This just in: new benchmarks set for cynicism and exploitation

So then, to the pages of Time magazine, where war criminal and World Bank president Paul Wolfowitz takes a few moments out of his busy schedule of turning the screws on the developing world to praise two ludicrously-coiffeured 1980s rock stars who've made a killing for themselves more by virtue of berating everyone else about the plight of impoverished Africans than because of anything they've actually recorded and released musically during the last 20 years. While, it must be noted, simultaneously cozying up to many of the politicians and corporate multinationals whose policies helped to create and perpetuate the grinding poverty that these self-serving publicity hounds claim to be opposing.

If they weren't so transparently cynical, it might be quite hilarious. But as I'm sure Bono and Sir Bob themselves would remind us, there is little that's hilarious about underdevelopment and starving Africans. And less that's hilarious about the likes of Wolfowitz, Bono and Geldof using the plight of this world's downtrodden to gain credibility, line their own pockets and those of their friends or both.