You know the main course is going to be sugar-free

cotton candy when you log on to Slate to learn that the

lead article tackles the vexing issue of how the American

people misunderstand the Kentucky Derby. So you decide

to dig deeper into really important issues by clicking on

"Al-Qaida's Funniest Home Videos." But those turn out

to be, when you stop to think about it, almost as funny as

Lou Gehrig's Disease. So what's the point of this online

magazine? There is no point, and that's the point. It's

just a bunch of weisenheimers who get their kicks by

jerking you off.