081413 #worm What sets the old days apart from the new days? Essay question. Is it the foreign (in terms, if not geographical, then at least cultural) military presence? Is the main difference one of sociopolitical innocence? Does it all hinge on the price of cash? On the fact that before, all you had to worry about was getting hassled by a bored sherriff telling you to slow the hell down because we've had fourteen traffic fatalities already this year, and all of them were speed related? Yes sir. I understand. And he gives you a ticket--and you feel like a toady later, but you actually say thank you. At least the regular old cops were human. Now, with the soldiers in the streets, you have to worry about whether your identity is in order. You could be saying or thinking the wrong thing at any time. It sounds ridiculous, but it's true. There are strange side-effects. The subversion implicit in a simple plate of bacon and eggs is almost palpable. Carve it all up, shovel it all down, but the whole time, your conversation is subject to surveillance. Surveillance. Say it. We're all under surveillance now. It's not supposed to be a problem, if you're not doing anything wrong. If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear. But we all know, everyone has something to --