Stupid question: What are Atrios' "ponies" all about?

[BlooInBloo]

You know - the lil pics of the cute toy ponies he puts up, usually when snarking out some wanker or somethin? I think I missed the day when they were introduced/explained - lil help?

[Pirate Smile]

1. I'm not completely clear on it but "someone" said they would give

somebody a pony if Bush's ratings dipped to the 30's so now every time a new poll has him in the 30's there is always a pony to go with it.

edit to add - I found this explanation and an amusing discussion on ponies.

"Nitpicker - If memory serves, it goes back to the summer of 2004, when Holden and Athenae made a bet over at Atrios’ place about W’s then tanking approval ratings. Holded started the “less that 40 by the 4th” battlecry, A said, “no way,” they made a bet, and various Atriots lined up on either side. (I went with Holden, and sadly had to pay up - to the DCCC or Kerry’s campaign, IIRC). Holden taunted Athenae saying she’d use the winnings to by very bad Goth dresses, while A told HC that all he wanted was a pony and a frilly dress. (Hmmm… We seem to have forgotten Holden’s affinity for frilly dresses…)

Anyway, now whenever Bush goes under 40 on a major poll, Atrios et al. award Mr. Caulfield a pony. And now he’s got lots. "

http://www.thepoorman.net/2005/10/19/experts-warn-of-peak-pony/

more:

"way back in the dark days of March (or maybe April?) 2004, Holden bet me $50 that Bush would drop below 40 percent approval rating by the 4th of July. Since Holden was clearly a crude and fuckwitted peddler of nonsense, I agreed to his silly wager.

Over the next months, we proceeded to taunt one another, until finally Holden insulted my womanhood or something, so I was forced to reveal that he is, in fact, a girl who wears a frilly dress.

Thus began the great Eschaton Civil War. There were teams. The teams had uniforms. Mine were better. Holden’s had more lace.

But there’s only so much clothing online, and so we ran out of ugly bridesmaids dresses to clothe one another in, and thus it was revealed that Holden, in addition to being a frilly girl, also rode a pony.

Somehow (there was a lot of liquor involved) this bet evolved into Bush’s sucky poll numbers resulting in Holden ACQUIRING a pony, rather than just riding one, and now they are irrevocably linked: Bush sucks, Holden gets a pony.

Scott Baio is in there too, and Thersites getting into a fight with him, and there’s something about Hecate and some box turtles and last we saw Ntodd he was running off to secure the 75 kilos of smack in his hatchback, but we got most of the stains out of the carpet. You should have been there, man. It was epic. I think Tena’s still hungover, and pie never did find her socks.”

Quite honestly, I don’t remember whose team I ended up being on. I only know that I either won or lost money. And I never did get a pony. "

[swag]

2. Some user of the site named Holden predicted a long time ago

that Bush's approval would drop below 50.

I think it was atrios who responded along the lines of, "when that happens, I'll get you a pony."

With every new drop in Bush's approval rating, Holden has gotten another pony.

[swag]

3. Oh, this is helpful (or not):

http://dohiyimir.typepad.com/atriotisms/2005/11/holden_gets_a_p.html

Way back in the dark days of March (or maybe April?) 2004, Holden bet me $50 that Bush would drop below 40 percent approval rating by the 4th of July. Since Holden was clearly a crude and fuckwitted peddler of nonsense, I agreed to his silly wager.

Over the next months, we proceeded to taunt one another, until finally Holden insulted my womanhood or something, so I was forced to reveal that he is, in fact, a girl who wears a frilly dress.

Thus began the great Eschaton Civil War. There were teams. The teams had uniforms. Mine were better. Holden’s had more lace.

But there’s only so much clothing online, and so we ran out of ugly bridesmaids dresses to clothe one another in, and thus it was revealed that Holden, in addition to being a frilly girl, also rode a pony.

Somehow (there was a lot of liquor involved) this bet evolved into Bush’s sucky poll numbers resulting in Holden ACQUIRING a pony, rather than just riding one, and now they are irrevocably linked: Bush sucks, Holden gets a pony.

Scott Baio is in there too, and Thersites getting into a fight with him, and there's something about Hecate and some box turtles and last we saw NTodd he was running off to secure the 75 kilos of smack in his hatchback, but we got most of the stains out of the carpet. You should have been there, man. It was epic. I think Tena's still hungover, and pie never did find her socks.

[BlooInBloo]

4. Gotcha! Thx all!

Regardless of the details, it seems clear enough that it's a if-ratings-drop-below-X-i'll-give-you-a-pony kinda thing.

Good to know! :)