Economically and socially, American society is a pyramid. There are many down below, and room for only a few at the top.

We've always wanted to believe the myth that anyone can get to the apex... But we all know it just isn't true. But that myth has a lot of power over people. Everybody wants to think that there's some secret, or Secret, that will get them there.

For those top fraction-of-a-percenters like Oprah and Bush, it must also be tempting to believe the "anybody can get here" myth. It tells them that their success has come to them because they've done something right -- not because they were lucky, or scrambled to the top at the expense of others. Bush justifies himself by believing that he's in the good graces of God. Oprah's rationalization is that she's attracted all these good things to herself through positive thinking.

Not to detract from the charisma and intelligence of Oprah -- or the stupidity and cupidity of Bush -- but it just doesn't work that way, and we all know it.

Positive thinking is certainly a good thing, and probably more productive than negativity... But to praise the successful for their own success, and to blame the less successful for their failures, is awful. This is true whether you're talking about material goods, health, or spiritual attainment. In every one of those areas, there are quacks who are quick to tell you that your failure is your own fault.

It's a pyramid scheme, pure and simple. The people who run it (the originators of chain letters, or the author of The Secret), attract the energy and the money of many other people who are less and less likely to succeed. Which, according to all of these schemes, is their own fault.

Makes those at the top feel good (and wealthier still), makes everybody else get their hopes up (even though it's usually for nothing).

It fools most of the people most of the time, which is the way the United States works, especially with the super-rich, those at the point of the pyramid, running the place, as they have every intention of doing forever.

But I don't think anybody else has mentioned this.

When Howard Kurtz assumes that everybody knows where Robert Kagan stands, he's using the unique inside-the-beltway definition of "everybody."

It means "everybody I know."

We saw another example of this just today, when Andrea Mitchell said on Hardball that Libby will be pardoned because the polling shows that people are in favor of a pardon.

"The polling" = "My conversations with everybody."

And of course,

"Everybody" = "Everybody I know."

What Zack said (above).

How I'd love to see the White House press gang throw Snow job's words back at him tomorrow.

He's already been stuttering uncharacteristically for the past few days, trying to parse the lies. Quoting his own words just might bring us to that moment I've been hoping for: "Hey man, he broke the President ('s Press Secretary)!!!

If you don't recognize that line from The Firesign Theatre's "I Think We're All Bozos On This Bus," run out and get a copy now.

As I began reading the article, with its discussion of the projected length of the flight and its destination, I was puzzled that there was no mention of the airport where the flight originated. My guess would be somewhere in Florida, given the time and the route. Seemed like an odd omission, maybe accidental.

As I read on, I was more puzzled. Why is there no mention of which airline you were on? All we can deduce from the article is that it wasn't Air France or Lufthansa, which isn't much help.

Why not tell us? Obviously, this kind of madness can (and does) happen on any airline. But as a passenger, I'd like to know how different airlines handle these situations. Airline X seemed reasonably competent, from your point of view (though I wish you'd chatted with some of the people who were back in the regular seats).

Why so coy? Is there some kind of code of Omerta that goes along with getting your free flight?

How this meme got lodged in the internets I don't know, but as a lover of the Marx Bros., I feel compelled to mention it.

Groucho did not deliver the line "Who are you gonna believe, me or your lying eyes?"

In fact, NOBODY delivered that line. Until somebody on the web with a poor sense of comic rhythm messed up the original.

The dialogue, from "Duck Soup," goes like this:

Mrs. Teasdale (Margaret Dumont): But I saw you with my own eyes!

Chicolini (Chico): Well, who you gonna believe, me or your own eyes?

Let the official transcript rule!

And watch "Duck Soup." It's an antidote to the poison of the Bush administration.

Bonus quote:

Trentino: I am willing to do anything to prevent this war.

Firefly: It's too late. I've already paid a month's rent on the battlefield.