Why am I Thinking About Hailey's Comet?

It was a different time:

From The Bristol Chronicles 1910:

Burglary at 15, York Place - beaten with a hot water

In January Charles Nicholls appeared before the magistrates charged with burglary at 15, York Place, a lodging house. They heard that the proprietress, Sarah Ann Williams, and her domestic, Florence Mary Fox, had discovered him in the house and beaten him with a hot water can to such an extent that he said ‘Stop it - I’ve had enough’ and he left the house with his boots under his arm but leaving his bowler hat behind him. The dented can was produced in court. The magistrates committed Nicholls for trial at the next assize. 

In the Days of the Comet - H.G. Wells

Its a good book. We pass through the tail of the comet and it changes the chemical nature of earth's atmosphere and it changes the emotional life of all the people in the world. There is peace. I think I read it at 15. It still sticks in the mind as a good story. There are a couple of stupid movie adaptations, but one should ignore those.

There's a song by John Stewart on his album SunStorm, but I can't find a video for it. But there is this by Mary Chapin Carpenter.

The Civil War Vets were dying off. The World Series blow by blow scores were being telegraphed and displayed at train stations. Twain and Tolstoy died. And most still took one bath a week.