Ain't it grand?

In the past two weeks I've seen two films, Doubt, and I've Loved You So Long, starring actresses who, 40-odd years ago would have been reduced to running ads in Variety begging for work. Instead, we get to continue to see performers like Streep and Scott Thomas in first rate films, and will be able to for years to come. A black man in the White House, all the information I could ask for, right at my fingertips -- this is a fantastic time to be alive. We just need to fix the economy and scrub some of the stain of mindless jingoism out of the national psyche and this could be the best time in history to be alive. That's something that every generation ought to be able to say, but right now this one can't quite do that -- the first time since the 30's that's been true, I think.