When I was growing up in Alabama, we really did sometimes say, "Thank God for Mississippi" because Alabama at the time was 49th in a whole lot of stats tracked by the federal government and Mississippi was dead last.

Similarly, I think the lefty contrarians at Slate need to rattle the cages of the poor Vegans once or twice a year in some kind of centering ritual.

"Thank god for Vegans," says the educated left. "See, we're normal; those vegans - mashugana! Now pass me that honey bear, 'cause my veal sweetbreads needs a little something and I'm late to the Obama rally."