Small American flags have sprouted on the grass outside each of the 400 houses in our California town-house complex.  They were planted there by the local real estate agent who made sure her card was almost as prominent as the flag itself.   If you ignore the advertising component, the flags look rather nice and add an air of celebration to the neighborhood and the upcoming 4th July celebration.  For Huntington Beach has the largest 4th July parade west of the Mississippi and great fireworks of the beach in the evenings. 

We can celebrate the inanities of American patriotism and elections.  Like the flags that appear as adverts; the news that Cindy McCain charged $500,000 in one month to her American Express Platinum card; the fact that off-limits is a remark that being shot down in a plane hardly constitutes good experience in negotiating wars and the end to wars; that Obama decries attempts to overturn California’s Supreme Court on gay marriage;  that at the end of the day Obama is clearly more “religious” (whatever that means) than McCain who can’t quite recall his religious affiliation— but who could, trying to keep track of a wife spending half a million a month on family goodies?

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