First, you have to think of what the purpose is of a headline. They are there to attract your attention, like a flashing light. Because they are intended as attention-getters, they usually have double meanings, or misleading meanings; that makes people stop skimming over the headlines and think…Huh? What is that about?

1. Martinez Elected Delegate in Mild Upset

Martinez was elected. The fact that there is an upset means that the incumbent (the one originally holding the office) lost the election. It is a MILD upset because Martinez did not win by a huge margin. (Or it could mean that Martinez policies don’t differ much from the guy being replaced.)

2. Trying to save face:

Saving face is an oriental concept referring to reputation. Saving face means to keep your reputation and the respect of other people. So if you say something publicly trying to save face, you are just saying it to save your reputation.

3. Lasting magic or a puff of smoke

This means that something has changed. However, there are two possibilities. Either the changes are going to stay (hence “lasting magic”) or the changes are brief and will be gone with the next breeze like a puff of smoke. This could refer to anything–New Years resolution, keeping to the new diet/exercise regimen, some politicians platform, or my recent efforts to keep my house clean–or at least cleaner than usual.

4. Project Pics Don’t Tell Whole Story

This means that whoever is presenting the story has a bias, and there’s something they’re not telling. Either there are pictures which have been left out, or the explanation is inadequate. At any rate, there is more to be told, before one can make a fair assessment.

5. O.C. Push for Annexation Meets Consternation

The O.C. is trying to Annex.

Let’s guess that some location is trying to annex another area. Locally for me, there’s a city trying to annex land from a local town in order to change the number of students, and build more city-funded schools in the area. (Or change the number of taxpayers, or voters or whatever) Annexation is when one city or town absorbs part of county property, or adjusts city or county lines. Usually there’s some political motive. OC is probably Orange County; I doubt it is Ontario Canada; but it could be any place with those initials: Oak Cliff (Dallas), Oberlin College… The context would make it clear, or the source of the local news. Anyway, to continue analyzing the headline,

The oberlin college’s attempt to annex more land causes alarm and dismay.

Or, Orange County California’s attempt to annex (some neighborhood) causes alarm and dismay.

2. Attempting to maintain one’s sense of dignity.

3. Something of lasting value, or of only temporary importance.

4. Some pictures supplied to illustrate a project don’t tell what the most important thing about the project.

5. Orange County is trying to annex some property but faces opposition.