Those who ignore the past ...

Pearl Harbor was, for a generation, one of the most remarkably mobilizing events in history. At this time 71 years ago, it was under attack.

Also at that time, there were probably precious few Americans around who were there the last time such a mobilizing event happened in a state or territory of the U.S. (That would be Fort Sumter, which had happened 80 years prior). And 85 years earlier there had been that nasty dust-up with the Brits (which we would apparently forget two centuries and change later, when we learned "OMG! Kate's, like, totally preggers!")

(A totally unrelated aside to the last part: Just found out that news of the prank call to the hospital took a sad turn today.)

From generation to generation, we are reminded of the old adage "those who ignore history are condemened to repeat it." So as we realize the dwindling number of the "Greatest Generation" (captured nicely today by my colleague Paul Feely), we should also remember what they accomplished.

Think about it. We have been in four wars in my lifetime, plus a handful of other military actions. We have never been asked to sacrifice the way that generation was. Starting with the Great Depression, and continuing into WWII, they shared. They rationed. And they beat back those threats.

Think about it: if Presidents Obama or Bush 43 had said, "For this war effort, gas is going up to 6 bucks a gallon and will be rationed," they would've been out on their respective tuckuses.

We are not that far removed from the Greatest Generation, and there are still enough around to ask what their story is. Ask them. And thank them.