I say things that can be defined as prayers. But I don't pray to a power or ask an entity to intercede in the earthly scheme, because I don't believe that happens. But if I see a really unfortunate person in the street, I do pray, yes, though I suppose it's really more like a mantra to ease my own sorrow.

As you swim the river of live, do the breast stroke. It helps to clear the turds from your path.

We get what we deserve. They are our elected officials.

The truth is, Pavlov's dog trained Pavlov to ring this bell just before the dog salivated.

In my neighborhood - West 121st Street in New York, "white Harlem" - there were only two drugs: smack and marijuana. By the time I was 13, some friends and I were using marijuana fairly regularly. The Reefer Madness myth was still very strong then, but I'd been into jazz and those lyrics included so many casual references to pot that it was completely demystified for me.

Tonight's forecast: DARK. Continued mostly dark tonight, turning to wildly scattered light in the morning

I think the trend to control speech - and therefore thought - continues. Because of the freer flow of information now, there's more on the side of free thought.