Indeed, Miss Manners has come to believe that the basic political division in this country is not between liberals and conservatives but between those who believe that they should have a say in the love lives of strangers and those who do not.

People will say, 'Seventy isn't old, it's middle-aged,' and I think, middle of what - 140?

Email is very informal, a memo. But I find that not signing off or not having a salutation bothers me.

Nowadays, you form your beliefs to fit your behavior, not the other way around.

The rationale that etiquette should be eschewed because it fosters inequality does not ring true in a society that openly admits to a feverish interest in the comparative status-conveying qualities of sneakers. Manners are available to all, for free.

'Honesty' in social life is often used as a cover for rudeness. But there is quite a difference between being candid in what you're talking about, and people voicing their insulting opinions under the name of honesty.

When you consider how epidemic boredom is in our time, you have to concede that entertaining is a healing art.