Rudyard Kipling heralded the passing of England's mantle of global leadership. Who will do the same for America?
I see it in the Greyhound buses with porta-potties for bathrooms. I see it in the service on our airlines that would be considered subpar, even shameful by most of the industrialized world. I see it in our near total lack of high speed rail (AmTrak's Acela being the only one), despite the fact that it is a proven technology and can turn a profit. Perhaps I see it most often in the Americans I see overseas; from what I've seen in Asia, if there's a white guy who's dressed shabbily, he's almost certainly American. I certainly see it in the idea held by many politicians that it's somehow in America's best interests to suppress the vote.…
Article comments
— go to most recent comments26 - El Bicho
Oh, there's plenty of times I am dead serious. Though it's not likely to happen when I see nonsense like Johnny's written.
27 - Igor
Roger,
There have been many co-ops in the USA (after all, we have a long history of socialist societies like the Fourier societies of the 18th and 19th centuries) and Karl Marx thought that the Communist revolution would begin in the USA (it almost did in the 1920s and 30s but FDR saved capitalism with reform) but the established system is good at undermining and overcoming co-ops, just look at the history of the farm co-ops in the 20th century. They do it by surrounding and overwhelming. Basically, monopoly tactics to capture markets.
IMO co-ops are another good idea that works well in microcosm, like communism and capitalism, but doesn't scale up into national (or even state) size without destroying itself and all around it.
28 - Igor
So, I guess that Clavos confesses that he's a cocksucker? And a brown-noser? Even seems to be proud of himself.
Whatever it takes.
10 - Clavos
..
That last phrase should read "...whatever part of their anatomy his lips are closest to at the moment".
"Usually their anuses, but sometimes their penises.
Whatever it takes..."
29 - roger nowosielski
C'mmon, Igor, that's rather uncalled for.
30 - roger nowosielski
And re: your #27, perhaps we ought to start thinking along micro terms so as to rebuild from scratch.
And as to my concerns with national or state interests, I'm convinced the sooner we disavow ourselves of such notions, the better.
31 - Clavos
@#29:
Not to worry, Roger, he's just pixels on a screen, albeit childish ones.
32 - roger nowosielski
One wonders, though.
Was everything prior to the advent of the internet and email a stuff for the storybooks? What of all the correspondence and letters between people who have never set eye one upon another? Pure junk?
33 - zingzing
no, roger, they were specifically meant for one another, while this is meant for everyone. igor's comment was rather crass, but that's it these days. we live in rapidly changing times, if you haven't noticed. before long, you'll be able to shoot my face through the internet. i hope you use abilities wisely. as uncle ben said, "with great power comes great responsibility." spider-man, dude. stan lee is a philospherrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
34 - roger nowosielski
Of course they were, zing, but why should the present environment take away the quality. Many past correspondences, if only for lack of travel, were between pixels, a modern day term. What's wrong with restoring a measure of dignity?
Or are you admitting now that we live in a world increasingly populated by trolls?
And don't you worry now. I have no intent on shooting anyone, whether in real life or virtually. Not unless it'd be a matter of crime passionelle,
35 - roger nowosielski
... take off "of" - not idiomatic
36 - Irene Athena
The President scribbling "Barack Obama" at the bottom of the National Defense Authorization Act, allowing for ANYONE accused of being a terrorist to be kept indefinitely without trial: there's your sunset poet at work, Glenn.
Maybe the popular movements, some against corruption in big government, some against corruption in big business (the most effective being against the collusion of both) will be such that he and his ilk won't get away with KEEPING the US an Empire, where conquest means more than the rights and freedoms of people outside within its borders.
And if those popular movements are successful, and the US is returned to its non-militaristic, non-Imperialistic moorings (from which it broke free, unfortunately, generations ago), I will not mourn at all the US' transition to what you describe as "... a modern equivalent of Italy, forever looking back at those glorious days when all roads led to Rome.
37 - Dr Dreadful
Fair number of points to argue with, Glenn, as you've already discovered. Nevertheless, this is one of the best bits of writing you've submitted to Blogcritics. Kudos.
For my part, I'll disagree with you that China is set to be the first "revived" historical empire. The early Christian Church gained control of almost all of Europe by simply superimposing itself on the remnants of infrastructure left behind by the empire it replaced. All roads, in fact, continued to lead to Rome until the late Renaissance.
38 - Glenn Contrarian
Irene -
Except for the period between 1776 and 1789 when our present constitution was ratified, there has never been a time when America was neither militaristic nor imperialistic. Witness our century-long westward expansion and our genocide of Native Americans - that required both. So did the Civil War, Pershing's pursuit of Zapata into Mexico, the Spanish-American War, and so on.
When it comes to jailing people without trial, Woodrow Wilson may not have strictly done that, but he DID jail people for up to ten years for the 'crime' of speaking out against our involvement in WWI - merely speaking out against our role in the war was considered 'giving aid and comfort to the enemy'.
I daresay a case can be made that we've been arresting people and holding them (and sometimes executing them) without trial for a long, long time...and the only difference now is that we know about it.
Don't get me wrong - I'm not condoning any of this. I'd much rather we weren't so militaristic and imperialistic, and I truly hate the policy that we can be arrested simply by being deemed an 'enemy of the state'. But in reality, I really don't think things have really changed that much - it's just that we're more aware of them now.
39 - Glenn Contrarian
Doc -
Thank you very much - coming from you, I consider that high praise.
I'd have to disagree with your observation about the Catholic church - I'd consider that a continuation of the Roman Empire since Constantine officially adopted Christianity (though whether he actually believed is a matter of debate) and decided at the Council of Nicea in favor of the trinitarian priests and against Arias and his followers who believed that Jesus was not God.
A strong argument can be made that Constantine did so only because the Catholic faith was growing ever stronger in the Empire and he was doing what he could to keep the Empire from falling into internecine religious strife. And as a result of Constantine's actions the Catholic church became much stronger, and eventually the power and influence they wielded spread across Europe even while the military might of Rome diminished and crumbled.
In a somewhat convoluted way, that can be compared to America today - not in terms of religion, but in terms of cultural influence. Catholic influence spread as far as it could, first as part of Rome and later by the efforts of the Spanish and the French (and others, of course)...but the seat of the Catholic church was always Rome. Likewise, American cultural influence has truly spread worldwide and is now being perpetuated by the efforts other nations - as is evidenced by the ubiquity not only of the English language in almost every nation, but also of the presence of Coca-Cola, McDonald's, Starbucks, etc. I think you get my point.
On a side note for my fellow gamers out there, in Sid Meier's "Civilization" games, this was called a "cultural victory".
40 - Igor
"C'mmon, Igor, that's rather uncalled for."
Not at all.
I'm NOT a person who swears or uses foul language carelessly (as you may have observed). And I'm not very interested in the personalities of disembodied characters on internet forums.
I said what I said not to intimidate anyone with aggressive language, but to abbreviate my judgement of a correspondent.
In my experience c*cksuckers and brown-nosers make their way in the world with flattery, cajolery and deceit rather than through their accomplishments and work. IMO they can't be trusted; call me old-fashioned.
I steer clear of them, and I don't credit their words or ideas, except as a warning about themselves.
41 - One Americans Rant
Glenn,
I hadn't gotten around to commenting on this piece, but I do like it.
@38 I have long thought that the gist of this "...I really don't think things have really changed that much - it's just that we're more aware of them now." is true. When people talk about how much worse the weather is now, I suspect that it has, in times past, been much worse - but it only affected those near by (See this link. I think diseases are this way as well - 1,000 years ago an entire population could have been wiped out and who would have known? We think that the Black Plague killed 1/4 of the European population in the 15th century, but who knows how accurate that was?
42 - roger nowosielski
@40
It's rather odd, Igor, since you were the one who seemed to have made the insinuation in the first place and Clavos merely playing along.
Besides, I don't see what's particularly disturbing about the one percenters doing what they do, I mean, frequent the luxury market. That's rather expected. And since we're not about to change that, let the boys have their fun and games.
What's more important, I think, we don't have to follow in their footstepts but rather, develop forms of social organization, political and economic, which fly in the face of the established patterns.
43 - Irene Athena
You are mourning American's fall from its imperial heights, Glenn. I, and millions like me, are not.
There are and always have been Americans who have joined in protest against militarism, and they've been arrested for generations, too. Unless something marvelous happens, though, President Obama will distinguish himself by being the first to make PERMANENT detentions, without legal recourse, legal.
Dr. Dreadful, there have always been Christians who protested the militarization of the Christian church way back to the Early Church Fathers. You should know by now that I'm as heartsick as I am infuriated by the fact that the same thing has happened in the US. I as a Christian stand in protest to that, too, as do many US Christians, and of course Christians around the world.
I also wonder what motivates those who, on one hand, defend the US' meddling in Libya and Europe (e.g., the Balkans) and the Middle East, and then, on the other hand, criticize Christians in the US, and in the "Holy Roman Empire" for doing the same type of thing.
44 - El Bicho
If Clavos was playing along, then why do you think he needed you to come to his defense, Roger?
45 - roger nowosielski
It's called escalation. At some point, the boundary was crossed, I'd say, and the game is no longer fun.
46 - Dr Dreadful
We think that the Black Plague killed 1/4 of the European population in the 15th century, but who knows how accurate that was?
In the case of the Black Plague we can actually be fairly confident of accuracy. Europe wasn't an isolated population, so there are numerous lines of evidence. Besides contemporary accounts, we have written records, our modern knowledge of the behaviour of pathogens, and data from archaeology and genetics that allow us to build up a pretty comprehensive picture.
47 - Zingzing
Irene, when Glenn just got through saying he wishes the us would be less militaristic, and then you say, somehow unlike Glenn, you wqish the us would be less militaristic, you've missed something. Or maybe I have.
48 - Irene Athena
You have missed something, Zing: whole paragraphs of the article, which conflict with the claim in Glenn's comment that he wishes the US were less militaristic.
49 - Irene Athena
And as to illogical nature of his comments, if he claims in #38 that the US has always been militaristic, why the call for a funereal dirge in the article?
50 - Irene Athena
I'll leave you to ponder that Big Question on your own, Zingzing. I have door-hangers to pass out.
51 - Glenn Contrarian
Irene -
I am not at all 'lamenting' the decline of America - I'm simply stating my observations. Empires rise and empires fall. The only sadness I have concerns those who get in the way and are crushed by our downfall.
Nowhere in my writings will you see me claim that America is 'exceptional' - indeed, if you'll read my article more closely, you should detect more than a little disdain for the idea of "American Exceptionalism", and you should see how I decry our national tradition of willful ignorance and refusal to learn from others. That in and of itself should refute your assumptions that I'm so pro-American-Empire.
There are many times that our tradition of military adventurism has been downright criminal and has long gone unpunished (Spanish-American War, the Indian wars, Vietnam, Iraq); however, there are also quite a few times that our military intervention worked to the good of all: WWII, Korea, Bosnia, and Libya are examples. If you want to debate these, start a new article and I'll debate you on them - but I warn you that you should be aware that just as many of our military actions have been wrong, there have been military actions that have been right. To think otherwise is quite naive.
I recommend that you stop assigning those traits to me that you think I must have since I often disagree with you.
52 - Zingzing
I dunno, Irene. Seems to me you're positioning Glenn on the other side of a black or white issue, while Glenn seems to be saying it's not a black or white issue. Of course it seems illogical if you shoot right past the point and create another...
53 - Irene Athena
You "WARN" me, Glenn? You "recommend" that I "stop assigning traits to you?" Well I'm not afraid of you.
Glenn, you've consistently seen people in black and white: "cons" and liberals. You see wars in black and white: bad ones started by Bush, and good ones started by Obama and Clinton. (And don't pretend that supplying NATO with drones is not an act of aggression.) If you were as against militarism as you claim to be, you'd criticize all such aggressive actions. As it stands, your objections are merely based on politics, not morality. Your failure to see both kinds of aggression as equally lamentable is part of the problem.
You're waiting for a Sunset Poet, Glenn. My claim stands: you have one in Obama and the unprecedented assault on rights he plans to make by signing the NDAA, after which no one will be safe criticizing ANY war, for their permanent incarceration will be legal. While you are waiting for your Sunset Poet, Glenn, others are trying to hasten the dawn of a New Day.
54 - roger nowosielski
This is not exactly the clip I want, but Glenn and coterie would do well to look into the life of Vaclav Havel who just passed away.
If he was ineffective as politician, it's only because he insisted that you can't have politics without morality. When I find the right link, I'll post it.
Keep on pluggin', Irene. Perhaps one of these days some of the people might get it.
55 - Glenn Contrarian
Irene -
Are you really paying attention to what you're writing?
Glenn, you've consistently seen people in black and white: "cons" and liberals.
Like when I pointed out in one of my early articles the benefit the developing world has reaped as a direct result of Reaganomics? Reaganomics has been terrible for America, but a great financial boon for much of the rest of the world.
Or perhaps you're referring to how I've consistently referred to Reagan as one of the five greatest presidents, or how I've NEVER denigrated Bush 41 or Eisenhower for their conduct in the Oval Office. Or maybe you could see how I've held Bill Clinton every bit as responsible for the Great Recession as Bush 43 (because he signed off on the repeal of Glass-Steagal, and it was under his watch that our businesses kicked offshoring into high gear).
Yes, I'm SO black-and-white, huh?
You see wars in black and white: bad ones started by Bush, and good ones started by Obama and Clinton. (And don't pretend that supplying NATO with drones is not an act of aggression.)
Did you ask me what I thought of the war began by a certain Democrat named Kennedy, and expanded by another Democrat named LBJ? Or how about the very worst president of the twentieth century - Woodrow Wilson (D)?
Nah, I'm SO one-sided, I guess - and HOW do I know I'm so one-sided? BECAUSE YOU SAY SO!
If you were as against militarism as you claim to be, you'd criticize all such aggressive actions.
I am against militarism when it is UNNECESSARY, and especially when it is CRIMINAL. You've NEVER seen me post otherwise. Ah, but I forget - you've already convicted me, so I really have no right to argue in my own defense, do I? Because YOU are always right!
As it stands, your objections are merely based on politics, not morality. Your failure to see both kinds of aggression as equally lamentable is part of the problem.
Riiiiiiight. According to you, my objection to the Iraq war was purely political, and not based at all on morality. I only pointed out that our illegal and unprovoked invasion resulted in 100K+ dead innocent men, women, and children for purely political reasons - yeah, that's it! I USE DEAD KIDS FOR POLITICAL GAIN!
Ya...GOT me, Irene! I'm just soooooooo terrible, just a waste of human flesh, huh?
Who, really, is painting things only in black and white? Hm? Irene, I've pointed out the GOOD things that every president since Hoover has done - Republican AND Democrat. If a president was an ignorant tool (as Bush 43 was), I said it - but I also pointed out the good things that he did (pushed much greater assistance to Africa for AIDS, resisted Cheney's push for attacking Iran, and reacted to the coming Great Recession quickly enough that our economy didn't crash all the way (although he didn't require the accountability that was needed)).
But that's all a lie - it MUST all be lies because YOU have already convicted me in the court of your own opinion, for which there is no appeal to any higher court of common sense.
56 - roger nowosielski
This is the clip I was looking for, Irene, the transcript as well as podcast.
It says it all.
57 - Irene Athena
Thanks for the link, Roger. Vaclav Havel led a successful bloodless revolution against a totalitarian regime, but his struggle against corruption in the government of the Czech Republic continues even after his death. The Czech Republic's government remains more corrupt than almost any other in Europe. Hopefully someday soon the anti-corruption efforts will be effective, but they will be speaerheaded by the people and the rare sterling individuals like Havel who represent them, not by pols on the make.
I know we both hope that happens in the US, too. Glenn and cotezingerie have that hope as well, I'm sure; they just have to get over their partisanship to help the process along.
(I got the message you were asking about. It's going to be hard to have a Merry Christmas, but I wish for at least a peaceful one, full of comfort and good memories.)
58 - zingzing
"I know we both hope that happens in the US, too. Glenn and cotezingerie have that hope as well, I'm sure; they just have to get over their partisanship to help the process along."
and thou must come down from thine horse most high. you support ron paul. you may have a good end point in mind, but i don't think ron paul is the way to get there. i may have the same wishes you do, but i don't think getting there takes the path you want it to take. so don't talk to me about partisanship... because you've got the dreaded disease as much as anyone.
havel's something of a hero of mine. i wrote my history minor thesis on him and charter 77 and plastic people of the universe. pretty amazing story.
59 - roger nowosielski
Even an atheist, Irene, should recognize the force of morality, the indispensable aspect of being. If they don't, they'll never function on all four. They'll be forever destined to live the rest of their lives as truncated, tragic human beings.
60 - roger nowosielski
And yes, re: your #57, I sent some links about C S Lewis, A Grief Observed, but there isn't much one can really do.
The good thing is, time heals all wounds.
61 - Irene Athena
Glenn, I've listened to enough of your trademark patronizing sermons on how a military background is required to understand how Realpolitik justified and justifies the carnage of innocents in the Balkans, Libya, and Pakistan but not in Iraq. Yes, you do have blind spots and inconsistencies when it comes to defending wars that are fought for any other reason than the legitimate one of defending Americans who are under direct and unprovoked attack. You'd probably need to hear it from another vet, though. (Your even-handed defense of the bloating of federal programs in other spheres by Republicans and Democrats alike is neither here nor there.)
62 - Irene Athena
Zing, the moment I start promoting any unprovoked aggressive foreign act authorized by Ron Paul, having condemned those by Obama, you will have earned the right to call me partisan.
Campaigning is a horse of a different color. Bipartisanship that extends to the point of distributing door hangers for more than one presidential candidates seems a bit outré to me.
I happen to consider heroic the efforts of those as diverse as Rand Paul and Al Franken in countering the NDAA and its dread detention clauses that, it turns out, were specifically tailored to Obama's specifications. What say you, Zingzing? You had a lot to say about Brian Wilson's (admittedly praiseworthy) SMiLE, but not anything at all about that, unless I missed something.
(Roger, Surprised by Joy, is another good one of his. And yes, I agree, atheists can be and are enriched when they recognize the existence of something beyond than the material.)
63 - roger nowosielski
bWe're always on the same page, Irene, all appearances and my occasional bitterness to the contrary.
It's always the spiritual thing, ain't it? however one cares to define it.
What else is a human otherwise?
64 - roger nowosielski
One could well think of another title, Surprised by Kindness.
A funny thing happened to me of late on the way to the forum.
65 - roger nowosielski
The perfidy is, such as Glenn or zingzing, are so much in awe of the authority that unless and until Mr. Obama declares it's safe and about time to pull out of Iraq, neither can think for themselves.
This kind of mindset qualifies them to be true Koreans, the worshiping lemming of the departed leader.
What a joke, what a parody masquerading as independent thought?
66 - Irene Athena
Always on the same page? Even THIS one? *hands you the only ROn Paul door hanger remaining after today's distribution effort * LOL!
But yes, you and I are, more often than not "agin'" as they'd say in Kentucky, the same political trends.
The spirit? Why yes. That's what's left, even after the bones have rotted into the ground or have been cremated and scattered to the wind with the soul. The soul is what connects us to other people, through such things as language, and art and music. Everyone has a spirit. That's the part that connects us to God, who is always trying to wake it up. That's what I believe, anyway.
Merry Christmas, Roger.
67 - zingzing
"The perfidy is, such as Glenn or zingzing, are so much in awe of the authority that unless and until Mr. Obama declares it's safe and about time to pull out of Iraq, neither can think for themselves."
roger, that's just more bs from you. obama didn't really "declare it safe," the army got their ass kicked out. i'm glad they're out, but it doesn't change anything about my stance on the issue. we shouldn't have been there in the first place, but our leaving is going to open up all sorts of problems, and we can see them playing out already. it always was going to cause problems, so i guess now is as good a time as any, but whatever. you can't grasp the fact that i'm of two minds about it. ambivalence is, seemingly, beyond you. you're so entrenched in your simplistic bullshit that you could never grasp such a thing.
68 - zingzing
irene: "I happen to consider heroic the efforts of those as diverse as Rand Paul and Al Franken in countering the NDAA and its dread detention clauses that, it turns out, were specifically tailored to Obama's specifications. What say you, Zingzing? You had a lot to say about Brian Wilson's (admittedly praiseworthy) SMiLE, but not anything at all about that, unless I missed something."
i haven't said much about it, that's true. still kinda waiting on that one and on sopa. even if he does sign it, that's not the end of it. it goes directly against our constitutionally guaranteed rights. so i think a great big court battle will result. but who knows. he hasn't even signed it. we'll see what gets amended to the bill and what happens with the other legislation moving through congress that would negate it. i see no reason why the obama i think i know would sign such a bill. what he does with it will affect my opinion of him, one way or another.
the wording of the bill is not clear to me. i've seen versions that say american citizens are exempt, others that say they are not. the one i've seen that says americans are not exempt does include the phrase that they can be detained without trial "until hostilities cease," which, although a nebulous spot in the future, does suggest that this "permanent detention" thing people are claiming may not be the aim of the bill. i don't know.
people seem so certain that this bill is the end of freedom. i think that sounds a little far-fetched and am waiting for something concrete to happen (the bill is passed and signed, or not), with final wording so we can all know what this thing is. right now, i'm ignorant, and i'm not pretending otherwise.
besides, i see that no one has addressed the fact that THIS HAPPENS ANYWAY. the fact that it happens anyway, without a law that can be challenged backing it up... well, right now, they're doing it anyway, without having to play the game in court. now they just might. that's why we have courts. i dunno. such a law might actually open the doors to putting an end to such abuses. that may be wishful thinking (and i'm not for this law in any way, before roger whips his dick out), but we just have to wait and see. i've signed multiple petitions against this (and sopa), just so you know. i've written my congresswoman and my senators.
69 - zingzing
irene: "Zing, the moment I start promoting any unprovoked aggressive foreign act authorized by Ron Paul, having condemned those by Obama, you will have earned the right to call me partisan."
blowing right by the point again. you're partisan in that you think ron paul is the answer. i don't think he is. i think he's a bit dangerous. he's fine as a senator. being an ideologue is great when you don't have the final say. but that strictness is rather troubling at the top. there are many ways it can go wrong. plus, i disagree with him on a great many things.
that you would take his side in this makes you partisan. just saying.
on the militaristic front, i think obama has been rather disappointing. he didn't get out of iraq and afghanistan fast enough. gitmo is still open. the drone war in pakistan and other countries is overstepping the boundaries. he inherited all that and i'm not quite sure that he has the power (and definitely not the will) to stop it. these things are disappointing. the thing in libya... hrm, i dunno. that he gave up control to nato so quickly is a plus, and the fact that it was a bilateral decision puts my mind at rest a bit. there was a massacre going on and now that massacring dictator is no longer in power. these are good things. i may not like the way things went down too much, but i'm somewhat happy with the end result, although things have really yet to be settled.
and it was the beach boys' smile. and i was ambivalent about that as well. ambivalence! it's a strange thing.
70 - Glenn Contrarian
Irene, oh...Ireeeeene -
Glenn, I've listened to enough of your trademark patronizing sermons on how a military background is required to understand how Realpolitik justified and justifies the carnage of innocents in the Balkans, Libya, and Pakistan but not in Iraq.
And I've heard enough of you MAKING UP CRAP. WHEN have I EVER said that a military background is "required to understand realpolitik"? I NEVER HAVE - nor have I ever implied such! A military background does indeed give certain advantages...but understanding realpolitik is certainly not one of them! If that were the case, the majority of the military would be something other than hard-line conservative.
But a majority of them (at least of those with several years in) ARE hard-line conservative...and haven't a clue what realpolitik is. Okay? I would NEVER have made such a statement or implication - that's your imagination (and your spite) running away with you again.
That's simply you making up crap - just like Arch claiming with zero evidence and zero indication that Obama's a narcissist (he's apparently never known someone with the clinical disorder), you've decided that I have such-and-such shortcomings...and you make your claims with zero evidence and zero indication...
...that is, other than your own opinion.
I really, really don't like being accused of something I'm not guilty of...and that's what you're doing again and again and again. Try backing up your accusations, willya? Because so far in this thread, you can't...and sadly, I strongly doubt you'll even try.
71 - roger nowosielski
Your #67, zing, is so pathetic and riddled with contradictions, it merits no reply.
72 - Clavos
Glenn, you've consistently seen people in black and white: "cons" and liberals.
QFT
73 - roger nowosielski
And Merry Christmas to you all.
74 - zingzing
roger, if you replied, then i guess you replied. good job! i guess you couldn't name a contradiction that would prove your point. i noted that i'm of two minds about it. maybe that's the source of your confusion. as for "pathetic," aw well. i'll take it like i take all your other incredible displays of narrow-mindedness, and put it straight into the toilet where it belongs. your inability to understand anything is no longer a surprise.
to say it again. i don't like the american military presence in iraq. never have. but it was there. and leaving iraq would create another set of problems. it has, but fuck it. i'm glad our military is out of iraq. the end. where's the contradiction?
75 - zingzing
and a happy holidays to everyone. except the corporate con artists that turned a simple celebration into a debt-inducing deathtrip. my own mother told me to bring an extra suitcase to bring back "all [my] loot." good god, just give me cash if you give me anything at all.