Civilization is an enormous improvement on the lack thereof.

People love to be told what they know already. It's not so much that what they say is wrong, though Ann Coulter does seem to be completely crazy.

I am a journalist and, under the modern journalist's code of Olympian objectivity (and total purity of motive), I am absolved of responsibility. We journalists don't have to step on roaches. All we have to do is turn on the kitchen light and watch the critters scurry.

There's one more terrifying fact about old people: I'm going to be one soon.

That happy sense of purpose people have when standing up for a principle they haven't really been knocked down for yet.

Politicians are always interested in people. Not that this is always a virtue. Fleas are interested in dogs.

You know your children are growing up when they stop asking you where they came from and refuse to tell you where they're going.