As the Late Christopher Hitchens Remarked..

The Quotable Hitchens - from Alcohol to Zionism" edited by Windsor Mann   Da Capo Press   332 pages   $17

Hitchens was a wonderfully witty writer and commentator on all sorts of things.  He seemed never to be at a loss for a word and that word was generally a deprecating one.  Some samples:

On Hillary Clinton and Rudy Giuliani - "They both ban smoking materials anywhere they can ban them (Mrs. Clinton having failed with the use of cigars in the White House.)"

Checks and Balances - "Checks and balances refers to the exchange of bribes and emolluments on the floor of committee rooms."

Dixie Chicks - "Yes, I did refer to the so-called Dixie Chicks as 'fat sluts' (having not the least idea of what any of them looked like.)

Author Eugene O'Neill - "It's true that O'Neill did his best stuff after he sobered up, but he had obviously learned a lot from the years when he couldn't remember which train he had boarded, or why."

Open-Mindedness - "The problem with open-mindedness is that it can become empty-mindedness."

Pardons - "Guiltless men are in no need of pardons."

Pornography - "There will always be something bizarre about those who campaign against pornography.  Something, if you like, a little too interested.

Religion and Death - "Religion will die out when we stop worrying about death."