I once described "bedroom communities" in my area. Nice towns, great places to live, clean streets and good schools. But the work gets done in the messy areas, elsewhere.

Obviously, people in the U.S. don't "commute" to Canada or similar places in Europe, unless they're very rich, like Hollywood actors or others.

I went over the definition once, and I don't feel like digging it up again. Suffice it to say, cranky liberals wouldn't want to move to Canada if it wasn't for the fact that they are confident that the leadership won't get in trouble, create controversy, get other nations angry at them, or do anything at all to rock the boat. Or radically change the world, for better or worse.

What's the biggest news on your front pages right now? About something in Canada, or something Canada is doing in the world?

Sure Canadians aren't abusing prisoners. That's largely because they aren't over there, not because Canadians are inherently nicer and more civilized.

You're basically on the sidelines in world controversy. That doesn't mean that Canada doesn't have what it takes to be a star player. Sitting on the bench was your idea. There is a lot to be said for the bench if being on the field is going to get your ass busted. But you're not in the big game, either.

I used to live in a small town. It was great, and a good place to raise kids. You didn't have to worry about getting mugged. But nobody was pretending our town was moving and shaking America. Our mayor was nice. But he didn't have the effect on things that the mayor of New York had.

I'll lose the tone of condescension when others here lose the tone of smugness.