In the middle of a game, musical chairs. Out is the Shield, in is another shield. The top chair is pulled from under the boss of all the Ambassadors. Go man go -- hire them all, fire them all...then, Hire them all again. Ambassadorship. It was the ultimate success in politics -- Power, influence and authority. The Ambassadors of the surface-mail age. They were fully authorized and they initiated, negotiated and signed deals, military pacts and economic ventures on behalf of their governments. In ancient days, interns in politics were asked what career they dreamed of, �I want to become an Ambassador� was the ambition. Today, heads of state talk to each other easily. Naturally bypassing their Excellencies - The Ambassadors -, It is the age of electronic communications. The title of �Ambassador� had its glamour; now it has faded away. Interns would comment �what did I do wrong to deserve the job of an Ambassador?�. It has become the title of seclusion - distancing persons from places of influence and away from the power epicenter; the dispatching of people to bustling, yet obscure locations.

Nowadays, one becomes an Ambassador and �enjoys� the privilege of policing the activities of citizens in far away places. Diplomacy is out, police activities is in. Ambassadors turned teamsters are raining terror on poor citizens. Questions fly around, "do they have a job description besides policing citizens anyway?" That is their job description. How is the performance of Ambassadors assessed? By the number of �catch-him-reports� that they submit to the center. How is their popularity gauged? By the number of timid citizens, they make out of supposedly free people. One would be tempted to say, "Poor creatures, they are Ambassadors, tough job!"

Imagine you are an Ambassador; tired of attending numerous wild parties; tired of keeping the big-brother-eye always open -- watch that man; follow that woman. Be watchful of the youth less they turn into rebels. Then, you have Independence Day ceremonies -- holding lavish Gala Dinner parties, pulling the Tuxedos out of the dark cupboards and� looking great! Beautiful people gathered, it is party time.

People get the evil spill, the curse. They think of forming civil societies. It is good for the development of a country--forget it; Ambassadors do not like such nonsense. Civil societies in foreign lands when they are not even allowed in the mother country? What is not allowed to exist in the motherland is by extension not allowed elsewhere�even in democratic societies� democratic from the hair to the toe! Yes, think of any unblessed action and you will be terrorized. All weapons and tools are in full swing: blackmailing �emotional and otherwise-, character assassination, unleashing peers to scold the would-be victim, threatening with ostracization�the most deadly weapon�oh, one should have the skin of an Alligator!

The presence of Ambassadors, I mean their Excellencies the Ambassadors and their assistants, who are sometimes more influential� just influential nothing more except that the Ambassadors are afraid of them� I mean they respect their assistants a lot. Ah, it is the presence�existence is the most important thing, they breath so they are... or rather they breath so they have to choke others�aren�t we still far from the total depletion of fresh air?

But for fairness sake, think again what Ambassadors have to go through! They have to manage the community affairs. It is not an easy job when you have to make the line between government affairs and civil affairs fade out. It is not easy when you have to legislate for the citizens �those who need services from you and those who do not. It means, each Embassy becomes a legislative station�on foreign land. They have to impose taxes on a foreign economy. Then, they have to outsmart the local laws. Always in the dark�poor people.

Ambassadors got us many friends� actually, they got us one very important friend: Gadzafi. They also got us huge foreign investments � I mean not actually invested, but �promised� huge investments. Think about it, invested-investments and promised-investments are similar. They are both good. In fact, they are excellent. Proof? Promise yourself you would get rich and Abracadabra: you are rich. Tourists have been pouring in droves. But no, don�t get me wrong, it is not the �mistake� of Ambassadors when they occasionally decide to be productive. The tourists are pulled by nostalgia and longing for home and others have to simply be there. They were not lured to visit by the Ambassadors. A crazy person calls for the closure of all Embassies, he is indeed crazy - who will police our communities?

My boss, I mean my direct Bosse's Boss is in a far place. My direct boss cannot stand me talking to him. Of course, he wouldn�t mind me sending him a greeting card every now and then. And occasionally a �happy birthday note� -- I mean once every year. That is all. He would always insist on checking my greeting cards for unbecoming content�just to make sure. His Excellency polices everyone�he cares about the safety of everyone and the safety of their communications. But hey, no more Abracadabra. The Jinni has lost his supernatural powers; so has the Peacock lost its feathers. Tired of doing nothing. Poor souls, they should pack and go back home�.

Where is X? What is he up to these days? Where is he travelling? Warn him or else I will have a word with him, do you hear me? Now, having a �word� is serious. But think of it, one would generally be afraid of a Tiger; but imagine a toothless, claw less Tiger!

You can admire and be mystified by the grace of a Peacock to the extent that you feel weak and retract from your responsibilities. Then you would start to have a second thought� a third thought and a fourth thought and finally, the risk of ceasing thinking altogether. You would think it is all because of the Peacock's grace; but watch out, The Peacock Has Lost Its Feathers!