But Americans are generally very pragmatic. If the story ends well, it just won't matter very much to them that it began under false pretenses. Sad but true. With few exceptions, Americans just don't like to obsess about the past.

"Actually, on second thought, a little inspiration some of them have taken from the nutty Italian Futurists leads me to suspect they welcome chaos as a sort of cleansing force that eventually makes the world a better place."

Oh no, you're right. They're all about "creative destruction."

"More of this and I'ma start stocking up on canned goods and bottled water."

I've always wanted to live in an igloo. If global warming hasn't melted everything maybe I'll get my chance.

"Also, off topic but I have a feeling huge swaths of America are about to find themselves in deep financial trouble when they try to pay for heating oil this winter."

Financial trouble this winter and beyond, and not just because of oil prices. The housing market is poised to collapse across the western world in the next couple of years, equities are overinflated (again), and America is at some point (probably sooner than later) going to face a serious debt and currency crisis. Things are going to get much worse before they get better.