conditions are never better anywhere else -- the grass is always greenest on our side of the fence because it's our grass...

I'm repeatedly surprised at e.g. the number of USians who call Canada "Canuckistan" and consider it a "commie" country -- and/or believe that thousands of people die in Canada from inadequate health care and hundreds of Canadians cross the border begging for superior US medical attention.  this Big Lie about Canadian health refugees (in general the refugee problem is in the other direction) is repeated by wingnuts intermittently and seems a very popular tall tale...  one among many about the inherent superiority of America in every sector.

it all gives me a lot more historical insight into the Soviet reality bubble in its heyday...  it really is possible to construct a kind of information bell-jar, a kind of Truman Show, w/in national borders -- if you have sufficient monopoly/oligopoly control of the air waves and print media.  the current wave of anti-blogger rantings, "urgent need to bring the Internet under control" panics etc. could not unreasonably be viewed as a manifestation of elite fears that there is an information channel not yet under their control;  however the Internet works just as well for their agenda as against it (ah, those busy little Freepers) so... who knows how that will play out in the end.

frankly it all makes me want to pull the covers over my head.  anyone else have those moments?

The difference between theory and practise in practise ...