hmpph

did the detroit free press really have to print the name, age and occupation of the person they quoted as saying "I don't know what's going on, but I'm tired of the unrest in the Middle East causing my gas prices to go up"? wouldn't we all be more comfortable attributing that statement to a caricature, rather than a real person?

why not be tired of the way generations of cheap gas as led to wasteful habits? why not be tired of record profits posted by the oil companies? why not be tired of being ignorant of macroeconomic models of supply and demand?

and if it's "unrest in the middle east" that's got you down, why not be grateful nobody is dragging you out of your house and bashing your head because you couldn't produce the right identification card at the right time? why not be grateful nobody is shelling your neighborhood? why not be grateful nobody has built a wall between your house and your olive trees?

sometimes it's difficult to distinguish between caricatures and real persons. maybe sometimes there is no difference. i think you have to decide which you're going to be, and then live that way on purpose.