Right, that's why I said "I'd say a very long time, probably centuries", not "for eternity". >But isn't that how it's often deployed? "Don't look at me, blame

Right, that's why I said "I'd say a very long time, probably centuries", not "for eternity". >But isn't that how it's often deployed? "Don't look at me, blame the previous boss!" is an age old diversion strategy. It sure is, which is why I made that remark. My point is this kind of misuse doesn't automatically make the original claim false. Also, the mirror-image claim is just as frequently deployed: don't look too closely at the skeletons in the closet; we now have a magical clean slate.