No

He says No! in thunder; but the Devil himself cannot make him say yes.

-- Herman Melville, letter to Nathaniel Hawthorne, April 1851

Orwell #10

His mind slid away into the labyrinthine world of doublethink. To know and not to know, to be conscious of complete truthfulness while telling carefully constructed lies, to hold simultaneously two opinions which cancelled out, knowing them to be contradictory and believing in both of them, to use logic against logic, to repudiate morality while laying claim to it, to believe that democracy was impossible and that the Party was the guardian of democracy, to forget whatever it was necessary to forget, then to draw it back into memory again at the moment when it was needed, and then promptly to forget it again: and above all, to apply the same process to the process itself. That was the ultimate subtlety: consciously to induce unconsciousness, and then, once again, to become unconscious of the act of hypnosis you had just performed. Even to understand the word 'doublethink' involved the use of doublethink. -- Orwell, 1984, 1948

Are you referring to, what, a New York Daily News report? Two things: One, we're not commenting on an ongoing investigation; two, and I would challenge the overall accuracy of that news account. -- Scott McClellan, Press Gaggle, Today

Minor Characters

Jim Wilkinson.

had had

A man borrows a kettle from his neighbour. When he returns it, the neighbour complains that it’s got a hole in it. Don’t look at me, says our man, I never borrowed your kettle. Besides, it was fine when I gave it back to you. I wish I’d never borrowed it anyway - it’s useless, it’s got a great big hole in it. -- Freud

His main theme echoed that of other senior officials: that contrary to Mr. Wilson's criticism, the administration had had ample reason to be concerned about Iraq's nuclear capabilities based on the regime's history of weapons development, its use of unconventional weapons and fresh intelligence reports. -- Miller

Anticipation

You walked into the party
Like you were walking onto a yacht
Your hat strategically dipped below one eye
Your scarf it was apricot.
You had one eye on the mirror as you watched yourself gavotte
And all the girls dreamed that they’d be your partner
They’d be your partner, and...

You’re so vain, you probably think this song is about you
You’re so vain, I’ll bet you think this song is about you
Don’t you? don’t you?

You had me several years ago when I was still quite naive
Well you said that we made such a pretty pair
And that you would never leave
But you gave away the things you loved and one of them was me
I had some dreams, they were clouds in my coffee
Clouds in my coffee, and...

You’re so vain, you probably think this song is about you
You’re so vain, I’ll bet you think this song is about you
Don’t you? don’t you?

Well I hear you went up to saratoga and your horse naturally won
Then you flew your lear jet up to nova scotia
To see the total eclipse of the sun
Well you’re where you should be all the time
And when you’re not you’re with
Some underworld spy or the wife of a close friend
Wife of a close friend, and...

You’re so vain, you probably think this song is about you
You’re so vain, I’ll bet you think this song is about you
Don’t you? don’t you?

-- Carly Simon, "You're So Vain"

The Real Thing

I noticed the bouquet of tulips on her coffee table, and the sight of them struck me with shame. Some guys show up with flowers, I thought; other guys just show up.

-- Tom Perrotta, Joe College

The Horror! The Horror!

From the editors who brought you Bush's War.

a curious encounter

"I awoke early one morning and noticed a peculiar woman outside my window pane. She worked brusquely sweeping the cobblestones in the street below with a long broom made of twigs wielded in a circular motion. Every so often, however, she would stop, and in that pause, a small bird flew down from its mansard and perched upon her shoulder.

This woman, whom I had never before had occasion to notice, would then speak to this sparrow in a hoarse whisper that I could barely make out, so much so that I took in nothing of her actual words. What was remarkable to me was that this bird seemed to listen, and then, when she'd finished, would alight and make to the nearest sign-pole where it would warble as she swept.

Now this sweeper, dressed all in black, might have otherwise made a foul impression on me. Her countenance was grim and her attitude gruff. Indeed, I realized that the percussive rasp of her broom on the paving stones had awoken me from my slumber.

But her friendship with this delightful dunnock redeemed all such foulness. And, like a springtime sun breaking through a cold morning's rain, gave me quite a large measure of happiness and light. Since I had arranged that morning to meet some acquantainces at a nearby coffeehouse, I shuffled downstairs in good mood, intent on making inquiry of this woman and her remarkable bird. Alas, just as I had put on my boots to step out-of-doors I saw her figure pass out of my street, followed closely by her avian companion, flapping its wings behind her.

I must admit that although I never saw this woman again, it has given me a curious joy to think on her since...I often wonder what became of her and her friend."

-from Darby's Journey into London, and other tales of Alacrity and Woe, 1754