<html><body><div style="font-family: times new roman,new york,times,serif; font-size: 12pt; color: #000000"><div><br></div><div>Tonight at the public library where I work --</div><div><br data-mce-bogus="1"></div><div> I amble over to a co-worker.</div><div><br data-mce-bogus="1"></div><div>Me - "What is the library event tonite?"</div><div><br data-mce-bogus="1"></div><div>Co-worker - "It's an author talk."</div><div><br data-mce-bogus="1"></div><div>Me - "What's the food?"</div><div><br data-mce-bogus="1"></div><div>Co-worker: "Cookies."</div><div><br data-mce-bogus="1"></div><div>Me - "Cookies, no cheese?"</div><div><br data-mce-bogus="1"></div><div>Co-worker - "Yes, cookies, no cheese."</div><div><br data-mce-bogus="1"></div><div>Me - shaking my head - "The Roman Empire started its slow decline when they had author</div><div>talks with cookies, no cheese. Will we ever learn anything from history?"</div><div><br data-mce-bogus="1"></div><div><br data-mce-bogus="1"></div><div><br></div><div data-marker="__SIG_POST__">-- <br></div><div>--<br>Phil Shapiro, pshapiro@his.com<br>http://www.his.com/pshapiro/briefbio.html<br>http://www.twitter.com/philshapiro<br>http://www.his.com/pshapiro/stories.menu.html<br><br>"Wisdom begins with wonder." - Socrates<br>"Learning happens thru gentleness."<br><div><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">"We must reinvent a future free of blinders so that we can choose from real options." David Suzuki</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"></div></div></div></body></html>