The computer memory held what Corbell would have called civics texts.

As Mr. Wise recalled in a recent interview, "We felt very strongly that there were two governments in the United States: one in the civics texts and the other in the real world.

I hurriedly opened up a civics text on the Voltar government.

No one writing a civics text for American high school students would recommend this kind of behavior for a great and mighty nation.

An entire section on their site was devoted to a "Citizen Hat" treatise listing Scientology books such as The Antisocial Personality and The Thinking Book side by side with basic civics texts such as The Federalist Papers and the U.S. Constitution.

"Voting, paying taxes, and sitting on juries are the only things mentioned under involvement in current civics texts," Ms. Isaac said.

She said she hoped the book would replace traditional civics texts and be used for after-school activities like clubs.

How far we have come from the civics texts.

So Mr. horsecat needs to go read his old civics text before popping off.

"The Daily Show" offers an illustrated parody of a civics text.