Deputy; You bring up a few very interesting points in a short paragraph;

Yes, We as North Americans, are probably the most fortunate people on the planet. We are also the most taxed, have put the most effort into our own well being, and have become the least reproductive population.

Most of our (greed?) comes from a desire to attain the same pay/effort ratio as our public sector,of which the political portion has them all beat by a factor of 2/1 at the minimum.

Regarding everyone having the opportunity to manage your own business, I don't agree. Everyone does have that option, but few would survive it at any rate. Most people would prefer to work 35 hour weeks rather than 40, and get more money for it. Yet to successfully manage a business requires a willingness to put in 60 and 70 hour weeks on a regular basis and get a paycheque only when all others have recieved theirs first. The interesting point though is that it does require an exposure to the "ghetto " concept to fully appreciate the above. Only by experiencing the total lack of any of the conveniences we take for granted can one see the true value of them.

This forum is a perfect example of what I am talking about. There are posters that understand the concept of due diligence and the constant need for it, and are willing to put the effort into it, and as a result are comfortable with their investment, or not comfortable and have moved on. Then there are ones that don't care about the facts. They just want the SP to go to 3 or 4 or 5 dollars tomorrow for what ever reason so they can have their money because they want to spend it (or maybe they have already spent it). And then there are the ones that it just pisses them off to see others putting some effort into it and will spend untold hours trying to derail them.

Again, all just my opinion on a beautiful Sunday morning.

Regards

K