Celebrating Esquire's 75 years, the October issue will feature a significant number of items.

As I reported earlier, I had penned two so far, one of my own invention and one dreamed up by the staff in their deliberations.

Mark Warren gave me a third assignment last night, which I cranked today (he asked for 500 and I gave him 724 to work with).

It was an easy assignment, because I wrote extensively on the subject in Great Powers. Still, I didn't crib that material directly but wrote it all anew, just for the discipline, I guess, but also to account for the differences in style and purpose.

So, assuming it goes through, this will make three short pieces by me in the historic issue, with which I'm very proud to be associated.

By the sound of it, it should be a very cool edition.