[qznc]

> the same cities that were important 100 years ago are, by-and-large, the same cities that are important today

Silicon Valley was not a "place to be" 100 years ago. Maybe 200 years ago during gold rush.

New Orleans was more of a "place to be" before Hurricane Katrina.

In general, I agree that North America was remarkably stable in the last 100 years. Europe and Asia were much more affected by the world wars. Afghanistan and Iraq were much more places to be 20 years ago.