Happy Sir John A Macdonald's birthday - for my American friends, he was Canada's first Prime Minister, almost as famous for his prodigious drunkenness as for his nation building abilities, (which were also prodigious).  There's a story, (and to be honest I don't know how true it is,) that he was so trashed during a cabinet meeting that when they asked his opinion on some point, he responded by barfing all over the table.

The thread below, about Bush and his anti-sex agenda, made me think about Sir John and the differences between our countries.  Not to slight General Washington at all, but he is always portrayed as such a deadly serious guy, it seems to illustrate those differences.  I remember as a kid, the US was always held out as an example when it came to human rights issues, we always lagged behind.  Now I think it's swung the other way - abortion hasn't been part of the Criminal Code for years and years, prostitution is legal (albeit with some strings attached,) and they seem about to decriminalize marijuana possession (up to 30 grams, and the Senate committee actually recommended outright legalization).

Anyway, not to say anybody's better or worse, I just find these things interesting.

-Anya