...I do want to note that today is the anniversary of one of the greatest speeches ever delivered (on record, anyway). Lincoln's Gettysburg address does in under 300 words what our politicians cannot do with multiple terms in office. The cause of the war is noted, the grievous cost lamented and the ultimate price of failure clarified, resolve requested, and the meaning of success properly framed.

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

But in a larger sense we can not dedicate - we can not consecrate - we can not hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled, here, have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember, what we say here, but can never forget what they did here. It is for us, the living, rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they have, thus far, so nobly carried on. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us - that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here gave the last full measure of devotion - that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain; that this nation shall have a new birth of freedom; and that this government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

It might feel odd at first, but try reading that out loud. This is a practice I recommend for a good deal of great works. If it helps, consider that from one day alone, 7800 men -- more than double our losses in Iraq so far -- were dead from the fighting with a total of nearly 38000 wounded or missing.

* Seed should note the use of the double "that". It's not improper in English, just very hard to do well.