So do you think anything has changed? My last visit to Washington DC gave me a memorable impression. It was after dark, about 9:30 and I had just finished visiting all of the monuments, the Vietnam wall, Lincolns Memorial and others. I was making my way out of the city when I realized that I was surrounded with sleek long limousines, each driven by uniformed chauffeurs. Not one or two, but dozens, scurrying hither and yon into the various streets. In the back of each limo was a solitary very important person. I knew these persons were important because they were still working. Each limo had a gooseneck lamp in the back and the important person was clearly illuminated, in its glow. Most were reading newspapers and some had clipboards with papers on them. None were simply riding home, how impressive, how extremely diligent, and the entire world could see them busily tending to the nation's affairs. Spotlighted in the lambent glow of a gooseneck lamp.

There were no cars behind me so I sat through several lights watching this spectacle. Where else can you have a front row seat in the theater of the ostentatious? So many potentates, so little time to savor the pageant;.