It's unusual for all the major possibilities of a new art form to emerge quickly, but it's not impossible in principle; art doesn't "progress" in the way scientific understanding does. And being first has advantages: Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle endure because they got to the big questions first.

And/or that some contemporary folk have found the "old" artifact or motif exceptionally illuminating of the present (or their feelings in/about the present). Which is pretty great. It's one reason literacy is useful

No. "They" can only be read as referring to "the fish," hence there's no grammatical need to write "the fish should pay" rather than "they should pay." Not all taxes are tariffs. A fish importing goods subject to tariff needs to pay ... a tariff. But, yeah, fish should pay other taxes, too.

"Off the coast of Florida"! You say these are "Florida's fish," but how do you know? They could have come here from anywhere. And it doesn't matter if the fish are legal American fish, if they're 'importing' in foreign pharmaceuticals, they should pay a tariff.

And the fish are bringing drugs into the country. Why aren't there tariff's on these gilled traffickers?

Yeats believed Wilde was right to not flee, but I'm not aware he ever argued so to Wilde. And WBY wrongly assumed Wilde the artist would survive prison and "tragedy" would add "greater depth" to Wilde's writing. Had he fled, Wilde might have continued to write and even (as WBY would) write better.

Well, depends on what you're using them for, but mostly con. "Scary" kinda sums his feelings on the subject. It's the only part of his war experience he described so, which is odd considering the kind of things combat soldiers liberating places like Leyte and Luzon likely witnessed.

My dad spent a few WWII years island-hopping in New Guinea and the Philippines. He had some trenchant opinions about flame-throwers. You remain a good son - and you're keeping the New Deal faith.

True meaninglessness, however, is the semi-finalist list with 20+ (!) or 40+ (?!) or 80+ ($%#@?!) names.

Excellent episode. I'd urge seeing 2025 in a 40 year context. Free trade neo-liberalism has been the 'religion' of U.S. centrists, left & right, since 1990. Trump shocked the GOP in 2016 (as Sanders did Dems) & (China policy aside) Big Biz Reagan Republicans (and Dems) are more cowed than converted.

It's kind of you to say so - all three things. I'd love to work with you (assist you, really) on anything.

Thank you, Kelly! Most kind of you to say so. Not a sentiment I've heard expressed much over the last year or so. I am deeply impressed by your reportorial work and awed by your courage. I hope you are well in all ways -- and taking care of yourself.