One upto a time under the evil tyranny called USGov. Inc. (successor to the fair but forgotten Republic of America), there lived an aspiring authoress, Brown Riding-hood.

Brown Riding-hood loved to whip up nutritious (and delicious) literary goodies for the fair folk of US Gov. Inc. who were suffering from intellectual and political malnutrition caused by an incessant diet of MSM preservatives, PC syrup, and imperial transfat. Determined to take her gourmet, organic brownies to the grandmas and grandkids and regular folks who needed them, Little Brown Riding-hood spent all her time baking them with love and care in a little oven far from the beastly jungle of commercial publishing.

But alas, she found that because they had been put a little too far on the left of the rack, the cookies turned out just a bit too dark and were ignored by the good people of the land, who prefered white chocolate to dark. And then, some got stolen by not-so-good people, who mixed them up with their own wares and shut the door on her.

While Brown-Riding-hood was sitting forlorn, weeping that no one would buy her delicious, nutritious literary (and investigative) cookies, who should come along but a pair of lambs. One began to cheer her up with promises that he would help her feed the fair folk of US Govt. Inc..if only he would bake her cookies along with his.

Who could help trusting two such helpful friends? They looked so respectable, she thought, except that maybe, they did seem a bit fleec-y.

Now, Li’l Hood really should have followed the voice inside her heart telling her to be careful, but she was an impulsive soul. Had she only looked past the fluff, she would have seen that under the sheepskin lurked an odd couple: a coyote called Wile E. and a wealthy Road-Runner, Don Dollar-oso, with a soft smile and a sharp sword…. with two edges.

“Come with us,” they said to Li’l Hood, we’ll take you to our own special market where you can sell your cookies….”

So Little Brown- hood trotted after them…to one far away country after the next…slaving away at the cookies.

Meanwhile, Don Dollar-oso, who had a heart set on gold and very like it in weight and temperature, also had a not-so-trusty right arm, who was secretly stirring up discontent among his generals and plotting to turn the realm of Oz against the Don during his absences abroad.

And it was then that the gates of Oz were shut against Little Hood and a campaign begun against her….

Her loyalty was rewarded with banishment. Their treachery was concealed with honeyed words.

And they flashed their rapiers, for by now they had grown so powerful that even the Don himself could not control them.

So it goes under the evil tyranny of US Govt Inc. Right is wrong, black is white, traitors are patriots, and marauders are keepers of the peace.