victim - of the Week).

This morning they don't disappoint. The QuickVote® at the bottom of the international version is "Is PM Silvio Berlusconi right to challenge the U.S. report's conclusion that troops deserved no blame in the death of intelligence agent Nicola Calipari?" (currently 82% say Yes) and the QuickVote® at the bottom of the Dummies edition is "Do you think the Michael Jackson prosecution has proven its case?" (so far 45,000 of our fellow netizens and internauts feel they've seen enough reports about and dramatic reconstructions of the trial of this ex-popstar on television to make a judgement, and 25,000 of them say yes, fry the child molester because we're the vengeful children of a vengeful american god and we know a bad -- or unusual -- person when we see one on tv).

UPDATE at 1:47pm EST on 5/5/5--OK, now CNN International still has the Berlusconi question (still 82% yes), but CNN for Dummies has the burning question, "Should Texas restrict "overtly sexually suggestive" school cheerleading routines?" (right now it's 50%/50%, 34,495 yeahs / 34, 086 nays).

TBL