Composite roundup

On Ms. Estemirova.

Before you get too excited that we don't live in a land of vigilante (in)justice, a candidate in Real Virginia sure sounds like she wants to bring it on. But really, we out of touch elitists are misreading whatever the hell she really is trying to say.

Okay, I have to give ETC credit: here you have a sanctimonious veteran who politicizes his service to support an unrelated agenda. But the guy's politicizing race, too (also for an unrelated agenda), so I'd still argue that he doesn't reflect a huge trend.

I've been going out of my way to only buy sustainable shrimp and salmon, but it's really hard. I ended up--long story--with a big bag of Atlantic salmon (which is almost never wild/sustainable) in my freezer... and I've been edified--or brainwashed, if you prefer--to the extent that I won't touch it.

I love the Onion.

Take Gail Collins's quiz. I got seven out of nine.

The humor piece in the New Yorker, under the heading "Shouts and Murmurs," can be very funny. This week's was okay-- very satirical, quite funny, but disproportionately long (in proportion to funny). However, Paul Rudnic's piece is f*ing hilarious (and requires registration).