What the Vulcans wrought.

Who still remembers 2003, when the then Masters of the Universe, the so-called Vulcans, thumbed their nose at the World, invaded an independent nation, snubbed the UN and declared the Geneva Convention quaint. Their counterpart geniuses, other heirs of St Ronald Reagan practiced their art in the economy. They gave us Enron, New Orleans, the subprime crisis, Fannie Mae, and a 4.40$ a gallon gas.We can discuss the total destruction of American values and reputation abroad, the gigantic debt and the huge power given to Iran later. But as a result of the "go-it-alone", exceptionalist, no-regulation, trickle down world of the Neocons, we now have to ride Smart cars instead of Hummers and drink Stella instead of Bud. The Emiratis have bought the Chrysler building.City Bank, United, Delta, Wachovia Fannie Mae and countless other pillars of US capitalism are going belly up.
Good Bye Clydesdales, Hello Belgian horse!

JULY 4TH

This is my first July 4th as an American.
I have had the usual firework, music and backyard grill. The Constitution is still going strong after 232 years. in spite of the Patriot Act, TIA, Guantanamo, and other frontal attacks it has righted itself . A survey tells us that over 90% of the population feels patriotic. Patriotism, according to Dr. Johnson, is the last refuge of the scoundrel. One thing is to be proud of one's country and quite another to be for "my country right or wrong". As a recent citizen and as a world traveler, I think that, if the USA are a great country, many people around the world think the same about their own country. The worst side of patriotism is the blind acquiescence of the worst excesses in the name of love of country. On the contrary, the true patriot never hesitates to criticize his government whenever it errs, or worse, violates its own Constitution.