love the thread, Elkarway could not agree more with you...here in California the budget is perhaps the worst in the states, and I'm at a university of california school where we are feeling it heavily, state taxes are extremely high, salaries for grad students are low (but our union just fought for and won a cost of living increase of 2% per years, we used to have this then it was cut, now it is reinstalled at least on the books)....
I love the poem too, really a lot, and saying that you'll move to India or China is the perfect example of "the best have lost all conviction" ....but you guys, Fox news just kicked Beck to the curb (I found this out from the Daily Show, my news source, sadly I'm not kidding!!)....anyway, my point is the west coast of the states is hurting economically, but at least we haven't been taken over by madmen as other states have been (yes I realize our governor was the terminator, but you have to think relatively here)....
Love to hear what's happening elsewhere, very surprised about Norway passing the data law....strange days indeed....