We are not yet a modern version of Abyssinian bas-reliefs hung on some conquerors wall, but there is always that vacuum waiting to be filled by newly ascendant former subjects, who eagerly take title to the physical remains of cultures that just collapse from within.

"We" may not be there yet, but our nation has spent it's post-war dominance on poor choices: tactically, culturally, and now -- more and more -- just frivolously. Given the increasing and sophisticated dominance of the narrow interests in communications and entertainment, and their alliance with 'progressive' government elements, I tend to think that a different and unforeseen type of oppressive rule is now gaining momentum, to willing demographic for whom toys and comfort are all.

Just my grumpy late AM opinion, and certainly not a patented truth upon reality.

But those are the type of things that folks assume about life down here. Last night there was a special on TV (first time I'd looked at the tube in ??? long)about hunting Escobar down. Learned things about the "war on drugs" that I did not know, of course much of that took place before I was paying much attention to Colombia myself. The past 20 years have seen a LOT of changes here, to say the least. The whole marxist revolution continues - although up north folks think it's dead and over.

I also clicked on a sidebar video about how the Third World War (Tercera Guerra Mundial) would start with regional conflict in South America and how it all played over a period of years. It is all fantasy of course, but it does remind us that there is an entire world south of the US and it is neither unified nor peaceful with all kinds of possibilities of how things can play out that will have an effect on the US.

It has been my experience that the average American is oblivious to the reality of Latin America and just shoves it off into a corner as irrelevant to us, except as to the extent is impacts illegal immigration.

YouTube video of the INDUMIL Cordova 9mm