But it is hard to see how any drawing-board initiatives at this stage are going to inspire and unite a sceptical public, given the tangled web of who owns what, and where.

BBC: Ground Zero money for transport links

But care needs to be taken when drawing hard conclusions from fast-food prices.

ECONOMIST: The Big Mac Index

That leaves Cowgill, a 5-foot-9 bundle of energy who swings hard and runs even harder, drawing comparisons to Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia.

WSJ: For a Day, Mets Find Answers

While networks also have to worry about drawing male viewers, especially the advertiser-coveted younger ones, the hard truth is that battle is being lost to edgier cable hosts Stewart, Colbert and O'Brien all have majority-male audiences and to the video games and online distractions that consume their attention.

NPR: Late-Night Network Shows Still A White Men's Club