I’ve just finished a long European tour. No, I wasn’t playing Very Important Pundit, interviewing political and business leaders (although there were a few conferences along the way). Mostly I was visiting friends, biking in Portugal, hiking in the English countryside, strolling around Berlin, etc. By the way, I had forgotten that Berlin has a massive monument to the Soviet Army:
But while I wasn’t engaged in serious journalism, I did come away with an impression — namely, that America no longer seems advanced compared with other wealthy countries. If anything, it’s hard to avoid the sense that in important ways we’re falling behind.
Let me start with an example that may surprise you: traffic safety. Back when I was starting my professional career, roads in the United States were much safer than roads abroad. This was especially true compared with roads in southern Europe. When I spent three months working in Portugal in 1976, it was an enjoyable as well as edifying experience, but the traffic was terrifying. Indeed, the American team I was part of had […]
I could not read the article because it said I had reached my limit of “free” looks. That was a big problem for me because I had to order a new credit card because my bank locked my account because of suspicious activity and I had no way of paying the$1 fee.
P.S.: I did get the problem straightened out with my bank, but have to wait until my new card comes.
I do trust Paul Krugman and think he is a fine reporter!