RALEIGH – It’s the beginning of the holiday season, the political class in Raleigh is already roasting its turkey (the meat is so dark to be almost Black), and I’m not in much of a mood to delve deeply into philosophical questions about the nature of science or the proper scope of government power.

Yes, you guessed it. It’s time, once again, for anagrams.

Longtime readers may remember that a couple of years ago, in response to some bizarre if entertaining savaging of President Bush, I tried my hand at anagramming my own name: John McDonald Hood. The results ranged from the silly (“No odd, cold ham, John”) to the sublime (“John Hood: Damn cold”) to the inexplicably gender-bending (“J-Lo: Damn Odd Honcho”).

Ever since, I’ve managed to find the inner strength to resist my readers’ daily, plaintive entreaties to write a new anagram column. It’s been a real struggle. Now, I think it’s finally time to return to this critical subject, and to do so by anagramming the name you all know and love: the John Locke Foundation. Here’s what I’ve come up with:

• “Flout Jedi hook cannon.” Hey, that’s nothing to flout, believe me. Those Force-guided barbs hurt.

• “Cook handful onion — jet.” Yes, good cookbook advice. The aroma can be overpowering.

• “Join one handout flock.” This hardly seems an appropriate invitation. Isn’t the John Locke Foundation crowd known as anti-welfare?

• “Took judo-channel info.” Then I suggest you give it back before you get tossed on your rear end.

• “Ethanol: Food, Junk Coin.” Yes, the various alternative-fuels projects underway in Eastern NC have problematic financing.

• “Hijack Tool Found: None.” Department of Homeland Security, please take note.

And finally, because what goes around comes around, anagramming the John Locke Foundation yields some insightful commentary on yours truly:

• “Hood: Ancient Fool, Junk.” Hey, I resent that “ancient” remark!

• “Hood Junk: Fine Coolant” and “Hood Junk: Contain Floe.” Apparently, like global warming, I can blow cold and hot simultaneously.

• “Hood Junk: Finance Tool.” Or at least that’s what my employees hope.

Happy Thanksgiving. And keep in mind that anagrams of Meredith Norris include “Need this mirror” (which is certainly true for Raleigh’s governing culture), “Norris: Herd Time” (an accurate depiction of the media frenzy), “He’d merit Norris” (who, exactly?) and “Trend more Irish,” which should be self-explanatory.

Hood is president of the John Locke Foundation.