Since nostaglia is fueled by inflation, could it be that inflation is the result of a conspiracy by the people who are trying to palm off McGovern buttons and Howdy Doody puppets and their Aunt Thelma's toaster as antiques.

In modern America, anyone who attempts to write satirically about the events of the day finds it difficult to concoct a situation so bizarre that it may not actually come to pass while his article is still on the presses.

Keeping off a large weight loss is a phenomenon about as common in American medicine as an impoverished dermatologist.

The ceiling on taxation of capital gains reflects the national belief that speculation is a more worthwhile way to make a living than work.

I suppose that there are endeavors in which self-confidence is even more important than it is in writing -- tightrope walking comes immediately to mind -- but it's difficult for me to think of anybody producing much writing if his confidence is completely shot.

I don't care where I sit, as long as I get fed.

Perhaps we've time to have a look at the Number Thirty-One bus queue before we turn in.