Unreading the Morning Paper

In the movie "Roxanne" (a modern-day "Cyrano de Bergerac"), there is a throw-away bit of schtick in which Steve Martin (playing the Cyrano character) puts a quarter into a machine to get a newspaper, looks at the front page, gasps, puts another quarter into the machine, and tosses the newspaper back. All in about 3 seconds.

I have certainly felt that way about the New York Times in recent days. I take one look at the front page pictures of the disaster in New Orleans, and I want to toss it back and forget that I ever looked at it.

When will it be safe to look at papers again?