That was great, esp. the Brazilian music — my country bows to you.

I’m surprised you didn’t go for the SOTU shot, though he’s not the focus there.

There’s a wonderful book by Thomas Hoving, who used to be head of the Met, called False Impressions. It should be must read for everyone particularly who wants to go into business or politics.

It’s about art forgery. The psych lessons are invaluable, and apply equally to the tech bubble and to Iraqgate.

Hoving – who was involved in a lot of shifty stuff regarding smuggling art to the US, and in an earlier book revealed the immeasurable value of owning an old stationwagon and some beat up mattressess and having some scruffy relatives’ kids to borrow and the relevance of ice cream and a hot day, to getting priceless scuptures through customs – brings the nature of such a score down to three things. (He’s also honest about having *been* conned as curator, too, which is nice.)

Need, Greed & Speed.

The mark has to *need* the prize like it’s the Holy Grail. It’s something you’ve always, always, always wanted – the one true thing you need to complete your collection, (in my extensions, the Deal of the Century, the Promise of The Future &c)

Greed applies to not just money, actually even less that, than to scoring off against others. It’s almost a greed for “face” – not just do you want it, but do you want so-and-so to have it instead? This can also explain Newspapers getting conned by wanting to run “scoops.”

These two together (it’s rare! it’s priceless! It’s one of a lifetime chance! Excalibur, yes, the real Sword of Arturus Rex Futurus, can be *yours* for this astonishing Low Price, my friend – but you can’t tell anyone about it) also go together with Speed – to pressure the mark into accepting it and not checking up on it in the normal manner (and there is usually secrecy involved, hush hush hush you know.) It is a heady mix, and it usually succeeds in parting fools and their money. Often these are people who aren’t usually fools, which makes it all the more interesting – anyone can get conned, and it’s always a willing seduction.

But 30 million dollars plus a war, over so many years – that’s got to be some kind of record.

Let alone the front-man aspect of it all…

You’ve outdone yourself, Seb. That was really fantastic. The music was especially nice.

I can’t wait to see what you’ve got dreamed up for next week. Especially if you’re asking for photos of Carl Limbacher and John Leboutillier. I can already tell that it’s going to be an instant classic.

very good.

Please give some information about the music.

Brazilian?

Process question:

Did you use Macromedia Flash or one of the other Flash based (Swish, Firestarter, etc.) programs to put this together?

Very nicely done, regardless.

The music: Hit the Road Jack ~ Mo’ Horizons.

adaplant: A friend suggested Swish which is what we used for both. We’ve tried Macromedia Flash in the past and didn’t manage to do much with it. Swish, by comparison, has been extremely easy.

Thanks! Flash is very much more powerful than Swish, but the learning curve is steep and long for Flash. I’ve tried building a few Flash presentations in Flash. Was I successful? Sadly, No.

Again, very nicely done.

Was I successful? Sadly, No.

The period should be an exclamation point.

When will Chalabi become a verb? The neo-cons go chalabized? chalabeed? Perhaps a noun – a chalabite? or maybe an adjective – chalabish?

Fan-freakin’-tastic!!!!

I sent this link over to the Bartcop.com forum, and Atrios’ Comments sections… Flash Friday is the best thing to happen since the invention of “Pop Rocks”, Great Job!

“this looks like the start of a Be-YUUU-tiful friendship” –Bugs Bunny

Cheers!

Tony B.

wendy – check out Fanatical Apathy’s latest,”The 2004 OED Update”; there’s a whole new vocabulary being created and you can make suggestions.