Two news today that drive me crazy:

1. Venezuela blows up pedestrians bridges between its territory and Colombia’s, claiming smugglers and militia cross it. Yes, maybe, but do you really want to destroy expensive infrastructure in a poor country? Is there a not another way to stop the alleged presence of smugglers? I am sure there is. Come on, let’s brainstorm Mr Chavez, before you bring your country even more backwards. Caudillos will remain caudillos.

2. Egypt witnesses violent incidents after losing a football game to Algeria and not being qualified for the 2010 world football cup. There is enough already to comment on the stupidity to burn flags for the loss of a football game - as important as that game was. There is enough to comment about the son of the president saying that his country’s “dignity” had been “insulted”. Hey, what if the players of your country suck at football? Would that be a reason why they lost?

The real question in this last case is two-fold:
A. Why doesn’t Egyptian society behave like a grown-up society, that accepts a defeat at a game, identifies the reasons for the loss and deals with them? And, no, that does not include attacking the embassy of the other country, nor recalling ambassadors.

B. Why does the Egyptian youth revert to such actions, which are essentially the same as when they read Danish newspapers? Because these young men are bored, unemployed and because their dictator has not done anything to create a future for them, outline a vision for this important country.

Today more than ever, societies cannot waste time to determine their future and care for themselves and their neighbors. Destroying infrastructure or letting bored young groups wander around for years is pure folly.