In the U.S., the '70s were a national nervous breakdown.

I'd argue that dishonesty in government in the early '70s (disclosures about Vietnam, Watergate) contributed a lot to the anti-government mindset that really took hold.

By the end of the decade, the economy seemed stuck in permanent doldrums. Two gas crises in '73-'74 and '79 more than tripled prices at the pump over a six-year period. And remember that the boom of the '90s brought incomes back to their previous peak -- in '73.

It was the time of adjustment to the consequences of many of the changes of earlier years. I'm not going to criticize those changes. But, just to name an example, the rise of no-fault divorce is going to require changes in people's mental maps. And that adjustment took place during the '70s.

Also during the '70s (and this may have started in the late '60s with the Tet Offensive), America went from seeing itself as The Colossus (or one of two colossi) in the world -- Fighting For Freedom Everywhere -- to a helpless giant that couldn't prevent a hostage crisis in Iran. The view of America as The World's Good Guys also took a hit as undercover ops of the past received publicity.

The '70s *were* cool!

I was gonna say.

Carter is one of the great ex-presidents

I think Carter might have been too good of a person to make an effective president. I think, as much as I'd like that it were otherwise, someone who makes an effective president has to be a bit of a ruthless bastard.

Oddly, I think Bush senior is turning out to be a decent ex-president. Certainly he's a better ex-president than he was a president (duh). I always got the feeling that he didn't really put his heart into his re-election campaign because he knew just how much he'd sold out his long-standing personal beliefs (i.e. old school republican vs. neo-con) to win the first one, and how much he subsequently had to kowtow once he did. I'd also love to hear what he really thinks of jr. if Babs didn't have him on the short leash. But I probably give him too much credit. His duo act with Clinton has been fascinating to watch, though.

Also, I'd rant about my train ride in this morning, but I suspect Nora will take care of that here or in Bitches.

Mainly, just slutting for 8s.

His duo act with Clinton has been fascinating to watch, though.

Yes. This shows way more class than I'd credited Bush Sr. with.

Top Chef: Woo hoo! Harold wins!!

My thoughts exactly, sumi.

sumi, I just started watching Top Chef the third to last episode but I was immediately caught up in it! And echo your wooing and hooing. Although, Tiffani was irritating, for sure, but did she really deserve drunk sous chefs? Even though it didn't really seem to affect the outcome. I'm trying to work out what she did that pissed everyone off so much.

There were hints of it in the reunion show but I'm wondering if I missed something big.

I have an Alias question, as I have now seen the finale.

Was it previously established that Syd knew Sloane before he became her boss at SD-6? Because I feel like the show's been playing the relationship as though they've known each other all her life, but it still feels weird to me that she could have lived with him when she was 6 and not been like, "Hey Dad, I got a job working for your best friend, you know, the banker," when she got hired as a spy.

Alias: I'm not sure that we knew specifically that Sydney had stayed with Sloan and Emily when she was small but she certainly had a relationship with Emily that seemed to predate her employment by SD-6. You know, at the time that they introduced the whole Emily dying of cancer thing.

Lisah: Top Chef Well, Tiffani's unpleasant character kind of displayed itself throughout the season. Various contestants have said that what was shown on tv can't even compare to her behavior in the house -- which wasn't shown. Also, she is one of those people who come on to a contest and say, "I'm not here to make friends," and ,"People who know me, know that I'm a nice person." Neither of which ever bodes well. I think that she is somebody who wants to have control of every situation, has to be right and can't take criticism. (Did you notice at the Napa's Finest Challenge, how when told that various of the BEST CHEFS IN NAPA VALLEY thought that her pairing of the wine with the cauliflower didn't work -- she sounded at first like she was going to own up to a mistake and then DIDN'T? That was absolutely typical. I don't think she's EVIL -- just unpleasant. Although she really should have given Dave all credit for that dessert -- that was just wrong.

There is a Radium Springs is not far from where I grew up. Oddly, I don't know much about it, though I'm sure I've been there.