Charles, I know that my rants on this theme are not original - after all they are inspired, in a large part, by literature. However, kvetching about military bases on this list would be pointless, since I do not believe that anyone here would disagree with the above view.
However, in my personal experience the military bases have little effect on my life because I do not have anything to do with them, whereas cultural arrrogance affects me every day and it is difficult to avoid. Even if I turn my television or radio off, someone will crank it up for me, or call me at the least desirable moment to peddle something.
The older of a fart I get, the more I think that I've done my part saving the world, and spending the rest of my life without pain, depression, and negative energy generated by my environment should take the priority.
But then, "the city wil follow you" http://users.hol.gr/~barbanis/cavafy/city.html
The City You said, "I will go to another land, I will go to another sea. Another city will be found, better than this. Every effort of mine is condemned by fate; and my heart is -- like a corpse -- buried. How long in this wasteland will my mind remain. Wherever I turn my eyes, wherever I may look I see the black ruins of my life here, where I spent so many years, and ruined and wasted."
New lands you will not find, you will not find other seas. The city will follow you. You will roam the same streets. And you will age in the same neighborhoods; in these same houses you will grow gray. Always you will arrive in this city. To another land -- do not hope -- there is no ship for you, there is no road. As you have ruined your life here in this little corner, you have destroyed it in the whole world.
Constantine P. Cavafy (1910)
Wojtek
^^^^^^
CB: Wojtek, what a lovely piece. Such high culture and beauty. Is it rap sody ? So, little pain, depression and negative energy in it.