Somewhere out in cyberspace, there is a cartoon portraying two salamanders sitting on a rock while having a conversation.  One of the critters says, "In the lost city of Atlantis, I was Shirley MacLaine." A little background to the joke: Ms. MacLaine was interviewed by Matt Lauer a few years ago.  She talked about her remarkable long-term memory, which was so accurate that she could recall her former identity as a citizen of the lost city of Atlantis. We'll leave the ironies inherent in the juxtaposition of the now disgraced and nearly invisible Mr. Lauer and Ms. MacLaine to be unraveled for another day.  We'll merely note that Ms. MacLaine's belief in her former life as a citizen in Atlantis was not questioned by Mr. Lauer, who gave her credence because of her fame, longevity, and acting skills.  It seemed that he believed her because her feelings about her former life in Atlantis were strong and...(Read Full Article)