Luck Has Nothing to Do With It

It’s Friday the 13th, an unlucky day if you’re prone to superstition. Of course, things go wrong every day – accidents, foreclosures, health coverage denied – but still some people are extra vigilant on this day. You could argue that a week ending in Friday the 13th could be an unlucky week. Certainly it was for Katie Couric and John McCain; Katy slaps a staffer on the arm and John knocks a staffer or two off the payroll and makes an unfortunate call from the cloakroom and boom! word is they are suffering massive reversals of fortune. Of course these are well-paid, well-connected people but the media can be a cruel mistress and they are taking a public licking for sure. There was some glimmer of real talent on “America’s Got Talent” (yeah, I watched; it’s a slow summer, okay?) but some of those going on to the finals seem more lucky than gifted. Personally, I think David Hasselhoff is lucky to have a gig as a judge but who am I to hassle the Hoff? Harry doesn’t seem to be having much luck in the new Potter movie; he’s simultaneously struggling with teen angst and a world inattentive to imminent danger. Along those same lines, He-Whose-Mind-Will-Not-Be-Changed insists we “stay the course” in Iraq until September or until he doesn’t feel like it any more. Meanwhile, at least thirteen plans for staying/going/securing or something else are floating around Congress. Call me superstitious but I don’t see a fortuitous outcome.