edwards block

Everywhere I go in America, “The War” is at the forefront of consciousness. Turn on any television (I didn’t actually do this, but I did spend considerable time in restaurants) and you’ll hear the word “Iraq” (usually pronounced “A Rock”) mentioned endlessly. Large numbers of cars sport US flags in all sort of shapes and stylisations, and “ribbon” stickers (in the shape of the original AIDS ribbon, but twelve times larger) emblazoned with phrases like “Support our Troops” and “God Bless America”.

How I manage to visit this regressive theocracy without vomiting every 20 minutes is beyond me.

Atlanta is the home of CNN, the news channel owned by the city’s favourite son, Ted Turner. A block from my hotel are the CNN studios. No sign of Wolf Blitzer so far. While in some restaurant or another, with CNN on where I couldn’t help but look at it (like passing a car accident on the freeway, it demands a look), I noticed this piece of breaking news appear in the text box at the bottom of the screen:

“Suicide a result of depression”.

Stop the presses!

Like me, you might have an erroneous impression of the American south as a semi-tropical savannah where the matrons stroll with mint juleps in a white-gloved hand while twirling a parasol in the other. The reality is frigid winds blowing at gale force through a city that reminds me more of Winnipeg, except most of it is owned by Ted Turner rather than Izzie Asper. I walked two blocks this evening for dinner and almost expired on the sidewalk from hypothermia. My ears might have frozen had I not been walking with my coat pulled up over my head.

As usual in America, I am most impressed (or unimpressed, rather) with the gap between rich and poor. It seems that when one dines out in America, one has a choice between upscale, trendy and expensive restaurants with (mandatory) valet parking, or KFC. There isn’t a lot in between, at least not anywhere easy to find when you don’t know your way around. Most of the employees of the expensive places are African-American, most of the guests white (though the growth in black wealth does appear to be growing slowly more evident). In the cheap places, employees are often Hispanic, the guests a broad assortment of races.

The two things you can always count on in US restaurants are televisions (tuned to either CNN or TSN) and a large quantity of food. In most restaurants, an average meal for one would feed an entire Canadian family. For three days. If you want a steak less than 14 ounces, you have to order the child’s plate. And forget about anything green on your plate, unless you count the parsley.

Alas! I need sleep. This rant will have to continue later. I shall now retire to my giant bed with the five pillows.