My favorite contest EVAR:

An international literary parody contest, the competition honors the memory (if not the reputation) of Victorian novelist Edward George Earl Bulwer-Lytton (1803-1873). The goal of the contest is childishly simple: entrants are challenged to submit bad opening sentences to imaginary novels. Although best known for “The Last Days of Pompeii” (1834), which has been made into a movie three times, originating the expression “the pen is mightier than the sword,” and phrases like “the great unwashed” and “the almighty dollar,” Bulwer-Lytton opened his novel Paul Clifford (1830) with the immortal words that the “Peanuts” beagle Snoopy plagiarized for years, “It was a dark and stormy night.”

The culprit:

“It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents–except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the streets (for it is in London that our scene lies), rattling along the housetops, and fiercely agitating the scanty flame of the lamps that struggled against the darkness.”

–Edward George Bulwer-Lytton, Paul Clifford (1830)

My favorites from the 2008 results after the jump.

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From the guy who’s going to solve the financial mess:

Today, the McCain campaign released a list of “100 distinguished and experienced economists” signing onto a statement declaring that “Barack Obama’s economic proposals are wrong for the American economy.” However, as TNR points out, only 90 names appear on the list, not 100. What’s more, a full 11 of those economists are McCain economic advisers. The list of “100″ even includes Douglas Holtz-Eakin, McCain’s chief economic adviser and one of his most visible spokesmen.

A McCain presidency might be a bigger comedy feast than the Boy King’s.

Take a good long look at this picture:

I took it in 2003. 

Now that you’ve had a look, go read Krugman.  If you already read it in the comments, read it again.

Not to turn Stinque into Calculated Risk, but:

TITANS 102.73 -7.36 -6.69%

HSI 14796.87 -1146.37 -7.19%

NIKKEI 8276.43 -881.06 -9.62%

STI 1948.33 -154.38 -7.34%

CHINA 2000.572 -74.011 -3.57%

KOSPI 1241.47 -53.42 -4.13%

SET 451.96 -48.03 -9.61%

ASX-200 3960.7 -360.20 -8.34%

My guess is Dow down 5-7% today … but who knows!  Isn’t unfettered capitalism teh awesome?!!!1?!

As you can see, I have nothing.  If I cat-blog tomorrow, just shoot me.

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Located N. Atlantic Ocean, pop. 320,000; 285,274 BR; 279,305 FB; 102,992 HB; 103,000 sq. km. lot.  Excellent loc. due to global warming; first world infrastructure w/ old world charm.  Includes abundant geothermal energy, great fish stocks, and Bjork. Recently 4th most productive country in world.  All reasonable offers considered. Payment methods acceptable: rubles, euros, MC, Visa, Diners Club.  No personal checks, no US$-denominated offers.  Ask for Mr. Haarde.

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