As far as I know, all the principle players still exist. And we've added a few more to write about, notably the Maven, a character worthy of her own book.
Black Friday
Last friday was the September 11th, eight years on. I found myself very reflective on the day, reflection that became a black depression.
I realized that when I saw pictures or film of the towers failing, the image I really saw in my mind was a country falling into the blackest eight years of its history.
We went mad in 2001. We were so mad that we let down our guard and let the pirates, the robber barons, and the strong men run the show. We thought we needed evil men to battle the men who did evil to us. What we didn't realize was that evil men aren't precise weapons. They will fight our enemies when it is convenient for them to do so, but mostly what they want is power. Power which we gave them.
We demurred, fearful of "The Terrorists", while our leaders wrecked the foundations of our country.
We let the stupid in. We reveled in it. It pervades our culture. The fabric of our nation is not easy to clean.
We're stuck with the stupid.