whiffey, the supposed benefit of living on this side of the globe, is that anyone who doesn't buy into what's printed, spoken about, or viewed in the poular media, can question that. your response smacks of already living in afghanistan ("how DARE you think for yourself?"). anyone's welcome to believe (or not) whatever they like, of course, but it'd be a cast iron fool who thinks that goverments, the media (i.e. those in power) can't manipulate the opinions and reactions of those that have none (i.e. us).