why does this newsgroup have beasts

As if I could "trash" the U.S.A. You've got to have the power and influence of the Republican Party tp do that - and the Republican Party does seem to be busy trashing the U.S.A.'s hard-won reputation for honest and law-abiding administration.

I merely point out occasional flaws in your over-all perfection - in a perfectly well-intentioned way. After all, wouldn't you be prouder of the U.S.A. if you could raise your game in the international child malnutrition stakes

to score better than Chile?

of

New Zealand's Prime Minister is more like Harry Potter than any of your European efforts, just a durn sight uglier though.

Ken (Of Melbourne Australia but currently in NZ)