Altanticism: Oui
The French flag is the world's most famous tricolor, so why not a third installment in our chronicle of France's return to N.A.T.O.? In all its dubious glory: froglink.

In Congress Assembled
In all sincerity, I do not understand all the hubbub over A.I.G. When you hand somebody a blank check, you don't really have any argument with how they spend the money. If Congress wanted the Department of the Treasury to exercise that kind of oversight, that should have been put into writing before A.I.G. received one red cent. Of course, that is the role of the Congress, is it not? To alternate between sitting on its thumbs or making things worse—like when it bullied Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac into underwriting home loans for every Tom, Dick, and Harry off the street, no questions asked—and then when things do go wrong, to swoop in, fingers waging, scolding anyone and everyone in sight… and in its self-righteousness forget actually to fix the problem. The United States Congress, ladies and gentlemen, give 'em a hand!

And yet I firmly believe that in a free society such as our Great Republic we get exactly the government we deserve. I'm only half-joking when I say we should give serious thought to repealing Article I of the Constitution. We don't have to commit ourselves to anything, let's just see what arguments we can make pro and con. Dibs on con.

Erin Go Bragh
My name is Michael Patrick Wilson and I loathe St. Paddy's Day because green Budweiser and plastic bowlers have nothing in the world to do with Eire, the Irish, or Saint Patrick. Though I did see a comely lass wearing a delightful T-shirt featuring the Irish tricolor and emblazoned with "Irish Girls Kick Ass;" the sight was quite charming, but in truth I attribute that more to the lass than the shirt.

However, I did imbibe a Guinness as soon as I came to home this afternoon, the most I've done to celebrate Saint Patrick's Day in many a year. And yes, I always have Guinness in the house, at least between Labor Day and Memorial Day.

Project TRITON
I have set a deadline of Michaelmas for Project TRITON's completion (to a level equivalent to Tier 1 of Project TROIKA). Jumpin' Jack Pratt, to what have I committed myself? Alas and alack, there's naught for it but Onward!

Grow or die.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day
Reel Big Fish, "I'm Cool" from Why Do They Rock So Hard? (T.L.A.M.)