When Edward Gibbon was writing about the fall of the Roman Empire in the late 18th century, he could argue that transportation hadn't changed since ancient times. An imperial messenger on the Roman roads could get from Rome to London even faster in A.D. 100 than in 1750. But by 1850, and even more obviously today, all of that has changed.

who grew up in several places in the South. In doing so he sometimes grossly understates the human devastation wrought by the United States. Via media is a Latin phrase meaning "the middle road" and is a philosophical maxim for life which advocates moderation in all thoughts and actions.

He is an honors graduate of Groton School and Yale where he received prizes for history and debate. who grew up in several places in the South. Foreign Policy at the Council on Foreign Relations.