USING BOOK-MENTIONS OF BACON TO PREDICT WARS: Two observations: (1) Is there anything it can’t do? (2) Uh oh.

UPDATE: A reader emails: “Historically, there may well be a co-relation to the phrase ‘to save one’s bacon.’ That, and traditionally bacon as a preserved food was a common military ration. Curiously, the Cold War, Korea and Vietnam do not register on the bacon-o-meter, possibly because ‘bacon’ in the modern era has largely been replaced by the word ‘ass.’ And because the Cold War otherwise lacked sizzle. The current spike in bacon references is probably a confluence both of the religious particulars of our current conflict, and this happy time of culinary liberation in which we dwell, when bacon is being embraced and celebrated in new and exciting ways.”

Meanwhile, reader John Scanlon writes: “Google Ngram on ‘liberty’ is pretty depressing.”

True, although “freedom” is somewhat better. Still dropping off, though.