The Journal’s front-page business stories are run-of-the-mill this morning, far from the glory days of yore.

One reports that banks are competing to draw deposits by raising interest rates.

Another news story, what the paper calls a page-one “extra”, says Wal-Mart is doing well in the bad economy.

Boring.

These could have run in any paper—or inside the pre-Murdoch WSJ. The paper’s front page has been somewhat commoditized. But not totally: The Alzheimer’s story hints at the good old days.