Any Port, And A Storm

Well, as Terry McKenna sort of predicted here on Monday, the choice of corporate steward for our nation's major ports seems to have caused more turbulence in the already shifting tides of state for our friends in the Bush Administration. The headline to this story says it all: "Bush Faces Open Rebellion on Dubai Ports Deal".

For me, this is just another in the series of great moments in the stupidity of tyranny. It has happened often throughout history: someone in the tyrant's inner circle makes a decision of state based on a private liaison with a well-heeled corporate friend, and soon all hell breaks loose among the tyrant's own supporters. But first the tyrant is forced into the position of defending the decision made by his crony; then looks doubly stupid when it is revealed (or admitted) that he had nothing to do with the call in the first place.

Another analogy, perhaps more in line with the developmental level of our President and his friends: is this scenario familiar to you parents? There's a crash in the next room; you run in and find the kid scooting away from an upturned lamp or a broken vase. On investigation, the kid claims that he had nothing to do with the accident and didn't even see what had happened, even though he was in the vicinity at the time. He may even defend the pet or imaginary friend who he swears was truly responsible for the mishap.

Ah, the leaders of the free world: no wonder Jon Stewart and every other living comedian blesses god for bringing them among us.

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Smoking gun of the day: this is a story that will deserve some attention in follow-up, and which has gotten very little so far. The two leading editors of a major medical journal are precipitously fired, apparently after complaints had been received about their coverage of an inflammatory issue involving medical ethics. No explanation—and barely any public notice, for that matter—is given by the journal's sponsoring organization. We'll try to keep an eye on this one—let me know if you hear anything about further developments in this.

*Thanks to RC for passing along the graphic of the Rangel quote.