They aren't dumb.

They can't be. No one is this stupid:

Megan McArdle on the writers' strike:

Yet the union's strategy is to become more militant. My sense is that this is a common pattern--that unions are often the most aggressive right before they expire. But I don't have any rigorous study to back this up.

Not that I think the writer's union will expire. But I should expect its power to wane over the next 20 years, as newer non-unionized outlets take up more and more space in peoples' lives. I wonder what they expect?

Something about that writing style seemed familiar to me. "Gee, the union is about to expire. But maybe it isn't. Tee hee, I haven't thought about this very much! Here is a picture of string." Of course! It's the same style as Ann Althouse:

Dick Wilson, who was 91, made over 500 commercials as Mr. Whipple, the man who tried to stop women from squeezing the Charmin. What was squeezing Charmin all about? Whipple was an agent of sexual repression, wasn't he? But he was so delightful, and he never succeeded in stopping the ladies from.... squeezing the Charmin.

It occurred to me that perhaps this deliberate ditsiness is some sort of Maureen Dowd-esque hair-twirling flirtation thing that women do who want to appear kawaii to men. Personally, I prefer actual intelligence and wit over this cutesy crap, if you feel the same, you might want to check out the blogroll on the right.