Call it more progressive (read: adult) editorial stance, a copyeditor's error, or a raised middle-finger to the paper's days of branding itself a "family newspaper," I have to admit being tickled at the sight of the word "shit" popping up in today's print edition of the LA Times. It's right there on page 22 of what's left of the Calendar section, in a book review feature: the un-altered title of the new book of essays by Steve Lowe, Alan McArthur and Brendan Hay:

Is It Just Me or Is Everything Shit?

In bold letters, nonetheless. And not printed as "S---" or some other childish form such as "s#%!#," either.

The Times chickened out, though, referring to the book as simply Is It Just Me in the body of the review. But for the paper that once would only print the name of the Butthole Surfers if it was chopped to "B.H. Surfers," this is high progress.

Can a lifting of the ban on "fuck" be far behind?