Wonderful thread, Jeri. As the ever-wise Dave Barry has said, "No matter what happens, somebody will find a way to take it too seriously". We are developing a nation of whiners...it comes with having it too easy, having too much, and valuing fewer of the important things. Also, I think, we seem to LISTEN to everybody now, and somehow give them credence, whereas in the past we often would take the time to evaluate (which is now disparagingly called "judging"). As Arlo so wisely ovserved, "America is not the only country that can find out things about the last guy, but it's the only country that would take time for that guy. Other countries would say, 'He's the last guy- screw him!'" At least here at the Mudcat, we should learn to ignore the whiners.