Brad Delong compels me, as if he had glued my eyes open, to consider Mickey Kaus. What mere words could have this effect on me? Simple:
on Monday Mickey Kaus saddled up and rode to the defense of the Bushie practice of having flacks censor scientists--specifically, of George Deutsch's instructions to NASA scientists never to say Big Bang but always to say Big Bang theory instead.
That's all it took. I had to see it for myself. Kaus cites Krugman discussing:
George Deutsch, the presidential appointee at NASA who told a Web site designer to add the word ''theory'' after every mention of the Big Bang, to leave open the possibility of ''intelligent design by a creator.''
To which Kaus responds:
The Big Bang isn't a theory?
This is why I read Delong and not Slate. Yes, Mickey, the Big Bang is a theory. So is gravity. So are germs. Must the NIH and CDC always refer to "Germ Theory"? Shall NASA change "gravity" to "gravitation theory" to leave open the possibility of Intelligent Falling? I hope not.
In order to get to Kaus's defense of college drop-out science censor George Deutsch, I had to go past many, many explanations of why capitalism, or at least NBC, is evil for allowing the broadcast of the video made by the Virginia Tech madman. More on that anon.
The Onion posted a hilarious article on "Intelligent Falling" a while back. Try searching for it in the site's archives.
Peace,
D.
My use of the phrase predates the Onion's usage, though I have no illusions about the originality of the phrase. A webcomic beat us both to it.