In response to piles of e-mail that stacked up while I was out and about today.
1. Yes, I spoke too quickly on the Church-State line about that stupid census poster. I added a correction.
2. On the important issue of fictional weapons, I thought this was an intriguing defense:
Mr. Goldberg,
The reason the flying guillotine wasn’t on that list was because the list was of fictional movie weapons. The flying guillotine apparently did exist; there are stories and drawings of it from the Qing Dynasty. The History Channel even featured it on a show about ancient exotic weapons, though, after experimenting with a replica, the weapons experts on the show concluded that it was probably employed as an ambush weapon, dropped from someone hiding above the victim, rather than being thrown as in the movie.
I also thought this was interesting:
Don’t forget about the Glock 7. Made famous in Die Hard 2, this handgun is porcelain and able to passing through airport metal detectors.
Only problem with this is that people think it’s real. So in a sense, this is one fictional weapon that can hurt by providing a nonsense, but somehow believable, talking point to those who would do harm to gun rights.
Other weapons that might be added to the list (from readers and my own noodling): pulse rifles from Aliens, Klingon knives and swords (including, of course, the bat’leth), assault rifles from The Fifth Element, and the Desperado guitar-case rocket launcher.
3. Yes, I know I didn’t quote the Star Wars line about the hive of “scum and villainy” in my column. Should. Dunno why I dropped the ball.
4. The general consensus is that the Disney song list was very weak. For instance, it doesn’t have “When You Wish Upon a Star” by Jiminy Cricket. This reader scores some points:
That list reminds me of a recent ‘countdown’ show for best movie comedies ever; it listed ‘Animal House’ as the best comedy ever but never mentioned ‘Bringing Up Baby’. Obviously the list maker is young; how else could you explain the omission of these ten, any of which are better than any of the ten he listed:
Bella Notte
When You Wish Upon a Star (sung by Cliff Edwards, a.k.a ‘Ukulele Ike’)
Someday My Prince Will Come (hey, even Miles Davis covered this one!)
Under the Sea
Never Smile at a Crocodile
Heigh Ho
Be Our Guest (sung by the late, great Jerry Orbach, no less — trivia: Jerry Orbach did ‘the Fantasticks’ and introduced the world to ‘Try to Remember’)
Under the Sea
Bare Necessities
Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah (trivia: Steve Miller made a great jazz recording of this)
5. Last, and most important, wish my daughter luck. She has her first guitar recital tonight! Everyone here is very excited.