No effort to the war(s); consumerism in tact, no rations or steel sacrifice or League of Their Own--no longer taking a village. The soldiers can play video games and we can watch reality television and talk shit about celebrity divorces and Michael Jackson died last week, Michael Jackson died three weeks ago, Michael Jackson died two months ago. Routine uninterrupted save for a seventeen second breaking news story: a local man killed in Iraq-istan, a neighbor says it's a shame, he was such a nice guy and a good father--cut to shot of a flag or a memorial wreath--and next, how to save fat while losing money. The magnetic ribbon on a Jeep Liberty or Patriot, a minivan or some such status quo: support support support never forgotten do not forget these colors don't run but they sure do fade. Face to face with a soldier in civilian clothes a mother drops to her knees thanking excessively, piously, self-satisfactorily, self-gratifying, self-help-yourself-sleep-at-night: a million thanks, a million better-you-than-mes, a million I-pray-never-my-child.