This image was lost some time after publication.

Just in time for Valentine's Day, good news for the potential future cat-eaten die-alones among us, courtesy of Times public editor Byron Calame:

The opening paragraph of the article sounded like grown-up stuff: "For what experts say is probably the first time, more American women are living without a husband than with one, according to a New York Times analysis of census results." It was a statistic that put the story on a fast track to the front page, providing a noteworthy benchmark for a well-established trend. But the new majority materialized only because The Times chose to use survey data that counted, as spouseless women, teenagers 15 through 17 — almost 90 percent of whom were living with their parents.

Though the original article's author maintains that "the essence of the article remains accurate," Calame concludes that "readers deserved a more tempered story, displayed on an inside page." "And some Tastee D-Lite to soothe their jangled nerves," he did not add.

Can A 15 Year Old Be A Woman Without A Spouse? [NYT]

Earlier:Also, 91% of Women Are Now Emailing Spinster Article To Their Single Friends