Lest we forget... Fresh from today's NY Times

[lsanderson]

ECONOMIC VIEW

Lessons for the American Empire

By ANNA BERNASEK

Published: January 30, 2005

N 1897, Britain elebrated Queen Victoria's diamond jubilee with grand ceremonies, lavish parties and parades that stretched for miles. It was all in tribute to a monarch who had reigned for 60 years, but it was also a celebration of Britain's unrivaled world power and success. Never before had an empire been as wealthy or as vast, spanning a quarter of the world's population and land mass. Yet within 50 years, the British Empire would vanish.

</td>