Like most Americans, I am shocked! Shocked that evil people would sink so low in their attempt to destroy our fine country as rewriting our sacred national anthem. We need a law requiring that only the original lyrics may be used in public or private (all those bugged phones would help us enforce this law).

And, just in case people forget them, here are the original lyrics to that tune, written long before Francis Scott Key broke the law I hope we will soon have on the books:

To Anacreon in Heaven, where he sat in full glee,

A few sons of Harmony sent a petition,

That He their Inspirer and Patron would be;

When this answer arrived from the Jolly Old Grecian

"Voice, Fiddle, and Flute,

"no longer be mute,

"I'll lend you my Name and inspire you to boot,

"And, besides, I'll insruct you like me to entwine

"The Myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's Vine."

Yes, it's true. Key stole the tune from an old English drinking song. See http://www.bcpl.net/~etowner/anacron2.html for details.

I've supported the idea of a Cheney candidacy for months. Here's what I wrote to friends and relatives back in January:

"It looks as if a Great American Tradition will end with the 2008 presidential election. For the first time in over 50 years, we will have neither the sitting President running for re-election or the sitting Vice President running for a promotion.

"We must not allow such a shocking break with tradition to occur. I'm therefore calling on all of you to do everything in your power to help start a grassroots movement to save The American Way by convincing Vice President Dick Cheney that, for the love of country, he must run for President in 2008.

"And we must keep in mind that, if this grassroots movement is to succeed, we must convince Mr. Cheney that the people who want him to run are Republicans."

Gina Arnold shows her lack of historical perspective when she says "I don't buy it as a generation-defining album. I think that's been put on it in retrospect." I was there; I remember 1967. That album struck like a bolt of lightning. Everyone under 25 was listening to it, talking about it, and 95% of us were praising it.

You can argue that it hasn't stood up artistically. I don't consider it the best album of the era. But it is unquestionably the most influential. And for many years, it was the holy grail of rock music.

Lincoln

anyone who criticizes the Court's decision without reference to California constitutional law is engaged in rank sophistry or, to use a more familiar term, pure "judicial activism"

It's obvious you don't understand the meaning of judicial activism. Any time an evil, America-hating judge makes a decision that contradicts the beliefs of our Most Perfect and Christian President(tm), they're guilty of judicial activism. Good, proper judges never do things like that, but only--in strict accordance to the American Way--override elections to make the right man president.

Seriously, I'm overjoyed by the decision.

I've found this an excellent year for blockbusters, thanks to The Dark Knight (I know you didn't like it, but you have to admit your opinion is in the minority), wALL-E, Iron Man, and Indiana Jones. OTOH, I skipped the Mummy movie.

I don't believe that the quality of blockbusters are generally worse than the quality of other types of films, and I think blockbusters are better now as a rule than they were 10 or 20 years ago. I'm talking about better writing and acting, not special effects.

The difference is that bad low-budget independent art films get very little exposure, if they get any at all. Bad blockbusters are in our faces constantly. We can't ignore them.

Lincoln

I must object to your claim that's Bush's 2000 self-description is yet another Republican lie. In his 7 1/2 years on Office, Bush has proven again and again that he is, indeed, a very compassionate conservative.

Everything he has done shows his great empathy and concern for the problems of the rich. He understands the great, horrible problems oppressing them--primarily the fact that they are not rich enough--and has worked to alleviate their suffering.

Lincoln

I found this article's assumption that, come January 20, Barak Obama is sure to be sworn in as president, more than a little worrisome.

Despite the polls, we can't afford such optimism. Consider:

1. The Bradley Effect. This country has a history of black candidates ahead in the polls who nevertheless lose the election. The probable cause: People exhibit more bigotry in the privacy of the voting booth than when talking to a pollster.

2. The October Surprise. I don't know what it will be, but I can't believe they don't have something up their sleeves. 4 years ago they managed to pull a message from Osama Bin Laden out of their hat just in time.

3. Suppressing the Vote: You can be sure that in swing states, voting will be unusually difficult in black neighborhoods.

4. Call me paranoid, but I'm not sure believe that Republicans will let a Democrat take the office of president just because he won the election.

After the VP debate, Palin's future became clear to me. She has an extraordinary talent for looking good, smiling, and reciting Republican talking points. She'd be a natural on Fox News.

My prediction: Within five years she'll be there.

Lincoln

Through the 1950s, Disney made a series of documentaries called True Life Adventures, that did some horrible anthropomorphizing (if I recall them correctly). Us baby boomers saw them over and over again in grade school, in 16mm prints.

I remember a teacher telling us that the wolf isn't really a villain, he's just doing what he needs to survive.