Thanks for the vote of confidence, Amos!

This thread makes me wish I read more print media for ease of copying. I heard a fascinating discussion on NPR while driving around doing chores yesterday about studies done on height through the ages. Seems like there is a definite correlation between height and physical well being (enough to eat, adequate health care, reasonable quality of life). Also seems that average US height has been losing out to Europeans for some time now. We peaked after WWII, now the average height in Holland, for instance, is substantially higher than that of the US. We are 25th I think, among major populations in infant death.

These findings are quite at variance with the image of US as Empire.