Apocalypse

"Sherman wasn't doing title checks on his March to the Sea."

This thought occurred to me while watching a PBS show (American Experience, I think) about "Gone with the Wind" author Margaret Mitchell. In response to some intractability on schoolwork, her mother took her on a tour of local estates that had been ravaged by Sherman fifty years earlier. In that area, at least, the families never rebuilt, leaving the wrecks of these huge estate houses as ghosts of the war. And inspiring, no doubt, the dream of a rebuilt Tara.

In any case, while anticipating the next incident in the Crisis, it's important to look beyond conventional wisdom. And to carefully consider the real implications of extreme options. Paying off the mortgage may be a good idea, but it won't help if Sherman rides through your town.