Unqualified Offerings

Principles of the American Cargo Cult. Not yet endorsed by this site, but noticed.

By Thoreau
Once upon a time, when Sen. Rick Santorum said that gay marriage would lead to men doing the deed with dogs, America’s finest advice columnist sprang into action and re-defined the word “Santorum.”  As a result, the Senator of the Salty Ham Tears cannot go anywhere without people giggling at his name, and deservedly [...]

Checking the weather in Baghdad for a comment thread downblog, I found myself having a flashback to the early days and hours of the US invasion in March 2003, how unreal it all felt. The news programs showed video of columns of vehicles moving through desert landscapes, cutting to maps with names like Najaf and [...]

Oh Baltar. Even when you’re trying to help it’s . . . not help. A lot of great two-person scenes tonight. Also, last week someone talked about Gaeta not having the stature of a major coup-leadin’ badass. That’s what makes it cool for me. He’s so obviously compensating for years of screwups and resentments. Meanwhile, [...]

It’s 2009. Iraqi soldiers still wear masks to hide their identities. From other Iraqis.

Televid star Matt Yglesias often makes the argument that, bad as Republican prospects seem today, the can swiftly reverse if the electorate thinks the country is still doing poorly come election time in 2010 or 2012. But Daniel Larison makes me think that’s not necessarily true, given the example of the British Conservative Party since [...]

State arts-funding cuts in Illinois jeopardize the state’s lead in live-art projects on political themes.

“I am a longtime Steeler’s fan. Mr. Rooney, the owner, was just an extraordinary supporter during the campaign,” Obama said in the Oval Office this afternoon. “I wish the best to the Cardinals. They’ve been long-suffering. It’s a great Cinderella story, but other than the Bears, the Steelers are probably the team that’s closest to [...]

Harvey Wallbanger at the new Atlantic Business site references a BU School of Medicine study on the long-term personal-health catastrophe that is professional gridiron football. (Via TNC.) Wallbanger suggests either a lot more or a lot less padding. Commenter The Reticulator suggests ending free substitution and returning to the days of the two-way player.
If they [...]

By Thoreau
So, he’s known about tomorrow’s midterm since Jan. 5.  He has a conference for work, a conference that he was sure was next Friday.  Turns out it’s this Friday.  He just got his calendar straight on Monday.  He waited until today to tell me.
The conference is kind of optional.  He isn’t working for a [...]