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Dirty little secret time here -- along the lines of "You know you're a redneck if … "

You know it's summertime journalism if ….

... You begin to notice The Attack of The Lists. They come with the territory, like suntan lotion, "Die Hard" movies and boat drinks. They're fun and ever-so-slightly informative … but mostly serve as conversation starters. Are they a crutch of sorts for reporters and columnists? Absolutely. But a completely understandable one given the glacial pace of the June-July-August news cycles. (What, you'd prefer another "Summer of the Shark?")

This summer is shaping up true to form.

See, it begins innocuously enough with a Big List, maybe even on national TV – like last week, when the American Film Institute named its "Top 100 Films of All Time." This big splash opens the season and gives everybody cover.

Then a big name magazine gets into the act, as Forbes has done today with its list of the "Celebrity 100" list of who in showbiz has the most capital, financial or otherwise. (No shock here, but Oprah is still on top.)

Then you move inside the newspaper to a list about "Our Favorite Magazines," as the Chicago Tribune did today. (Though it's nearly impossible to have a problem with any list that gives props to "The Believer.")

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