Shiny side in, or shiny side out?
Currently, global trade is massively disrupted courtesy of a giant cargo ship wedged in the Suez Canal.
Had this happened several months ago, it would have been really convenient to identify it as part of some Trumpian plot to boost domestic manufacturing (and domestic oil extraction, etc.).
Now... the CCP is the obvious suspect, but where's the benefit? Even the Party doesn't just want to watch the world burn.
Just a freak accident? Cue Inspector Tiger:
Colonel Pickering Look, there hasn't been a murder. Inspector Tiger No murder. All No. Inspector Tiger Oh. I don't like it. It's too simple, too clear cut. I'd better wait. (he sits on sofa) No, too simple, too clear cut.
Update: As of Monday morning, apparently the stuck boat has been dislodged from the banks. But... something's been bothering me the past day or so. Oh, here it is:
"The accident is mainly due to the lack of visibility resulting from bad weather conditions as the country passes through a dust storm, with wind speed reaching 40 knots," Suez Canal Authority's Rabie said in a statement.
Lack of visibility? Lack of visibility? How is that a thing for a ship with modern navigation equipment? Yeah, GPS isn't good enough for (consistently) landing an airplane, but for a surface vessel in well-charted waters with several feet of clearance to each side? Do you really need to see the physical scenery?
Update 2: Juan Browne has an explanation that makes sense.
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