Name: Charles Pierce
Hometown: Newton, MA

Hey Doc --

“Sire, he lives a goodly way, underneath the mountain/Right against the forest fence/by St. Agnes Fountain.”

I got nothing this week except to raise a Christmas bowl to the entire extended Alter-family -- to Colonel Bob and Siv and the other Doc Eric, and to Stupid, the Ghost of Christmas Past. This is my favorite inn on the Intertubes, and I'm glad you all rescued me from that orphanage down by the docks of Blogistan. Everybody who's an idiot now is still going to be an idiot after Christmas, so I'm calling a brief truce. We are almost at the beginning of the last year of a very dark period in our history. One day, people like us are going to be quite proud that we kept a light in this little window of ours. So to all of you, and especially to The Landlord, thanks for the room at the inn.

And, as Tiny Tim observed -- God bless us every one.

Name: Jerry Friedman
Hometown: New York City

Eric,

I agree with your top 20 albums except for one thing. I would have had Nick Lowe at #16 and David Bromberg at #17 instead of the other way around. I think you would agree if you gave it more thought. Other than this glaring error, our lists are exactly the same. Pretty good job, indeed.

Name: John
Hometown: Kinnelon, NJ

Let LTC Bateman take a crack at this!

Wow! I could barely read through it. Why stop at comparing Iraq to the Civil War -- maybe compare it to the Trojan War (mythical or not).

I guess since past conflicts have had as big or bigger military or intelligence blunders than in Iraq, then the current snafus in Iraq should be considered acceptable to the defeatist, short attention span American public.