I entered the 21st century with great enthusiasm. The 2000 "election" fiasco gave me such a sense of forboding that I started writing a fiction novel based on what I thought was a paranoid conspiracy theory where right wing religious fanatics in the US took over the US government through the election of Bush and were trying to spark the apocalypse. On Sept. 10th, 2001 I reached a point in the story where I was trying to think of the climatic event to end the plotline on a kind of cliffhanger.

The next day the event now known as 9/11 happened. The reality started matching my paranoid novel too closely for my tastes and I have never touched the story since. In addition to the horror of living through the event and losing a friend to the attack, I felt my own brain's attempt to create a barely believable conspiracy theory had hit too close to reality and I was creeped out.

Clinton's presidency was the peak of opitmism in my life and for many good reasons. Bush's presidency has been the lowest point, with fear and pessimism permeating the world. During the late 1990's I felt I could hop on a plane at a moment's notice and visit any part of the globe. My wife and I almost visited the West Bank and Jordan, something that as Jews we would never consider now. Finiancially and personally I felt all was going well.

Now it is hard to find the sliver lining in a very, very dark cloud that I picture still rising in all its toxic glory from the crater of the WTC and extends over us as far as I can see. Thanks Bush. This dark cloud is your legacy.