I walked past a couple in Portsmouth, N.H.  They had just stepped out of a time machine.  She was dressed like a 1920’s Flapper, with a billowing dress and an interesting, roundish hat fit snug, and he was dressed to the nines, with red suspenders, elegant patent leather shoes, a bow tie, and a straw Boater hat.  Could have been F. Scott and Zelda themselves.  They were clearly on their way to an event from another era entirely, but just walking along like everything was completely normal, as cool as a cucumber.

Portsmouth has a large complex called the Strawbery Banke, which imitates what an 18th-century colonial settlement would look like — I guess spelling has evolved quite a bit since then.  You go through all these historic houses, see how the interiors looked like way back when, and witness the people inside wearing suitable attire for that period.  Somehow…

Rather than sanctions, the United States should consider taking the humanitarian high road and provide Venezuela, a country on the precipice of actual starvation, with food — with no strings attached.  Frankly, we do humanitarian a lot better than we do military.  Wouldn’t it be a nice change of pace if the rest of the world actually respected something we did abroad?  And the farmers in the United States wouldn’t mind a bit if the government bought some of what they have to offer.  We could simply tell the world that, while we don’t agree with the politics of the current regime in Venezuela, we refuse to see people starve in the Western Hemisphere.

North Korea — What to Expect

Crimea

Nuclear Winter

It was the greatest speech ever given in American history: Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address at the dedication ceremonies at Gettysburg, given on November 19, 1963.   The speaker before Lincoln, Edward Everett, a very famous orator in his own right, droned on for over 2 hours.  After the respectful — and perhaps thankful — applause upon the conclusion of Everett’s speech, Lincoln took the podium.  His speech lasted less than 2 minutes.  When it ended, there was dead silence from the massive audience that had assembled to hear the speeches and pay their respects at Gettysburg.  There was dead silence because no one realized  the speech, so brief and to the point, had actually ended.  Slowly there was hesitant clapping from the audience.  This — silence and confusion — was the immediate and ironic response to the greatest speech ever given in American history.  Of course, all the Northern newspapers…

Two characters approximately the same age 35-40.  Both very successful and extremely competent in what they do as well as highly respected by everyone around them.  One is an executive in an advertising agency in Manhattan; the other is a Roman senator around 117 A.D.

First scene shows the advertising executive in his office negotiating an ad campaign with a client — both are dressed in expensive tailored suits.  It is clear from the advertising executive’s interactions with others that he is well respected, competent, and on top of his game.  The client becomes more and more excited with each suggestion made by the advertising executive.  Ultimately, the client enthusiastically shakes hands with the advertising executive — thanking him profusely — and departs; and the advertising executive takes a moment to peer out his skyscraper window, thoughtfully, at the spectacular view of mid-town Manhattan — his kingdom.

Next scene is…