Kurt - you are absolutly correct - there is a tremendous lack of personal responsibility that has infected our society.  I too work hard and had to work very hard to be able to survive in this profession, especially since when I started, it was male dominated.  No, I am not looking ofr any special treatment because I am a woman - I am not one of those angry women who try and act like a man.  However, since I am 3rd generation here in the USA and the first one in my family to be sucessfully self employed, I was brought up with the concept of - if you want it, you work for it.  You do the best you absolutely can and you can achieve whatever you want to be.  I have taught my children similarly.  They have seen how hard Mom works to provide for them (since I was the main source of income in my marriage to their Dad and then a single Mom).  They are incorproating the same work ethic in their own lives.