The rats are deserting the Wall Street Journal ship — and Rupert Murdoch hasn't even been piped aboard yet!

It started earlier this year, with world-class science writer Sharon Begley's quiet exodus to Newsweek.

I noted that departure here on May 25, 2007.

Yesterday another shoe dropped, namely that of the Journal's excellent health writer, Tara Parker-Pope.

How about the following two sentences, which opened my August 16, 2007 4:01 p.m. post?

"Tara Parker-Pope is the Health Journal columnist at the Wall Street Journal and she's excellent at what she does.

"Memo to Rupert Murdoch: Double her salary yesterday or prepare to see her fly the coop to somewhere she'll be paid what she's worth — which is at least twice what she's getting now."

When I opened my New York Times last evening, what did I espy on the front page but the little item below?

Turning to the Science section, there on the front page was Ms. Parker-Pope's new column (below).

It's her very first piece for the Times.

You could look it up.

She's also got a blog now, part of her new Times gig.

This won't be the last of the superstar "flights to safety" from the Journal.

Trust me.