America is so addicted to conspicuous consumption that its has borrowed to the hilt, outsourced its manufacturing and sold off its corporations and real estate to foreigners. Images that come to mind:

• Someone who has lost his fortune, trying to fool everyone including himself by keeping up appearances with reckless borrowing.
• A drug addict selling her blood for heroin.
• The spent husk of a bee after a spider [the military contractors] has sucked it dry.
• Tent caterpillars stripping bare the tree that sustains them.

~ Roedy (born: 1948-02-04 age: 61)