While reading Senator John Kennedy’s book, “How to Test Negative for Stupid” (2025) I harked back to Bierce’s biting commentary on American politicians. Bierce had no use for fools, so he would have been delighted to meet Mr. Kennedy, an Oxford graduate, a native of Louisiana and a top notch lawyer. Mr. Kennedy tells, in…
Hypocritical leadership
Lubans’ The Accidental Fare Evader fable (a la Krylov*)
In Eastern Europe, during communist rule, a befuddled tourist found himself on a city bus without a ticket. As happens, the bus police boarded, demanding to see tickets. The tourist, along with a few villainous looking individuals was escorted off the bus. “The fine is 5 kopecks,” said the guard. “Plus 15 kopecks for…
Of Weeping Bald Men and Phony Solicitude
The Fable of The Weeping Bald Man and Some Partridges by Odo* of Cheriton** “Against Rulers Feigning Justice” “A bald man, his eyes streaming with tears, was killing partridges. And one partridge said to another: ‘Behold the man – how good and saintly he is.’ And the other asked: ‘Why do you call him good?’…