One year ago, our friend Bob Lewis passed away after a long battle with cancer, taking his famous and fearless alter ego, Error Flynn, with him.

Or so I thought.

I’m reminded of both Bob and Error every day, from Bob’s framed 1933 Monaco Grand Prix poster that used to hang in his kitchen and now hangs just outside of mine, to Error’s influence on the tone and nature of the Boodle.

References to things Error Flynn boodled about, such as Groundhog wars, Formula One auto racing and kitschy old TV shows and movies are obvious, as are calls for “Error in’ 08.” But it goes further than that.

Error Flynn was smart and funny — at times deftly brutal, at others, brutally honest. He never hesitated to challenge ideas or opinions when he thought it necessary, and he relished a lively debate. When Error’s sense of ethics dictated it, he would swing into action, passionately defending or skewering as necessary. Typically on the side of the little guy, he confronted what he considered inflexible or dogmatic thinking with his considerable intellect and humor.

One of the things that endeared Error to so many Boodlers was the fact that he wore his emotions on his virtual sleeve. Whether he was feeling silly or thoughtful, proud or angry, it came through in his posts. Sometimes I could see his emotions change from upset and furious to ironic and reflective in a single post, leaving me with the image of him hunched over a scorched keyboard with steam pouring out of his ears, then, his catharsis almost complete, chuckling wryly to himself. I suggested to Bob that Error was a virtual Incredible Hulk, mild-mannered much of the time, but able to summon awesome powers when provoked, becoming the Incredible Error and dispensing justice as he saw it, then changing back into his normal moderate self as his anger subsided. Bob laughed at the idea, but I could tell that it bothered him. As much as Error espoused the need for rational change and fought for what he thought was right, Bob was a very sympathetic and empathetic man who knew that sometimes the Hulk inadvertently hurt people.

Error Flynn raised the level of intensity and passion in the Boodle, and helped make it possible for people of differing backgrounds to consider it a level playing field for all. When I see Boodlers engaged in vigorous, honest, thoughtful debates, when I see their words challenging the status quo, when I see people courageously voice unpopular opinions and their rationale for holding them, I see Error.

The last year of Bob’s life, there was a thread about Error Flynn mounting a campaign for President in the 2008 elections. There was wide enthusiasm for his powers and gifts to facilitate change for the better.

Error would have relished the current Presidential campaigns, as the candidates travel about the country touting change. He would have railed against hypocrisies and inconsistencies, any bending of the truth or naked pandering, manipulation of facts, empty promises, or candidates announcing changes in thought or position for the sake of change.

When I see Boodlers do these same things, I see Error.

There have been uncountable changes in this country and the world over the past year: some good, some bad, and time will tell for the rest of them. One thing that hasn’t changed: for me, it is still Error in ‘08. His active participation may be gone, but his influence is still felt in the Boodle. I suspect that at some point we’ll start talking about “Error in ‘12,”possibly as early as 11PM EST on November 4th. When we meet in Washington a month before, you’ll see more evidence that Error is not really gone.

Error has become ethereal.

I think Bob would be very satisfied with that.