e·phem·er·al adj. 1. Lasting for a markedly brief time: "There remain some truths too ephemeral to be captured in the cold pages of a court transcript or . . . opinion" (Irving R. Kaufman). 2. Living or lasting only for a day, as certain plants or insects do. 3. A posting to the blog by Richard Hometchko--e·phem·er·al n. A markedly short-lived thing. [From Greek ephemeros]

Homer, you put a great posting in here and I looked forward to referring to it again, but now barely a few hours later, it's gone! I liked the part about the analogy to WWII where the resistance in Germany lasted for several years after the allied victory. We all tend to think of a victory as sudden and final, but it always takes time to for some of the vanquished to make it to the stage of 'acceptance'.