Benedict Arnold is generally regarded as the ablest American general of the Revolution, who turned traitor only in desperation over continued mistreatment by Washington and his friends. It's well documented, but you can start with Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benedict_Arnold

Bush (or Snarky, love that -- sort of the anti-Charles Schulz) could never aspire to be an Arnold, as he's not capable of Arnold's successes. He's in a little treasonpocket all his own. Maybe Millard Fillmore fits in there with him, but he's caused more damage to the country than Fillmore ever did. Buchanan is a competitor, but he was more malevolent than incompetent. As we know, Bush is both.

And the thing about more people voting for American Idol than president is an oft-debunked urban legend. There are no limits as to who can vote on Idol; residents of other countries, convicts, children. Multiple voting is encouraged. Not quite a valid comparison.

One thing Bush has done for the country: in 2000 there was a sizable bloc of eligible voters (call them, for convenience, Gen X) who held the opinion that voting was a waste of time as it made no difference who was in office and they were busy adding up the profits from their tech stocks. They seem to be sorry now; the generation that followed them certainly is. Judging from the caucuses and primaries, 2008 should be a record turnout.

And, to say a word about Adams, he really is the Republicans' idea of a great president. There were valid reasons why he and Jefferson were enemies to the death. We'll see how the series deals with the election of 1800.

wasn't said with a spirit of relief or gratitude. It was bitter regret. They may have reconciled publicly, but the grudges continued.

Murtha's an old ally of Nancy Pelosi's, who wanted him as her Whip instead of Steny Hoyer. Murtha>Pelosi>Clinton. No wonder there's so much noise and so little actually gets done.

I thought the wiggly chapati was the most savory relic of the British Empire. How far they've fallen. A real comedown for a country previously known for having "a thousand dishes and one sauce" -- brown.

Just from the photo:

These are the richass wives of NYC. You got them, and the really poor. Everyone inbetween has been forced out.

So, what does this say to you?

I think Garry Owen moved to The Politico when Tim Grieve relocated. He certainly posted a letter there welcoming him and warning Politico readers to watch for the coming onslaught of great journalism. Must be a puzzle to them, since Grieve has published about twice there since the beginning of the year and isn't even featured in their autors' list. Maybe it's time for Salon to put out a feeler... they could use him back.

G.O. wrote more than once about the proud heritage of his monicker, but somehow never mentioned it was the last tune the Seventh Cavalry fife and drummer were heard playing as they marched off to the Little Bighorn.

A typically insightful, well-balanced revew from Miller. (Sorry to be so positive.) Hajdu treats a fascinating period of American history, but may have started too far into it. The first great period of comics, commonly called the Golden Age, occurred in the years just before and during World War II, which also saw the beginning of what the media of the time called "the juvenile delinquency problem." That was the generation that embraced Swing; those who came after turned to R&B and finally Rock 'n Roll. Its heroes were the "long underwear guys" who often fought next to the GIs in Europe and Asia but seldom took orders from the generals and, if given, often defied them.

That period died with the end of the war and, as movies turned to what would be called film noir, whose creators suffered their own persecution at the hands of the McCarthyites, comics also reflected the fear and disillusionment of the era but without the restraints of the Production Code.

And, as Miller points out, they did go too far. The art got progressively better, the main reason they're remembered, but the elegant writing of double threats like Eisner was lost in the truly revolting intestinal stretch of the ball player. Glad Miller mentioned that; my nominee for all-time worst moment in comics, even worse than the severed head cover.

As so often happens, both sides were wrong and, in the long run, the much-maligned Comics Code did some good. There were about five years of pure, truly awful dreck, then the rebirth of the Super Heroes in what become known as the Silver Age, the beginning of the comics and graphic novels we know today.

You bet the story's been told before, several times by Ron Goulart alone, but also by Gerard Jones in "Men of Tomorrow: Geeks, Gangsters and the Birth of the Comic Book" (one of the all-time great subtitles), just a couple years ago.

I hope this is the book "Positively Fourth Street" was, and look forward to it, but Hajdu's main thesis is flawed; the EC guys and the others weren't heroes, and adolescent rebellion started before and continued after them. They were part of it, but no more important than wars, civil rights, color-line crossing music and "sick" comedians.

In honor of Easter, let's put everyone's fantasies in one basket.

"If I wanted to watch a rabid, frothing, psychopathic, spoiled adult brat throw a temper tantrum, i would . . ."

watch Dick Cheney, what else?