It is striking to see the BBC and others give attention to a routine abuse by Hugo Chavez to take over 34 opposition radio stations and shut more than 200 in the near future. Controlling the message is reliable, effective method of concentrating power. Chavez is following the lead of Tehran, which is following the lead of Moscow. It doesn't much work, since underground communication fills the absence quickly and the flow of anti-regime information blossoms. It does cost money. Since Mary O'Grady, Wall Street Journal, told me the story two weeks ago that Chavez had called the State Department Latin America desk late int he evening, Washington time, to complain about the Chavez stooge Manuel Zelaya being turned out of Honduras, there has been a puzzle if Chavez was struggling with loss of face. The closing of so many stations points to a loss of face, or at the least, the opposition was grinning too much.