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November 19, 2003

| Koppelgram! >>

Quantum Iraq

Sure, sure, we journalists talk a good game about the importance of engaging stories and evocative pictures… but come on, people really just want more contests!

Nicholas Kristof is soliciting better names for last spring’s war in Iraq. He writes: “I’ll report the top five suggestions and give those writers Iraqi 250-dinar notes with Saddam’s portrait.”

Here’s my entry: Saddam Entanglement. It’s like quantum entanglement, get it? That’s when two particles mysteriously affect one another even when separated by a huge distance (the 6,000 miles from Washington to Baghdad, say). Wikipedia says: “Einstein famously derided entanglement as ‘spooky action at a distance.’”

Hmm, maybe I should have made Spooky Action at a Distance my backup entry…

Anyway, Saddam Entanglement is also apt because let’s face it, quantum physics is almost — almost — as confusing as the situation in Iraq right now.

Posted November 19, 2003 at 2:53 | Comments (8) | Permasnark
File under: Gleeful Miscellany, Journalism

Comments

My favorite choice is still "Desert W. Storm."

Posted by: Matt on November 19, 2003 at 02:04 PM

How about the First Pre-emptive War?

Posted by: Other Matt on November 19, 2003 at 02:15 PM

Desert W. Storm! Hilarious! Did you make that up? You didn't make that up. If you made that up, you win one Snarkpoint. But I don't think you did, therefore you LOSE one Snarkpoint.

First Pre-emptive War sounds like something out of an Asimov novel, doesn't it?

Posted by: Robin on November 19, 2003 at 02:35 PM

A quick Google search would indicate that I did not, in fact, make that up. I first read it on MetaFilter.

And even after extensive reflection, I can produce nothing better. The Pre-emptoponnesian War just doesn't have a ring.

Posted by: Matt on November 19, 2003 at 04:49 PM

Also, seeing as how we are equal powers on this website, I'm giving myself two Snarkpoints.

Posted by: Matt on November 19, 2003 at 04:50 PM

Good thing, because you start with -14.

(Ah, the level of discourse on our blog so far is everything I dreamed it would be!)

Posted by: Robin on November 19, 2003 at 05:37 PM

I detect irony in your last sentence, Robin.

I give myself infinity^100 Snarkpoints, steal your soul, and cast Lightning Lvl. 1,000,000. Your body explodes into a fine bloody mist, because you are only a Lvl. 2 Druid.