I know I must be getting older when I express doubts about the next generation, but they hardly talk or read…at least the ones whom I come across in a variety of different situations.

I think great slabs of history aqnd culture are about to be deep sixed by millions who could care less what happened 50, 20 or even 10 years ago.

If it isn’t “now” it ain’t necessary to know about it, seems to be the prevailing attitude. That could lead to some serious problems in the years ahead.

Good example: Hitler apparently ignored relatively recent history when he invaded Russia only about 130 years after Napoleon tried that same bad idea at the beginning of the 1800s. The first time all the Russians did was to retreat furthur and further into the interior of their vast country, letting the French race after them, stretching the French supply lines to the breaking point. The Russians burned all the shelter and crops they left behind them, knowing that their incredibly severe winter would be their “calvery” coming to rescue them from the relentless French. They were buying time by retreating.

Then, right on time, Winter came, and buried and froze the unprepared French wherever they were in Russia. The French lost 500,000 men by rashly thinking Russia was theirs for the taking.

Hitler amazingly arrived at the same conclusion as Napoleon, or didn’t think his Super German Army was capable of freezing or starving like the French did.

But the same tactics that worked before, worked very well the 2nd time around. The Russians, great readers, knew their history and therefore knew exactly how to defeat the militarily superior Germans. Just keep backing up, and welcome the thinly dressed German Army to march into the bosom of Mother Russia. When enough Germans were trapped deep inside Russia, Mother Russia’s big soft breats turned into deadly frozen clubs and she beat the living hell out of hundreds of thousands of Germans.

I hope that lesson won’t need to be taught a 3rd time.

My ten-year-old daughter Sarah complained over the wekend that I read too much. I told her that was not possible, that there was so much to learn and keep up with in the world. But then my wise child said, “Well maybe that’s true, but are you too busy to talk to me?” Very surprised, and newly educated about priorities, I put down my New York Times and told her she was absolutely correct. Talking to Sarah was way more important than keeping up with Bush and Chaney.

We spoke for about two hours and I will make sure I am not too busy for her in the future, because if I don’t, one day…Sarah will be too busy to talk to me.

Maybe there is hope in the years ahead. Maybe.

Bob Katzman

I agree. I do carry a cell phone when I’m out. I do carry my iPod Nano when I’m out. But I’m not always connected.

I don’t believe in electronic-leashes of any kind. My time and thoughts are precious to me.

Don