I inattentively let the centennial of powered/winged flight go by without online acknowledgement. How easy is it now to believe the airplane is 100 years old? I recall learning the date at age ten and probably never forgot it: One of the great set-pieces in the history of progress--& the progress of history.

In the past few weeks I unintentionally managed to omit here any reference to the 40th anniversary of JFK's demise. (My recent reference to LOTR could have served as a reminder, had I been thinking; Tolkein's pal C.S. Lewis happened to die on the same date.) I'll say this much about JFK: He was the first President I remember. In fact, a few months earlier my family had actually visited DC, & I have a dim memory of our driving by the White House & my wondering whether he was in. (The famous March on Washington had evidently just taken place, but I knew nothing about this.)

Anyhow, I've noticed commentators referring to how the nation lost its innocence then. I find such remarks a bit exaggerated, though they're understandable from the Boomer generation's viewpoint--& I'm officially a member. One could perhaps make a more valid claim of lost innocence regarding Pearl Harbor--or Ford's Theatre--or First Manassas, for that matter.

Meanwhile I find myself at the same age as JFK when he bought it.