Dear Phil,

I read your letter today and I hope and pray for your elections.   I was at the Lancome counter at the mall and the woman was from Melbourne.   We talked for a while because I had been there in 1994 and had stayed with some members from the Lion's Club.   They let me stay there at their house and I just paid for my flight and spending money.   It was actually the best time of my life.  They lived on the Mornington Peninsula, a couple of blocks from the beach.  It was the summer in the US when I went, so it was raining and cold, but I did not care.  The air was fresh, the people were polite, and there was an air of self respect and kindness about the people.   I really never heard people speak negative or evil words like they do in the US.  They introduced me to a friend and we took the train in to the city, enjoyed meat pies, rugby games, and getting drenched in the rain!  It was one of the best times of my life.  I asked her why she was in the States and she said because of the economy, but now she is here it is no better.   Her friends from Australia are emailing her all the time with all the weird laws and economic shanagins that are going on here with Obama.   At the same time they email her all the drama going on in Australia.   When we talked we realized there is no where to run anymore and she (without me saying anything) said that 9/11 was a conspiracy to force the USA to come under a global government and how the bailouts were nothing more than a redistribution of wealth to other countries.   In any case, I felt like I had met an old friend.  I seem to click with Australians right off the bat.   Funny how Americans are so self absorbed they do not even know what is going on in the world, yet alone their own back yard.   It is like they are zombies, walking into the gas chamber!

Have a great week,
Anne