Daylia, as you have undoubtedly noted, there are several here who, if you were to quote an article—from the Guardian—that said, "Scientists have determined that the Law of Gravity is still in force," would immediately dash out of the house, lay down on the lawn, and grasp the grass very firmly for fear they will drift up into the sky. The argumentum ad hominem (attack the source of an uncomfortable argument rather than the argument itself) is a time-honored way of muddying the waters and dismissing obvious facts.

I've been to Canada umpteen times over the years and I love it. My older sister, her husband, and family live in Kingston, Ontario, and my son is currently living and working in Ottawa. Whenever someone objects to my criticism of our government by saying, "Well, if you don't like it here, why don't you just leave!" I start thinking about it quite seriously. The thought also occurs to me each time my wife's and my health insurance premiums go up again!

If the leaders of the United States, the richest, most powerful country in the world, were to set aside their perpetual pandering to the pashas of profit and indulge for a moment in a occasional smidgen of benevolence, this could be an entirely different country. And if they would lay aside their childish games of "king of the hill," it could be an entirely different world.

Ah . . . but I dream. . . .

Don Firth