One of the most wonderful things about living in America is sharing a small part of the planet with other Americans. We are a friendly lot, generous to a fare-thee-well, optimistic, gregarious and silly. On the other hand, one of the most difficult things about living in America is living with other Americans. We are conceited, haughty, cranky, rude, self-centered and uptight.

It’s like Charles De Gaulle said: “France would be a glorious country if it weren’t for the French.”

Some of us sat in our Lazy-Boy recliners (cost: about $300, give or take) munching on potato chips ($2 a bag) scoping up the ranch dip ($2 a pint) while watching our big-screen plasma TV ($1000) and hoisting a cold one or two ($10 a six pack) and congratulating ourselves that we sent $5 to the Hurricane Katrina relief efforts....