For the past few weeks I’ve been traveling overseas, largely on a cruise-ship. As often is the case, cruise lines bring aboard guest lecturers, usually experts in travel that speak about the places the cruise will visit. But, on this particular cruise, in addition to those ubiquitous and familiar lecturers, they invited an especially fascinating scholar and exceptional speaker, Dr. Robert Schrire. His topics have been loosely related to politics but more specifically about how the past and present will impact our future.