Lovely Day and Torture

Lovely day, albeit with snow flurries.  Went to the P.O. to have them hold my mail while I'm gone.  Called A.C. Press to have them suspend.  Called Acura to ask them to make a new key.
Picked up Aline and told her where I'd like to have my birthday (her treat) lunch: The Old Causeway.  That was a great choice, as I had the best burger (Agus beef) I ever tasted and a Stella beer--yum.  Aline insisted we share a dessert and it was a crepe filled with vanilla creamy stuff, sprinkled with almond bits and drizzled with a clear--I think, maple-infused--syrup.  Truly a delicious meal.
After, we stopped at motor vehicle (haven't gotten my license plates yet, so I'll call Chuck); the consignment shop (no, they can't use any more Christmas stuff, but I'll go back about other things after the new year); and Walmart (got my meds and A. and I picked up a few other items).
Dropped my buddy off about 3:30, went home and found messages from Gabe at Acura (new remote will be only $19.98, so I'll get one) and my friend (she'll come over at lunch time tomorrow to say goodbye).  Betty called from brother, Larry's, in Florida (not really warm, in the sixties) and I called brother Jim in Virginia just to chat.  My friend called and she'll bring her lunch over to have it with me, so she can say goodbye before my trip.
Enjoyed new videos and still pics of precious baby, now 15 months old, in the far east on Google +.  
WIDER:  Does anybody in his or her right mind think that the big brouhaha, all the posturing and shaking of heads, all the sanctimonious reactions of either "how terrible because it doesn't work" or "well, it works, so we gotta be okay with it" will make the slightest difference in this sorry country's downward trajectory to utter depravity?  In other words, think we'll quit torturing folks? Not only is there a bridge in Brooklyn, there's a whole swath of Antarctica for sale...