A tyranny can only succeed when it operates in secret.

According to this story from FoxNews.com, in fiscal year 2009, 17 major governmental agencies refused to release information 466,872 times. This is an increase of almost 50% from the previous year.

Why your Mandarin finds this hard to believe, I mean really, just on Monday, Attorney General Eric Holder said that the Obama administration had delivered on its promise to make government more transparent. But then here comes a report from what must be a hyper-conservative/extreme right wing conspiracy group – The National Security Archive at George Washington University – stating that, “Only a minority of federal agencies have responded to calls for transparency with concrete changes. Five agencies actually raised red flags by releasing less and withholding more than they did last year.”

And those five agencies are the Department of State, the Department of the Treasury, NASA, the Department of Transportation, and the National Reconnaissance Office. Without wetting the appetite of every conspiracy nut out there:

1. Department of State – no surprise here. With the administration’s feckless handling of foreign policy and Secretary of State Clinton more worried about the glass-ware at the embassies than actual diplomacy, I can see why they are keeping information on their activities from the public.

2. Department of the Treasury – Wouldn’t want to have the public see where the money for TARP is really being funneled off to.

3. NASA – What would NASA have to hide? Oh yea, that’s right, they wouldn’t want that pesky scientific information disproving man-made global warming to get out.

4. Department of Transportation – Better burn those photos from the Sushi and Sake bash with the chairman of Toyota.

5. National Reconnaissance Office – Probably have pictures of Erin Andrews that they don’t want her to know they have.

As more and more time goes by, history is going to look back upon the George W. Bush years with fondness and nostalgia for the good old days.

The Mandarin

The Mandarin, whose real name is 吏恆, joined the order in 1309, and introduced the Gormogons into England during the 18th Century.

The Mandarin enjoys spending time with his pet manticore, Βάρἰκος, or Barry (who can be found in the Bestiary). When not in the Castle…well, frankly, nobody is quite sure where he goes.

The Mandarin popularized the fine art of “gut booting,” by which he delivers a powerful kick to the stomach of anyone that annoys him. Although nearly universal today, the act of gut booting or threatening someone or something with a gut boot is solely due to him.