The Dish

Friday on the Dish, Andrew slammed Peggy Noonan’s latest column, parsed public opinion on the IRS and Benghazi, and recalled Rumsfeld’s shut-down argument style. He encouraged consenting adults to let their freak flags fly and dove deep on the meaning of IQ scores. In political coverage, Politico looked to Cheney for guidance as scandals continued to dominate the news, Shafer explained the significance of the leaks that prompted the AP investigation, and readers filled in the tax policy details relevant for the IRS scandal while we looked into why it was important.

Elsewhere, American agricultural workers were less likely to stick around, trans troops made strides, civil unions crept into the mainstream, and David Drake tried to get to the core of the gay rights movement. Abroad, Mohsen Milani prepared us for Iran’s upcoming election, which took some unexpected turns, while we struggled to quantify violence in Syria and a reader provided some on-the-ground perspective from the Syrian border.

In other miscellanea, Razib Khan defended the connection between race and genetics, while readers added their views on tolerance around the world and Mike Kinsley discouraged stigmatization. Chinese cities employed the sincerest form of flattery, Barry Brook and Ben Heard touted the benefits of nuclear power, and the “debate” over global warming was settled among scientists, while climate change chased fish away from home. Venezuela was left with a bit of a mess on their hands after running out of TP, Martin Lewis worried that slowing birth rates were slipping under the media’s radar, and the NTSB considered lowering the bar for a DUI. Jon Lee Anderson examined YouTube as a tool for terrorists, Jeff Saginor worried about Google’s relationship with journalists and John McWhorter found that ending sentences with a proposition was something he could put up with.

As Tom Shone traced Richard Linklater’s work from sun-up to sun-down and Beckham explored the full range of ‘dos, Dr. Dre embodied conservative values, ”discussing Uganda” lost its innocence, and the Office reached its expiration date. We surveyed readers about the Wrap, put out a last request for Dishterns, and a reader detailed his slipping self-identification as a dog-person. The MHB garnered multiple “gesundheits” and we spied Stockholm in the VFYW, while the VFYWW took us around the world and a vampire channeled Bachmann in the FOTD.

The rest of the week after the jump:

Read On

Today on the Dish, Andrew attempted to parse the tax policy details of the IRS scandal, pondered the implications of attempts to tie Obama to the current array of scandals, and clarified his thoughts on genetics and race, Elsewhere, he digested a recent study on worldwide intolerance while one of his dogs showed him almost cat-like disdain.

In political news and views, the Beltway made mountains out of molehills as Kelsey Atherton explained why the courts should take another look at phone records and DOJ surveillance took a real toll on journalists. The IRA scandal brought paranoia back, we weighed the IRS director’s culpability as the scandal claimed his scalp, and the Daily Caller flailed in its attempts to hang it around Obama’s neck. Waldman tired of the semantic arguments over Benghazi and Daniel Klaidman previewed Obama’s upcoming speech on counterterrorism.

Friedersdorf picked apart proposals to tie immigration to IQ, Stephanie Mencimer uncovered the empty coffers of the anti-equality movement, and Casey Mulligan wondered which employers would be the first to drop coverage under the ACA. Overseas, Haj Kadour sacrificed his art for the rebel cause in Syria, Michael Knights blamed turmoil in Iraq on a slow slide back to authoritarianism, we checked in on the results of Pakistan’s recent election, countries struggled to reintegrate detainees,

In assorted coverage, Benjamin Wittes and Stephanie Leutert bashed Wikipedia’s distrust of blogs as the New Yorker eased the stress of blowing the whistle. Drones took to the fields to increase yields and RoboCrow took flight, while readers contributed their thoughts on the military’s sexual assault problem and spoke to both sides of the fracking debate.

Meanwhile, Naomi Alderman panned 21st century mindsets in historical fiction, network TV freed writers by constraining them, and cinema consumed conspicuously. Sue Halpern shared her thoughts on end-of-life happiness, a star-studded cast compiled a heart-wrenching lip-dub for a dying teenager, and Manet and Picasso experimented with product placement. Baths depressed a cat-sized dog in the MHB, Obama checked the skies in the FOTD, and night fell over Denver in the VFYW.

- D.A.

Oh my. Dick Morris says IRS scandal could lead to Obama's impeachment. Which means…it won't.—
David Corn (@DavidCornDC) May 15, 2013

Today on the Dish, Andrew defended Jason Richwine against the presumption of racism while applauding Ron Unz’s careful analysis of his work, saw room for long-term spending reform in the latest deficit numbers, and cheered Bret Easton Ellis. He gagged at Politico’s insider take on the current spate of scandals, tried to put Benghazi in perspective, and struggled to pick sides in the Syrian civil war. Elsewhere, he found hope for Obama in Dick Morris’ dire predictions and compared the dangers from prescription drugs and pot.

In political coverage, we examined end-of-life decisions for countries and filled in the details of the IRS and DOJ scandals, while Krauthammer provided a Republican voice of reason on Benghazi. Harvey Silverglate cast doubt on the FBI’s policy of not recording interrogations as sexual assault issues continued to plague the military, and we debated geoengineering while looking ahead to how climate change will create refugees in the not-so-distant future.

In miscellaneous coverage, Angelina Jolie made a private health decision in public while we pondered the recent SCOTUS case on patentable genes, and loneliness led to genetic mutations. While Tesla struggled to break out of the classic car dealership model, Alex Mayyasi studied the high cost of academic papers and education failed to entertain. Jonathan Rauch was unflinchingly honest about his past denial, PTSD sufferers benefited from a puff, drugs carried heavier sentences than murder, and rhino horns enticed poachers.

Meanwhile, Sadakichi Hartmann discovered the private significance of scents and Sue Halpern and Pransky calmed a troubled senior. Linda Holmes reminisced about the days when MTV played music, Jeff Koons revitalized pop art, and we found out how to get, how to get to Sesame Street. Pig poop foam threatened farms, Julia Ioffe smiled at comical spy gadgets, we reclined on Freud’s couch and meditated on music’s ability to move us. We took in a stunning view of New Orleans in the VFYW, creatively cracked a few beers in the MHB, and uncovered one of Communism’s victims in the FOTD.

- D.A.

Today on the Dish, Andrew called for accountability at the IRS while the government took a credibility hit, wondered at the media’s silence on the recent New Orleans shootings, worried about intellectual freedom in research on race and IQ. Elsewhere, he cringed at Kessler’s assessment of the Benghazi scandal and remained unconvinced about its import while believers struggled to place it on a map. He pushed back against Greenwald’s view of world violence and digested cross-national perceptions in the “utopian project” that is the EU. In lighter fare, he defended dogs against Ryan Kearney and celebrated our 26,000th subscriber for the new Dish.

In political potpourri, readers pointed to Minnesota’s strong Lutheran as instrumental for marriage equality, Steve Stockman earned an Yglesias nod for his comments on abortion, and Jon Cohn probed Obamacare’s weaknesses. In scandal-mania coverage, the DOJ landed in hot water for collecting phone records and Nick Confessore got right to the heart of the IRS scandal. Kevin Drum predicted short-term upheaval as robots continue to enter the workforce and Ritchie King tabulated pot taxes in Colorado. In international coverage, we compared American economic growth to that in Europe as the US turned a blind eye to poppy production in Afghanistan.

In assorted coverage, honeybee populations plummeted while Priscilla Long found a familiar culprit responsible for the demise of the Neanderthal, and 1927 London brightened up. Ann Friedman embraced journalism’s new chaos, journals were the Twitter of the 19th century, Jessica Helfand listed the pros and cons of lists, and book bans left prison libraries with slim pickings. While Yglesias and Kevin Roose debated Gatsby’s credit score, David Haglund pondered fake reality entertainment and Sue Halpern cured doggie ennui with therapy training,

Meanwhile, Twitter mapped out hate, Bloomberg journalists crossed the line, college students navigated porn in the classroom, and The Economist traced our language patterns back to the 1066 Norman Invasion. Maple Leafs fell in the FOTD, we enjoyed a beautiful evening on the Oregon coast in the VFYW and cruised the tropics in the contest, and romance novels hit the dance floor in the MHB.

- D.A.

Today on the Dish, Andrew found Obama’s connection to the Tea Party audits tenuous at best, wondered whether conservatives would be able to get under Hillary’s skin, and hesitated to throw Keynes’ economic baby out with the misogynist bathwater while chuckling at the irony of its origin. He plumbed the depths of our need for enemies, relayed the latest numbers for the Dish model, noted how far the US has come since Virtually Normal, and welcomed Minnesota to the marriage equality movement.

In political reporting, Felix Salmon called out universities’ use of Pell money, Michael Moynihan downplayed the importance of the Koch brothers, and Michael Grunwald defended government investment in green energy. Overseas, James Surowiecki saw encouraging signs for laborers in Bangladesh, Maher and Greenwald debated the “inherently violent” nature of Islam, and Iran silenced critical journalists as we previewed Iran’s upcoming election. Heidi Vogt looked ahead to a news vacuum left after reporters leave Afghanistan as Peter Beinart reminded us of our continuing obligations abroad, and politics in the Middle East needed a reboot.

In assorted news and views, Jonathan Zeller ran down the 15 “New Yorkiest” episodes of the show about nothing, coaches lived the easy life on taxpayer dollars, and researchers tried to distill consciousness to its core algorithm while Michal Lemberger found groupthink in advice columns. Big Brother rode shotgun in Google’s driverless cars, readers continued the discussion of corporate painkiller peddlers, we celebrated all sizes and shapes of snow, and Sue Halpern and her dog brought joy to seniors.

Elsewhere, Sam Allingham struggled to break out of his fan-fiction cage, cursive proved to be a sinister requirement for a left-handed reader, Michael Deacon channeled Robert Langdon, and we were tongue-tied by foreign languages. An Egyptian activist smiled from behind bars in the FOTD, Killarney Clary penned a Monday verse, while we marveled at Main’s green streets in the VFYW, ground control called a real-life Major Tom, and “To The River” caught the eye in the MHB.

- D.A.

Today on the Dish, Andrew engaged readers over Hawking’s Israel boycott, considered the implications of Sanford’s SC victory, glimpsed the GOP’s 2016 strategy in the Benghazi hearings, and railed against the obstructionism on the right. He marveled at the Tao of Drudge, found an English deity in the Doctor, and blasted those who prevented the burial of Tamerlan Tsarnaev while a reader compared him to Lee Harvey Oswald.

In political coverage, we rounded up responses to the Benghazi hearing, the Right continued to reform, and Frum defended Heritage. Reihan pondered the possibility of a 2015 surplus as Minnesota joined the marriage equality movement and the Feds tried to contain 3D-printable guns. Steve Brill’s healthcare exposé yielded results, Simon Shuster tied the Boston bombers to radical Islamists, and Kevin Spacey and Steny Hoyer debated the cynicism of Washington. Climate change got its day in court, Skeptical Science provided us with one-line responses for climate deniers, and Ohio voters approved local fracking.

In assorted news and views, Veronique Greenwood examined sensory curiosities, we drew parallels between the venus flytrap and our brains, Meher Ahmad explored married couples who stayed together by living apart, and Randy Frost found beauty in hoarding. Wiretaps moved into the 21st century, Jon Ronson profiled Kim Dotcom the non-pirate, and tech worked its way into our family trees.

Elsewhere, Doug Wignall lauded architects as political heroes, Gideon Lewis-Kraus griped about Yelp, and Fallows recognized the elegance in yesterday’s Google doodle. Politico erected a paywall, Tim Park sought out translators’ heavy touches, and Brandon Connely remembered a stop-motion legend. We browsed a London art fair in the FOTD, visited Venezuela in the VFYW and took to the skies for a VFYW bonus, and Between Two Ferns brought monogamy to spring break in the MHB.

- D.A.

Today on the Dish, Andrew posted a notice for a personal assistant, took a good look at what forced feeding is like at Gitmo, remained opposed to a mission into Syria despite the chemical weapons scare, and sighed at the ongoing obstacles to liberal democracy in the Muslim world. He echoed Rauch on the human and political value of immigration equality, rethought his mantra on masturbation, gave a timely shout out to Keynes and renewed his vows to his favorite disco duo.

In political coverage, we rounded up debate over the effects of Obamacare on Medicaid, studied the blowback on senators who sunk Manchin-Toomey, and a reader pushed back against our concern over gun ads featuring kids. Jonathan Rauch recounted his discovery of sexuality as a young boy as we considered the significance of Jason Collins’ coming out as a black man. Ann Friedman shined a light on the halfway house between editorial and advertising and both Chait and Ta-Nehisi dispensed some op-ed advice. Readers asked Josh Fox how feasible it will be to leave behind fossil fuels, Edward Glaeser proposed a libertarian means to progressive ends, Derek Thompson explained why CEO pay continues to balloon and readers took on McArdle’s retro-analysis of Bush v. Gore. Finally, as Ackerman doubted that sending weapons to rebels would break the Syrian stalemate, Mikey Piro reminded us of the struggles of our veterans back from combat.

In miscellanea, a reader and a testy Alaskan responded to Brian Phillips’ trials on the Iditarod Trail, the band !!! confessed the penalties of aiming for obscure hipness, and we dug up two poseur alerts, one of them close to home. We tried to untangle America’s obsession with charity ribbons, peeked into the market of conspiracy mongering, investigated the potential boon cannabis might be to fighting HIV. Robert Zigger hawked quietude to those willing to trek the Sahara, furrowed our brows at the expulsion of a high school chemist. Readers cried out to save cursive and we played around with real atoms in the Cool Ad Watch. After the Vatican discovered Native Americans in the Face of the Day we ran Spongebob through the Pogo-filter in the MHB and gazed at Eagan, Minnesota in the VFYW.

–B.J.

Today on the Dish, Andrew traveled the long road from persecution to equality, highlighted key DOMA moments, and hammered the Clintons for their opportunism on marriage equality. Elsewhere, he was encouraged by the Atlantic’s movement on sponsored content.

In politics, history repeated itself with concerns about children in unconventional marriages, Tom Goldstein balanced DOMA and Prop 8, and EJ Graff prepared for the marriage equality fight to continue beyond the DOMA ruling. Maggie Gallagher waited for divine judgment as the anti-equality movement continued to fade. The Greater Israel Lobby kept the West Bank under Israeli control, marijuana reform marched on, and the War on Terror aggravated the recession while torture thwarted justice.

In miscellaneous coverage, Frum traced the origins of America’s gun culture, a reader plugged domestic uses for drones, and a dongle divided the tech community. Ronald Bailey looked ahead to smaller farms, Reuven Brenner cashed in on early graduation, and Jake Blumgart cheered on his alma mater with sweatshop-free apparel. Marriage created the commitment that strengthened relationships, a reader shared his pre-nup horror story, and we crunched the numbers on rape in the gay community.

Elsewhere, The Americans impressed, Ferris Jabr toned with the help of tunes, and readers mouthed off on our monthly subscriptions. Buzz Bissinger splurged on Gucci, Mark Dery considered the American love of the British Monarchy, and anti-Semitism lingered in Britain. Jon Hamm’s privates begged for privacy, the Economist  unveiled modern attitudes toward sex in the Arab world, and TNC felt more afraid in Paris than on the streets of Baltimore. We traded german shepherds for St. Bernards in the MHB, attended a retro lesbian wedding in the FOTD, and watched a backyard blizzard in the VFYW.

- D.A.

(Photo by Adam Jan/AFP/Getty Images)

Today on the Dish, Andrew dove into the arguments in today’s DOMA hearing, encouraged anti-equality advocates to lead by example rather than oppressing others, and applauded the influence of the younger generation on their parents. Elsewhere, he prophesied a dismal future in journalism and refused to look away from the ongoing violence in Syria, which has now spilled over into Lebanon.

In Supreme Court coverage, Jon Rauch searched for a graceful out for the justices on Prop 8, while Dale Carpenter predicted an inconclusive ruling and we peeked into the courtroom as readers looked for a comprehensive ruling. NOM blew a tone-deaf dog-whistle, Nate Cohn lowered his expectations for the South’s support of marriage equality, and a trickle of equality endorsements turned into a flood, while we wondered who would be next. SCOTUSBlog gave us the odds on DOMA, Kennedy got right to the key point, and Ari Ezra Waldman explained why the “standing” issue applies for DOMA. While Ezra Klein found plenty of children who could benefit from a stable household, Edie Windsor overcame discrimination, with or without the government’s approval, and provided us with an enthusiastic FOTD.

In assorted news, Tony Dodge argued that the Iraqi Civil War was avoidable, readers waded into the debate over graphic war imagery as we explored blood-phobia, and technology made medical cost projections impossible to trust. Gary Becker tied immigration to the birth rate below the border, the recession forced families to call hotels home, Silicon Valley struggled with sexism, and readers disputed the comparison of Weez’s hacking and entering an unlocked house.

Meanwhile, an edibles maker chimed in on mellow highs, John Jeremiah Sullivan revealed our ignorance of animal consciousness, and two British papers joined the ranks of the metered. Channing Tatum gave George Clooney the thumbs up, TV watchers exercised their control, and Game of Thrones gave us a fantastic history lesson. We traveled to the Great White North in the VFYW, bopped with a big baby in the MHB, and VFYW contestants homed in on Hastings-on-Hudson.

- D.A.

(Photo: Plaintiff of the US v. Windsor case challenging the constitutionality of Section 3 of DOMA, 83-year-old widow Edie Windsor, shows a diamond pin which her wife Thea gave as engagement gift as she makes a statement to the media in front the Supreme Court on March 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. By Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images)

Today on the Dish, Andrew examined the differences between his appearance on Charlie Rose and the WSJ’s editorial, hoped that the benefits of marriage would soon be equal opportunity, parsed the arguments, and celebrated the early signs of a moderate outcome. Elsewhere, Douthat described a world without the Iraq war and Boris took a beating from the British press.

As the Supreme Court heard arguments in Perry v. Brown, past SCOTUS decisions bucked popular opinion, Cass Sunstein explained the benefits of a narrow ruling, and Greenwald heralded the defeat of defeatism. Josh Barro made the fiscal case for marriage equality as Frum completed his turnaround, McArdle connected marriage equality and “traditional morality,” and Allahpundit looked ahead to marriage equality’s role in the 2016 primaries. Nate Silver found hope in marriage equality’s steady polling advances, as Republicans divided along demographic lines and Christie picked the wrong side of a Jersey wedge issue. We took Twitter’s temperature on the hearing, compared Perry to Roe as readers chimed in, and applauded straight allies. Scalia and Olson exchanged questions, we reviewed “standing,” Lyle Denniston played out the possibilities in a deadlock, and Dale Carpenter read the tea leaves, as even the lawyers had trouble making predictions. After all this time, MLK Jr.’s and Hannah Arendt’s words continued to ring true, and the struggle for marriage equality was nothing new.

In assorted news and views, a reader pointed out Weez’s wrongdoing, Freddie deBoer poo-pooed the Pebble watch, smartphones proved a popular target for thieves, and robots took over the valet stand. Carl Zimmer defended ”basic research,” money mattered in March Madness, and we envied the “sleepless elite” while distracting ourselves to get rid of earworms.

Meanwhile, we pondered prenuptial agreements, Elizabeth Samet questioned the belief that soldiers make the best politicians, Brits narced on their neighbors, and TNC dove into the deep end to learn french. A butterfly perched precariously in the FOTD, we stopped by Senegal in the VFYW, and peeked in on panda playtime in the MHB.

- D.A.

(Photo: Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty.)

Today on the Dish, Andrew teamed up with a liberal lawyer to promote marriage equality, applauded the truth evident in Will Portman’s coming out, and called attention to the lack of data showing any harm to children of same-sex couples. Meanwhile, he cheered Rand Paul’s sanity on pot, drew parallels between conservativism and taoism, regretted the US’ choice to embrace torture in order to depose a torturer, and explained the new monthly subscription option on the Dish.

In political coverage, Obama worked his magic in Israel and struggled to reclaim his earlier levels of popularity. Ben Merriman considered conservativism in Kansas, the justice department jailed another hacker, and Julia Ioffe investigated Russia’s role in the Cyprus banking scandal. On the eve of the Prop 8 hearings, Tim Murphy set the deadline for marriage equality evolutions.

In assorted coverage, we added more details on name-changing customs at home and abroad, educational attainment was inherited, clinics offered à la carte pricing, and Rob Rhinehart gave up solids. Christian Caryl brought war imagery to the fore and Hitler convinced with his conviction. While goats thrived on global warming, Eduardo Porter worried about natural gas leakage, Tom Chatfield tried out a better keyboard, and David Zax reached the limits of his innovation.

As Passover began, Maxwell House monopolized the Haggadah, while elsewhere a reader sought a softer high, and Matt Soniak explained why toothpaste ruins orange juice. George Eliot couldn’t fool Charles Dickens, Lord Byron gave rise to vampires without writing a word, and Piers Anthony coped with his unhappy childhood. German shepherds frolicked in the MHB, and winter stuck around past its expiration date in the VFYW and the FOTD.

- D.A.

(Photo: Vice President Joseph R. Biden reacts as President Barack Obama speaks about signing the First State National Monument in Delaware, Biden’s home state, bill during a ceremony in the Oval Office of the White House March 25, 2013. Obama used the Antiquities Act to designate five new National Monuments. By Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images)

Friday on the Dish, Andrew plumbed his motivations for supporting the Iraq War, admired Obama on Israel while remaining skeptical that he could make a difference, and prayed for David Kuo and his family. Turning his eye abroad, he wondered if Boris Johnson could reshape British politics, expected big green things from Francis, and endorsed outing a bishop whose hypocrisy couldn’t be ignored.

In political coverage, the Supreme Court endorsed the right of resale and Marc Lynch called for Americans to have more perspective in their Iraq retrospectives while veteran Brandon Fielder allowed himself some distance. Overseas, we took a broader look at the implications of the Cyprus bank struggles, a young British blogger sorted through Syrian YouTubes, readers expressed skepticism about the comparison of Iraq and Hiroshima, and John Judis questioned the impact of Obama’s speech in Israel.

In miscellaneous news and views, Douthat distinguished between men and women who delay marriage, readers debated the categorization of Trans surgery, and more education led to more time in the office while the rich donated less of their income. While civil disobedience went viral, Mark Kleiman favored swiftness and certainty over severity in punishment, a judge allowed the Aurora shooter to be drugged for questioning, and zero tolerance in the schools found zero support in the evidence.

Elsewhere, Phil Donohue blamed his MSNBC firing on the bottom line, a reader contributed their own book dedications, Marc Champion revealed how banning horse slaughterhouses led to more animal suffering, and Eduardo Porter capped our fossil fuel use. Parents judiciously doled out screen time, Brian Ries scored a smart watch, Drum distinguished between software and the cloud, and Adam Alter dressed to impress in his OKCupid pic. A laser forged an unlikely alliance in the MHB, we waited for Obama in the VFYW, and an Egyptian protest turned bloody for a member of the Muslim Brotherhood in the FOTD.

- D.A.

Rest of the week below the fold. 

Read On

Today on the Dish, Andrew struggled to come to terms with his support for the Iraq War, distinguished between Syria under Assad and Iraq under Us control criticized our marginalizing sectarianism in Iraq before the war, and waited for the NYT to come clean on their own role in the march to war. He viewed Obama’s Israel visit through the prism of Washington’s Farewell Address and could find no middle ground on Israeli settlements. Elsewhere, he called out closeted gays for their dereliction of duty and gave readers one more shot at picking Ask Me Anything questions.

In political punditry, Mark Kleiman removed the cultural divide from the marijuana debate while the NYPD wasted time on small-scale arrests. Seth Masket characterized party platforms as capable of evolution but not revolution, Ralph Reed separated doctrine from politics, and the White House threw out a red herring drone policy. A reader provided the mitigating context for Elizabeth Warren’s Moore Award Nomination as we weighed Rand Paul’s upside and updated nuclear policy for the post-Cold War era. In our continuing look back at the Iraq War, Karrar Habeeb chose not to memorialize the beginning of the failed Iraq War, while Richard Perle refused to look back and David Rieff rebuked those stuck in the neocon mindset. Overseas, Obama spread on the charm in Israel and Cyprus rejected the EU’s bailout deal.

In assorted coverage, opinion dominated the cable airwaves while CNN missed the point on the Steubenville rapists. Readers added some thoughts on fracking’s impact, Schneier pivoted from security to resilience. The Simpsons integrated itself into the fabric of our society, Reddit dumbed down complicated issues on YouTube, and Maureen O’Connor committed Netflix infidelity.

We polled readers on adopting a spouse’s last name as women bore the lion’s share of responsibility for messy houses, and Rajiv Srinivasan argued that veterans have it better now than ever before. Maurice Sendak penned his last book for lifelong fans, but David Cameron’s plagiarizing subterfuge was old news. We dug up the first Hathos Alert from the archives and backed our way through the MHB, an Angela Merkel effigy burned in the FOTD, and fog shrouded Santa Monica from view in the VFYW.

- D.A.

(Photo by Marc Israel Sellem-Pool/Getty Images)

Today on the Dish, Andrew pondered the Iraq War’s impact on American hegemony, glimpsed a second-best salvation for the GOP in activist judges, and was powerless to resist his beagles’ charms. In political coverage, Douthat preferred justice to humility in the Catholic hierarchy and conservatives raced to get their marriage equality endorsements in under the wire. While Chait revised his odds for immigration reform, Joe Romm raged against the idea of “reversible” climate change.

On the 10th anniversary of the Iraq invasion, we wondered whether the Arab Spring would have swept up Iraq, and parsed the current support for the Iraq War. We gathered stories from the ground and reflected upon the human toll of the Iraq War in the FOTD. While Frum and Greenwald debated Halabi, a war criminal tweeted, the US stopped training Iraqi police despite continuing civilian casualties, and Iraqi refugees chose between a rock and a hard place.

In assorted coverage, Orlando Cruz KO’ed expectations for an out boxer, readers took another look at taking names, and Sarah Marshall deflated America’s ego. Freddie deBoer traveled the long road home, Douglas Rushkoff maintained eye contact, and dog runners helped pudgy pooches slim down, while time crunches forced parents to make tough decisions and ”Likes” replaced applause. Libraries faced a budget crunch, Evgeny Morozov praised imperfection, and a reader tired of our sponsored content coverage as Derek Thompson delivered some bad news for newspapers.

Elsewhere, vinyl wasn’t worth it for Jason Heller, Rob Thomas filled in the details on the Veronica Mars movie, Ursus Wehrli balanced order and chaos. As we tasted the “pie-in-the-sky”, reputation proved to be an important asset in the sharing economy, and App Academy invested in its students. As we reached back in the archives for our first hathos-filled MHB, recycling mesmerized in today’s MHB, we visited Austria in the VFYW, and arrived at Victoria Station in the VFYW contest.

- D.A.