Alex,
>BTW, I forget; how much are we spending in Iraq (including the huge amounts we pay to mercenaries and Halliburton and other companies) and what percentage of this does the Children's bill amount to? (rethorical question, no need to answer - it's your money too, so you should be concerned)
I know it was rhetorical, but here there is an interesting comparison
http://nationalpriorities.org/index.php?option=com_content&Itemid=207&id=319&task=view
"The five senses obstruct or deform the apprehension of reality."
Jorge L. Borges?
"Premature optimization is the root of all evil in programming."
Donald Knuth, repeating C. A. R. Hoare
"To die for a religion is easier than to live it absolutely"
Jorge L. Borges