Today, Paul Krugman writes about Europe's flailing elite insisting on how perfect their conduct has been on the economy:

On Thursday Jean-Claude Trichet, the president of the European Central Bank or E.C.B. — Europe’s equivalent to Ben Bernanke — lost his sang-froid. In response to a question about whether the E.C.B. is becoming a “bad bank” thanks to its purchases of troubled nations’ debt, Mr. Trichet, his voice rising, insisted that his institution has performed “impeccably, impeccably!” as a guardian of price stability.

Krugman goes on to explain that this is, in fact, Trichet's problem -- he has acted in the interests of the rentier class and thus is in the process of destroying Europe and the euro. For the details, read Krugman's column, but I was struck by this part of the piece:

Those suspicious people taken off the Frontier airlines plane in Detroit? One was ill, one had to use the bathroom. All three were cleared, and fully cooperative with police.

FBI Detroit spokeswoman Sandra Berchtold said reports about sexual encounters taking place in the rest room are false, describing them as “stories spinning out of control.”

...[FBI Detroit spokeswoman Sandra] Berchtold said today "They’re victims of circumstance and victims of the day."

We are all victims of the day.

The federal courthouse in Palm Beach was closed this morning due to a suspicious van parked nearby. The van had derogatory language printed on it. The language was critical of police handling of a child molestation case.

West Palm Beach police spokesman Chase Scott says a police dog alerted to the possibility of explosives inside a rental van after 8 a.m. Monday. It was checked because of unspecified derogatory comments written on the outside of the van.

After the bomb squads checked out the van and determined there was no threat, the courthouse reopened.

A post office and state health department building were also evacuated.

The line between concern and fear and paranoia is blurring quickly.

Most ridiculous story of the 9/11 Fear Brigade yet. Read the whole thing.

My response to that passenger?

If you're that nervous about flying, why not stay home?

President Obama says we won't live in fear. Really? Who's he fooling?

• Federal agents are questioning a man after device found in his carry-on bag
• Police in Massachusetts scrambling to track down a Penske truck
• FBI agents working frantically to verify car bomb terrorist threat
• Flight to Baltimore diverted after 'suspicious behaviour' by passenger
• Snipers line roofs at World Trade Centre site, as service gets underway
• Internet shut down in buildings near Ground Zero as safety precaution
• Suspicious object discovered at Dulles airport, 22 miles from Washington DC
• Three people have come to U.S. with 'intent' to carry out plot, say officials

Making Out in Frontier flight restroom causes arrests and fighter jets to shadow plane from Denver to Detroit. Three passengers were hauled off the flight. No arrests were made. [More...]

The Concert for New York City (2001)is replaying now on VH-1,, from 4pm to 10 pm on VH-1. Don't miss it, the performances are great. You can watch online here.

Paul Simon originally planned to sing "Bridge Over Troubled Waters" today. He changed it to "Sounds of Silence."

Hello darkness, my old friend
I've come to talk with you again
Because a vision softly creeping
Left its seeds while I was sleeping
And the vision that was planted in my brain
Still remains
Within the sound of silence

Check out these 1966 and 2009 versions of Simon and Garfunkel singing the song. Truly timeless and beautiful.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

A senior official says the NYC al Qaeda terror threat now appears more like a wild goose chase. The information has not been able to be corroborated and the plot details don't add up.

I don't plan to write about the 9/11 anniversary. It's totally over-hyped, just like the anniversaries of the OKC bombing and every other disaster. Enough already. The media can milk the public without help from me. While I could counter the media coverage with posts about the many injustices in the last decade resulting from our war on terror, which has not made us safer, only less free, instead I'll just post great performances from the concerts relating to 9/11 -- especially those with a current relevant message.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

From the New York Times: Business owners say Obama's jobs plan won't cause them to hire new workers.

That sentiment was echoed across numerous industries by executives in companies big and small on Friday, underscoring the challenge for the Obama administration as it tries to encourage hiring and perk up the moribund economy.

The stock market fell big time yesterday, wiping out all gains for the week. Guess Wall St. wasn't impressed either.[More...]

The trial of accused "underwear bomber" Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab will begin in October. Next week, potential jurors will begin filling out questionnaires. Abdulmutallab is representing himself, with the assistance of standby counsel Anthony Chambers.

Here's what's happened in the case recently: Abdulmutallab filed motions to suppress his statements made during interrogations at the University of Michigan Hospital and Milan Correctional Center. The Government responded it won't seek to introduce his statements made while detained at Milan. As to the hospital statements, Abdulmutallab argues the statements were not voluntary because he had been administered Fetanyl for pain and that the public safety exception did not apply because the agents asked so many questions that had nothing to do with any emergency: [More...]

Via Atrios, Fred Hiatt proves he is same as he ever was - dumb as a bag of hammers. On the last 10 years, Hiatt's WaPo says "Given the scope of the challenge, the country should give itself some credit for what it has achieved." Really. That's what he wrote.

These are the "elites" that will lead us out of our economic troubles? On the 10th Anniversary of 9/11, we remain well and truly f*cked as a Nation.

Never forget . . . except how the elites have blown up the world.

Speaking for me only