So, this is why you see our discussions get so strange and out of control when we talk politics and policy. We're having a pretty rough go here in the states and there are voices (real, not imaginary) telling us to be afraid of everything all the time and not to trust anybody ever. We've caught a bad bug and gone from America Home of the Brave to America Home of the Afraid. We're afraid of what will be taken from us next, what might be attacked next, and we're afraid of what the "other side" is doing.

It's interesting that Kathryn points out that they import shows from the US because beware if they begin to import shows that attempt to replicate the political shows here. These shows have a specific goal, confuse and separate. How good are they at doing that? Well, if we are the only Americans you chat with on a regular basis, just look at us. I'm not saying we're all batty but we all feel a bit desperate about things at least several times a day.

I almost feel as if we need to go back to basics and learn to get up in the morning and put our pants on. I hate this image that's been created of us of a country shaking in our boots. I hate tin star leaders that promote the idea that to be brave (also read patriotic) we have to bomb somebody. I hate the chest beating about how we've not been attacked since 9/11 on our soil as we prove to the world there is no need to attack us. We are destroying our country from the inside, which really is how it's done. You can rebuild a building but fear eats the soul, the heart, and the mind...and boy does it wreak havoc with democracy.

We seem to have so much to fear, at least if we listen to those voices. Sorry for bothering you guys with this but I'm embarrassed. Sure, there's comedy in it too, black comedy, and we can have a laugh about it but these comedians are heavily armed.

Hey, Kathryn is right...don't be bothered with those American shows. Don't watch them. They are bad for you and chicken soup won't fix it. America now is like a beautiful woman (or man for you ladies) that is drop dead gorgeous until she smiles and shows off her mouth full of rotting teeth. Oh and god forbid she opens her mouth and says something because she'll immediately prove with those first few words she's bat shit crazy. Nothing a little dental work and education would not fix though but like all self improvement projects you have to want to fix it. The thing that actually does scare me is that there may be many people who don't want to bother because they don't want to pay for the dental work or put in the time to get educated...not that I'm shaking in my boots mind you but I feel like that beautiful woman with the bad teeth and empty head is my date.