In Paris, McDonald's hamburger stops were the best bet to access free hotspots and I found it the most popular eating establishment downtown by Parisians and tourists as restaurant owners at quaint but expensive establishments stood outside their doors waving passers-by to please come in. At McDonald's, the lines were six bodies deep.

Tuesday, I had breakfast in Northampton, England, lunch in Paris and dinner in Atlanta.

While waiting for the Delta flight out of Charles De Gaulle Airport in Paris, I saw a woman with a blue T-shirt with the lettering "Fully Invested" on the front. In Atlanta, an older gentleman with a white beard proudly wore a red and black cap with "UTAH" sewn artistically above the bill.

The first American newspaper I saw in Atlanta reported Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch pledging Senate hearings on the BCS in an essay in Sports Illustrated. Two weeks ago in the LDS temple in Helsinki, Finland, the president of the temple and I talked for a minute and he said he was from Provo. I was humbled to hear him say he'd read my stuff.

Folks, this state is global and national.

I can't say it wasn't exciting, educational and inspiring to make an excursion around Europe and see parts of our heritage that are thousands of years old. My previous world travel had been limited to the South Pacific from New Zealand, Tahiti, Tonga, Fiji, Samoa and Hawaii. So, this was a big deal.

But, still, and I've seen a lot of the globe now, we've got it pretty good here in the good 'ole USA.

With all our warts, our scars, our struggles, all our serious issues — in my modest opinion — we've got the best place on earth and much to be thankful for. These socialist countries are struggling. Their cost of living is through the roof.

We've done a good job, here, my friends. We are not the enemy many make us out to be. Everything that's wrong with the world is not our fault.

Turn on the TV and look for some sports, we actually have some. But of course, I'm partial to our style, our tastes, as it should be.

America: It's a pretty good place to call home.

e-mail: dharmon@desnews.com