The Benefits of Incompetence

I was walking to class this morning and I noticed a flier promoting an appearance by former Seattle Police Chief Norm "They won't riot at the WTO" Stamper at an event against the Patriot Act. This flier also promoted his book Breaking Rank. I just continue to find it amazing the number of people who get fired for being incompetent and/or blatantly dishonest, and then manage to get major book deals out of it, Mary Mapes, Jayson Blair, BG Karpinski (of Abu Ghraib fame), the list goes on... People have always screwed up, but at least in the past they had the dignity to be ashamed and hide, now they brag about it! It almost makes you think the easiest way to succeed nowadays is to be an idiot.