The Bush administration has developed an amazing ability to exterminate debate by redefining issues through framing techniques. It is akin to a magician using prattle and misdirection to hypnotize an audience to believe the most fantasic illusions.

Abbot: "Herd of cows?"

Costello "Of course I've heard of cows."

Beginning as a child, words always have held a fascination for me. At the toddler stage I was already a bibliophile, forcing my Grandfather to read the same Giant Golden Books to me over and over. My favorite was "The Sorcerer's Apprentice," a picture book with Mickey Mouse stealing a magician's wand and, with it, provoking much havoc. My grandfather would patiently read it to me as many times I wanted -- which was a lot. After hearing the same pages so often, I memorized the words by rote and which page those words were on. One day my Grandfather, who was quite the trickster, had me "read" the book to my parents. At two, my parents thought my Grandfather had performed a miracle in teaching me to read.