First off, let me apologize for my rash comment earlier. "Get Stuffed" isn't the most helpful of comments. I'm just quite tired of expensive boondogles getting public funding at the very time our public debt is sky rocketing and vital public services (such as health care!) are dithered over. If a US citizen or corporation were to choose to fund a second positioning system, that's their choice, of course. But I doubt any such development will occur anytime soon.

By the way, I think we're already at the cusp (if not past) on the issue of "the world not revolving around Uncle Sam." Attempting to maintain Hegemony has cost the US big time, and gained us little. Or, more accurately, it gained us little that wasn't squandered away with just a few years of poor decisions. As far as I'm concerned, this isn't an issue the US should be concerning itself with. The EU should build it's positioning system or not, but by all means, don't do it based on what will upset the US.

On the other hand, if we want to regain some of our global respect and influence, perhaps we should look back to some of our more successful (and less costly) efforts in the past. Aid work. Strategic civil engineering projects. The type of projects that earn good will, but don't engender dependence. And yes, occasional use of our military, BUT without the arrogance and disregard for international law we've seen in the current conflict.

'"P.S. - amanfromMars: What happened? I read your comment and didn't even realize it was you until I went to quote it!" :-) Now, there's a novelty which suggests that you expect not to understand even when something is shared in Plain Text. I will parse that and work along the lines that we are both learning from each other....... finding Common Ground in AI Base for a Shining Path?!.'

*laugh* Plain Text is not the same as Plain Speech! Still, you misunderstood me, Sir. I enjoy your comments; I usually find what I can understand to be amusingly insightful - which is one reason I do not believe you are an AI. However, it does seem odd anymore when you do post in a more traditional fashion. If you were to cease your usual posting style, I do believe I would miss it. I know I would miss the amount of confusion you manage to cause. :)

-daniel