I know, double post, phone grief. Anyway, a summary of Norton: in the mid 1800's Joshua Norton was a relatively wealthy merchant. He was from south africa, and a non religious jew. He lived, and owned property in San Francisco. Due to some bad investments and a disastrous rice shortage he wound up penniless. He disappeared, then returned a few years later, and drafted a proclaimation creating himself Emperor of America, which he sent to S.F. newspapers. Over the coming years, he drafted many proclamations, some completely crazy, some not. He ordered that calling the city "Frisco" be considered s crime, and that the golden gate bridge be built. The comic by Neil Gaiman, included in the "Dream Country" collection of Sandman, Three Septembers and a January, chronicles his life and death pretty well.
