The news, as always, is full of, to quote the Bible, wars and rumors of wars; terrible things are happening all over the place. But sometimes smaller events rise to the surface and underline what it's all about. Yesterday, two gigantic jackasses surfaced here in NYC.

First, John Gotti Jr., who had a public tantrum because an FBI leak said he was talking about rolling on some other mobsters in return for a deal. This, according to him, puts him and his family in harm's way, and makes him mightily pissed off. "Is it better if I'm found in the street?" he fumed. "Would that make the boo-boo go away?" The boo-boo? The BOO-BOO? C'mon, John, give yourself more credit than that. You're a major racketeer, living off theft, violence, extortion, murder. Even in the context of what's wrong in the world, you're a deep wound, not a boo-boo.

Second, Anthony Marshall, Brooke Astor's son. He's accused of scamming her and stealing from her. These are Astors! As in, the Waldorf-ASTORia! And he's 81! He didn't have enough dough? Of course he did. She was planning to leave hers to chairty, and he couldn't stand it, so he tried to get his paws on it. Why? For his own kids? It was his son who dropped the dime on him, not just for scamming her, but for mistreating her, so I guess not.

All I can say is, it's never about money.