However, you go further, and implicitly suggest that as a society, America has picked up the baton dropped by the English in the aftermath of catastrophe on the fields of Flanders. At least as far as that America which exists west of the Missisipi, I believe that in many ways you are right – though there are factors of class and religiousity for which such an attractively simple hypothesis cannot account.

“For the cat is cryptic, and close to strange things which men cannot see. He is the soul of antique Aegyptus, and bearer of tales from forgotten cities in Meroe and Ophir. He is the kin of the jungle’s lords, and heir to the secrets of hoary and sinister Africa. The Sphinx is his cousin, and he speaks her language; but he is more ancient than the Sphinx, and remembers that which she hath forgotten.”

Compared to that, dogs are just pathetic.

More than any other, according to the last census (Irish descent came in second). Where I was raised in the Ohio River valley, it’s nearly all German Catholics. The Lutherans ended up going north.

Guess you’re just angry, Flanker, that the Yanks played such a significant role in defeating Nazism and fascism in WW2. Cos’ had the Nazis won, you’d have been a real big noise in their party machine and taken seriously by the “mainstream”.

Dream on, Flanker, even your Islamo-fascist friends in the Middle East probably laugh at you behind your back.

Neither does the flu virus. Both are worthless, disgusting parasites though. All domestic cats must die!

Cats do not regard humans as their masters and would not demean themselves by being so subservient. Cats on the other hand clean themselves, don’t smell and don’t shit on the pavement. They catch and kill vermin and their fur is much nicer to stroke. Cats win!

My cocker spaniel faithfully brought in the newspaper for 13 years, rain or shine. Show me a cat that would do that.

Only the ones that end up in Korean stir-fries.