Cheap Blogging Crutch - 3.26.10

The above photo, by the immensely talented James Vernacotola, tracks the ascent of the 32nd shuttle mission to the International Space Station, STS-130, which left planet Earth on February 8. This early morning launch and its gorgeous reflection were captured from the Intracoastal Waterway Bridge in Ponte Vedra, Florida, about 115 miles north of the launch site. As always, click to embiggen while you're reminded of What We Can Do.

American Health Care is Just Fine, Thanks
When Houston Tracy was born on March 15th in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, everything seemed fine. Ten fingers, ten toes. But not long after the cord was cut, doctors realized that Houston had been born with a life-threatening heart defect. Luckily, the condition is easily treated with surgery. Not so luckily, Houston's father, Doug, had his application for health insurance to cover his newborn son denied. The reason? A pre-existing condition. Doug Tracy said it best himself: "How can he have a pre-existing condition if the baby didn't exist until now?"

Socialist President Bows to Communist Overlords
With his left hand (the strong one), President Obama would initiate a government takeover of your health care, your freedoms, and your grandmas, while with his right he would seek to further weaken this great nation in the eyes of our enemies. His latest crime? "The most comprehensive arms control agreement in nearly two decades." This "hopey changey" shit has really got me down.

To Arms!
The South Korean military has launched a massive rescue operation after one of their vessels went down near Baengnyeong island, close to the disputed maritime border between their country and North Korea. The ship was carrying a crew of 104 personnel and was apparently targeted for its repeated attempts to interdict North Korea-bound freighters full of jumpsuits, sunglasses, and Courvoisier.

Mission Re-(ally)Accomplished
Crusader Castle, home of the largest US diplomatic mission in the world, also known as "Fortress America," is now home to the first artificial turf sports field in Iraq. We might not have provided this country with security, a functioning economy, or a democratic process free of fraud, but we sure as shit gave them the "safest, highest performing, and most durable artificial turf system in the world,” according to FieldTurf President Eric Daliere. No word yet on whether any non-diplomats (i.e. the Iraqi people) will actually be permitted to use the field.

"ButterFat 100 return to their psychobilly/emo core roots"
I'm told it's Friday, so I might as well leave you with a little pure gold from the Internet archives. Almost five years ago, atrocious prose factory Pitchfork asked David Cross to write a guest "Top 10" list. The talented Mr. Cross elected to provide them with the classic "Albums to Listen to While Reading Overwrought Pitchfork Reviews." I bring this up now only because I head that Wittgenstein's Mistress absolutely killed at SXSW. What, you haven't heard of them?!?!