Tuesday Telegraph Room

... The Times has a smart comeback on the mother who kidnapped from Children's Hospital her baby, who needed surgery: "Even though going to court to take custody away from parents who refuse treatments for their children is always a last resort, it happens regularly." ...

... Hey, I know! Let's turn those rickety residential-alley garages into homes! ... In other dumb news, King County Council member Reagan Dunn held a press conference to explain to identity thieves what personal property-owner information can be found online and exploited. ... Bill Virgin examines Mike McGavick's claim that he rescued Safeco. ... The state gas tax will go up 3 cents a gallon on Saturday, reports the News Tribune in an overview of the local impact of fuel prices generally. ... Gilbert Gilman, the deputy director of the state Department of Retirement Systems, is missing. ...

... After the jump, meet the members of the "lucky sperm club." ...

... Day 2 of America Held Hostage by Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, and I'm afraid the locals are seriously outgunned again. (Time to make the BMGF a full-time beat, Dave and David.) The New York Times has a good overview of the two men's friendship and how it evolved. The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) delves into the effect the donation will have on charity at all levels, among givers and in spending on world health, and on how the deal will affect Wall Street. Quote of the day is from the NYT:

As for any thought he might have had in giving the bulk of his billions to his three children, Mr. Buffett was characteristically blunt. "I don't believe in dynastic wealth," he said, calling those who grow up in wealthy circumstances "members of the lucky sperm club."

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer sent Tom Paulson to New York, and he has worthy detail from the events there, but it's not as global as the big papers' accounts. The Seattle Times worked the phones and has some local perspective. But it looks like neither paper flooded the zone sufficiently. The Journal had no fewer than five reporters on Seattle's $60 billion charity. ...