124 is right. We've all witnessed everything from shouting matches to outright barroom-type brawls, in legislative bodies in Asia, Europe, and South America. Maybe it's something in the global water supply or maybe we, as a global society, just seem to take one step back socially, for every one step forward technologically. I think the anonymity of the Internet has emboldened us to the point that we think it's ok to be rude even when we're not hiding behind a computer screen. We're becoming more and more accepting of bad behavior (or maybe just jaded); witness the shoe throwing incident with President Bush and the 'hero's welcome' greeting the offender after little more than a wrist-slap for punishment; or the release and subsequent 'hero's welcome' afforded the Lockerbie bomber after the mass murder of nearly 300 fellow human beings. Sure, Kanye West is an easy target for us to vent on, but what we should really be concerned about is the global deterioration of just plain old good manners and respect for each other as fellow inhabitants of this planet. JMO.

chas