Posted 5:40 PM by Gene

The last decade or so has been ruinous to our nation's psyche. First Slick erased our sense of shame; now, with his torpor sweeping America (except on matters of secrecy and preserving his job), Dubya has imbued us with a sense of total weary cynical apathy. It's not as if we don't care, entirely. We sue -- but only to get ours. But doesn't anyone care for his reputation anymore? Or are we that torpid, able to preserve whatever pride we have only through the invidious notion of MARKETING?

I was reminded again of how so much of America doesn't give a damn just now. It was a little thing I've mentioned before, but we're surrounded by these little things. At RONG AID and other chain stores when you buy Chef Boy-ar-dee's fake pasta it's listed on the register tape as "CBAD." The chain stores don't care; look who staffs them. Nor it appears does the manufacturer, CONAgra Foods. The once agricultural supplier decided (no doubt under some tyrant's "leadership") to become a jack-of-all-trades in the supermarket buying all sorts of spin-offs and second-string brands, and now it's paying for it; its sales have tanked, it's sold large chunks of its business and just reduced its dividend. I'd bet "CBAD" originates at CONAgra. Why should it care? Why should anyone care? How can we go on with that kind of torpid attitude?