You can learn a lot about the way journalists work these days by reading about Britney Spears.

Remember my post from yesterday, about the Mirror claiming Britney is with Fred Durst, while the NY Post claimed on the very same day she's back with Justin?

Well, the most bizarre thing happened today: the newspapers switch their own stories! The Post runs an item about Britney being "one busy gal... Yesterday, we reported that the tipsy pop tart smooched with her old flame Justin Timberlake at an L.A. bar ... Now Limp Bizkit lunkhead Fred Durst says he's dating her..." without mentionning the Mirror, while The Mirror -- without ever mentionning The Post -- simply steals the whole Post item, including "Our spy says you could hear her in the stall...", just like it was its own spy.

What's next? Britney is maybe "a busy gal", but she is certainly working more than gossip columnists.