Jim - I recommend you towards an Australian book called `First Abolish the Customer: 202 Arguments Against Economic Rationalism', by Bob Ellis. Russia was far better off under communism than it is now. Not perfect by any means - but definitely better. Any way I promised myself I wouldn't enter into this debate again ... but to me there's nothing more anal than a big old ugly prejudiced right winger, so lefties like us have perfect rights to be anal-retentive about it as we like (: P.S. Why does everyone tend to believe that a person from the Left doesn't know the other side of things? Any good debater knows you have to prepare defenses for both sides of the argument. Why should anyone assume we do any less? Camille verona_beach@geocities.com @ THE ARTS HOLE http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Theater/6442 @ THE INVERTED FOREST http://www.angelfire.com/pa/invertedforest