One of the problems with being a writer is that all of your idiocies are still in print somewhere. I strongly support paper recycling.

The old woman was not only ugly with the ugliness age brings us all but showed signs of formidable ugliness by birth - pickle-jar chin, mainsail ears and a nose like a trigonometry problem. What's more, she had the deep frown and snit wrinkles that come from a lifetime of bad character.

There are lots of levels of fear and complaint about the government getting involved in business. First and foremost, of course, is incompetence.

Moscow has changed. I was here in 1982, during the Brezhnev twilight, and things are better now. For instance, they've got litter. In 1982 there was nothing to litter with.

Government isn't a good way to solve problems ... [G]overnment is concerned mostly with self-perpetuation and is subject to fantastic ideas about its own capabilities. ... [G]overnment is wasteful of the nation's resources, immune to common sense and subject to pressure from every half-organized bouquet of assholes. ... [G]overnment is distrustful of and disrespectful toward average Americans while being easily gulled by Americans with money, influence or fame.

What would annoy the most people most often? That is the true left-wing test of government intervention.

Politics should be limited in scope to ware, protection of property, and the occasional precautionary beheading of a member of the ruling class.