Never feel guilty about reading, it's what you do to do your job.

Different regions may require different strategies, as President Bush has noted, but not different basic principles. It's either collective security or selective security.

Last, but not least, avoid cliches like the plague.

The CEO era gave rise to the CFO (not certified flying object, as you might imagine, but chief financial officer) and, most recently, the CIO, chief investment officer, a nice boost for the bookkeeper you can't afford to give a raise . . .

Cast aside any column about two subjects. It means the pundit chickened out on the hard decision about what to write about that day.

Do not be taken in by 'insiderisms.' Fledgling columnists, eager to impress readers with their grasp of journalistic jargon, are drawn to such arcane spellings as 'lede.' Where they lede, do not follow.

Only in grammar can you be more than perfect.