I will be away and out of Internet range until November 7th. My wife and I are off for a tour taking us from Crete to Zagreb with stops all along the Dalmatian Coast. The history of the region is rich, full of lessons of the rise and collapse of many nations. Maybe I can capture some of the wisdom and the hubris from the remnants of these civilizations as I travel along. It will be most welcome to escape the volatility and raucousness permeating my everyday life these days.