The right of the people to peacefully assemble and petition their government for a redress of grievances is now worth a pitcher of warm spit. That's because TV will not come and treat it respectfully. Television is really something.

The world is full of people who are very clever at seeming much smarter than they really are.

Music makes practically everybody fonder of life than he or she would be without it.

The artist makes his living by pretending, by putting it in a meaningful hole though no such holes exist.

Here is a les­son in writ­ing. First rule: Do not use semi­colons. They are trans­ves­tite her­maph­ro­dites rep­re­sent­ing absolutely noth­ing. All they do is show you've been to col­lege.

No art is possible without a dance with death.

Unfortunately, that still leaves plenty of Americans who don't read much or think much -- who will still be extremely useful in unjust wars. We are sick about that. We did the best we could.