Alan:

No abuse and invective in this reply.

I would, however, like to take a moment to remind
everyone of today's date.

For those who haven't seen the NYTimes story on the
death of Mark Twain, you can access it today through their
web site, NYTimes.com.

A reproduction of the actual front page from April 22, 1910
is available for purchase.  The story itself is printable, in
its entirety, if the $54.95 charge for the repro doesn't interest you.

(Members of this Forum may also find interesting the numerous
typos scattered throughout the piece.  It's easy to see how history
can become "garbled" when the paper of record -- now, not then
I suppose -- goes to press with errors.)

Certainly, it has been a lively two weeks.  Whatever one's politics,
the give-and-take of the arguments expressed here makes for interesting
reading.  The source escapes me, but someone once said, "A man must
be a part of the actions and passions of his time, or be in danger of being
judged not to have lived."  (Goethe, perhaps?  I'd love to know the exact
quote and source.)

Appropriate for this Forum, I think, and for the celebrated life of the man
that
draws us all here.

Roger Durrett