Glenallan wrote:

>
> To be perfectly frank, I was startled into disbelief when I first
> came across the rustic wooden homes of the people of New England.
> Invariably they badly need repainted. Street lighting, roads, and pavements
> (where they exist) are frankly appalling.
> All of this quite unacceptable in the UK
>
> I was quite unprepared for this disenchantment and returned to the UK
> with a new respect for the British way of life. Many things, not all of
> course are indeed 'just better'  over here.
>
> I was haunted by one lady who was possessed of disbelief that
> we had fridges, washing machines, telephones and the same
> Japanese cars as they had.
>
> She was further confounded when I explained the virtues of socialised
> medical policies.  The poor soul, who had a disabled relative was
> almost broke.  I met young people who had NO medical insurance.
>
> No....the USA is not a perfect society.
>
> G
> --

 Yes. But we are FREE!
Whadda ya mean I can't go to that country?
Oh, it's on a "proscribed" list.
Who put it on the list.
Oh. The Guvment.
What kinda jackkneed idiot came up with that?
Oh, the preZIdent.
Well, he's an idiot.
Waddaya mean I can't say that?
Oh, the Patriot Act.
But I could go there if  he wasn't an idiot and it wasn't on the list?
Alrighty then.
We're FREE! ;-)