It was fantastic, i.e., "incredibly great", to once more fill up all three rows of our minivan this weekend as our daughter Stephanie returned home mid-way through her first term at Queen's University. It was also fantastic, i.e., "odd and remarkable" to learn about last Tuesday's flash mob at her rez, where 700-plus students, linked via Facebook, spontaneously stood up in Leonard Hall cafeteria at 6:30PM to sing "I Want It That Way" by the Backstreet Boys.

The flash mob was concieved by "Q-Sauce", or Queen's Students Assembling United Collective Enthusiasm. All timing and communication regarding the flash mob was coordinated via Facebook less than 24 hours prior to the event. Students were asked not to pass it on other than by Facebook. Just prior to the flash mob's activation, 300-plus responded via Facebook that they were "attending" while nearly 400 said "maybe attending". In fact, just about everyone who heard about it participated.

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America's an economic mess, and some Canadians are gloating because our banking system is (so far) uncomprised, our stimulus programs haven't been hijacked by cronyism, and our wealth of natural resources and universal healthcare system provide a cushion for both governments and taxpayers to ride out hard times. BUT, if the U.S. ship sinks, Canadians can blow their horns as hard as they can and we're still nothing more than the orchestra playing bravely on the deck of the Titanic. That's why I keenly observe changes in the American economic psyche. At the grassroots, Americans are starting to save again at the fastest rate in 15 years.

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