12.09 Transmissions from a Lone Star: In Britain, Big Brother Is Watching Your Dog Poop
Whereas I usually write these columns in Texas, this week I am visiting the UK. The last time I lived here permanently Macarena was still on the radio. Its been over sixteen years since I got on the flight to Moscow that launched my world travels, and its starting to feel like a long, long time - a sensation exacerbated by the many changes that have occurred in Britain over the last decade and a half.
For example: in 1999 Scotland, my homeland, acquired a devolved parliament, stuffed like all parliaments with witless mediocrities and self-important dullards. That was a big change. And heres another one: in 2004 Poland and assorted other Eastern European countries acceded to the EU and suddenly many, many thousands of people from the erstwhile Eastern Bloc arrived, searching for work.
