Better to be a jerk that knees than a knee that jerks.

I welcome new words, or old words used in new ways, provided the result is more precision, added color or greater expressiveness.

Better to be a jerk that knees than a knee that jerks.

On the analogy of 'Dictionary Johnson,' we call Fred R. Shapiro, editor of the just-published Yale Book of Quotations (well worth the $50 price), 'Quotationeer Shapiro.' Shapiro does original research, earning his 1,067-page volume a place on the quotation shelf next to Bartlett's and Oxford's.

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

By elevating your reading, you will improve your writing or at least tickle your thinking.

One challenge to the arts in America is the need to make the arts, especially the classic masterpieces, accessible and relevant to today's audience.