Good economic news!

With first quarter economic news dour at best, it's good to know that some American industries are thriving.

Not all the media lack vision

On this, the four year anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, I've already taken note of just how wrong the rightwing press was in its analysis of this disaster.

I'd like to point out one visionary publication that had it right. From the March 26, 2003 edition of...The Onion:

And what exactly is our endgame here? Do we really believe that we can install Gen. Tommy Franks as the ruler of Iraq? Is our arrogance and hubris so great that we actually believe that a U.S. provisional military regime will be welcomed with open arms by the Iraqi people? Democracy cannot possibly thrive under coercion. To take over a country and impose one's own system of government without regard for the people of that country is the very antithesis of democracy. And it is doomed to fail.

And the good folks at the Onion were not only prescient, they were fair to a fault, helpfully providing a counterpoint argument:

"A war against Iraq is not only morally wrong, it will be an unmitigated disaster"?

Sorry, no, I disagree.

"To take over a country and impose one's own system of government without regard for the people of that country is the very antithesis of democracy"?

You are completely wrong.

Trust me, it's all going to work out perfect. Nothing bad is going to happen. It's all under control.

Why do you keep saying these things? I can tell when there's trouble looming, and I really don't sense that right now. We're in control of this situation, and we know what we're doing. So stop being so pessimistic.

Look, you've been proven wrong, so stop talking. You've had your say already. Be quiet, okay? Everything's fine.

You're wrong.

Damn these guys are good.