He mentions World War I, which was taking place when he was a schoolboy.
"This is not taking place when the imam is preaching in the mosque," Mr. Scharf said.
It is also taking place when political power between the major parties is balanced on a razor's edge.
Something a bit similar is taking place when it comes to the role of colleges in nurturing the deficit scolds of tomorrow.
"All these events were taking place when there was extreme concern in this country regarding the spread of communism north from Central America," Mr. Handel said.
"Of course, there's more attention to these episodes because they're taking place when the world is looking at Rio," Mr. Martins de Oliveira said.
The poignancy then, of this phone call taking place when both are probably now in their 50s or even 60s is given added weight.
And why on earth is this drivelling conversation taking place, when Evan a) knows it all and b) could tell us about it in 15 straight seconds?
Second, the talks have involved controversial issues and have been taking place when trust in politicians and business has rarely been lower.
"I'm praying, praying, praying," Karen Lewis, president of the Chicago Teachers Union, told reporters outside a hotel where talks are taking place, when asked whether schools would reopen by then.
The economic hardships facing the affected areas would be traumatic to residents at any time, but they are also taking place when the nation is trying to recover from the 2008 financial crisis.
