6 February

I tried watching this year's State of the Union, couldn't get through it. I love America and Americans, so these comments are observations, not criticisms. It always strikes me how pious the US is at root, I sometimes wonder that it may be only immigration that saved it from becoming one giant Amish community. Such a melting pot of people from all over the world, shoehorned into a sort of pious patriotism? (My American friends can correct or unfriend me here!) It makes the people lovely and kind and polite and generous, but there's such an earnestness about it all - so, so serious. And if every fart gets a standing ovation, just give up on applause right now people. It's meaningless.