Keith, I worry about that, too. A lot. I just don't see anything in the works to turn things around. It's been said that the 19th century was the British Century, the 20th century was the American Century, and the 21st century will be the Chinese Century. I believe there's a lot of truth in that statement.

It was Toynbee, I think, who postulated that nations go through the same aging process as individual humans -- birth, growth, vigorous adulthood, then decrepit old age. It's a pretty depressing thought.