Hero­ism breaks its heart, and ide­al­ism its back, on the intran­si­gence of the cred­u­lous and the mediocre, manip­u­lated by the cyn­i­cal and the corrupt.

But you'll notice, you will notice that Russia and China, invariably at the United Nations, move to block American action, to repress or hem in or punish other kinds of outlaw. Who stands behind Mugabi at the United Nations? Russia and China do. Who tried successfully to prevent the United Nations from speaking with one voice on its most signal violation of its resolutions, Iraq? Russia and China, again. North Korea the same. Burma the same.

The diet book is one of those fool-and-money separation devices that seems, like roulette or slot machines, never to lose its power.

To be against rationalization is not the same as to be opposed to reasoning.

I say that homosexuality is not just a form of sex, it's a form of love, and it deserves our respect for that reason.

Authors who moan with praise for their editors always seem to reek slightly of the Stockholm syndrome.

No child's behind left.