I beg to differ. California is definitely not square. It is quite hip, in fact. Well, maybe just not square: they say someone shook the country and all the loose screws rolled west. The are the nuts and bolts of this great state. In the case of my family, emphasis on nuts.

Regarding our national sins: My students are refugees of China, Korea, Tibet, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Central America, and Russia (typical SF area population). We sing America the Beautiful in my classroom every day, right before we discuss the evils and repercussions of slavery, the legacy of Hiroshima, or American domination of indigenous peoples. All this is required by the State of California. Perhaps the world is so familiar with the sins of America because we are so free to admit them, without fear of our government. Admitting one has a problem is the first step on the road to change.

Aloha, Mark--I used to live in Aeia, HI--only town in the US whose name is vowels only.

--En