More than one hundred years ago, in speaking of America, British historian Lord Macaulay warned:

"Your Republic will be as fearfully plundered and laid waste by barbarians in the twentieth century as the Roman Empire was in the fifth, with this difference, that the Huns and Vandals who ravaged the Roman Empire came from without and your Huns and Vandals will have been engendered within your own country by your own institutions."

The October 3 Seattle Times headline on the opinion page in a column by Lance Dickey read:

"As American empire wanes, the world shrugs its shoulders."

"The Bells are Ringing" musical comedy hit song "The Party's Over" sung by Judy Holliday fits uniquely for America on October 3 as the $700 billion bailout has been finally passed.  The song's melancholy message fits what ended that crucial day:

"Now you must wake up!
All dreams must end.
Take off your makeup,
The party's over,
It's all over my friend."

The ancient Greek empire lasted approximately 400 years while the Roman Empire lasted approximately 600 years.

The U.S.A. is 232 years old and our current economic meltdown is a warning call that if greed has replaced the motto on our currency "In God We Trust" we are in deep trouble.