Cynicism and naivety lie cheek by jowl in the American imagination if the United States is one of the most venal nations on Earth it is also one of the most earnestly idealistic.

Three centuries after the appearance of Franklin's 'Courant ' it no longer requires a dystopic imagination to wonder who will have the dubious distinction of publishing America's last genuine newspaper. Few believe that newspapers in their current printed form will survive.

The face of nature and civilization in this our country is to a certain point a very sufficient literary field. But it will yield its secrets only to a really grasping imagination. To write well and worthily of American things one need even more than elsewhere to be a master.

Our democracy our constitutional framework is really a kind of software for harnessing the creativity and political imagination for all of our people. The American democratic system was an early political version of Napster.

You may be sure that the Americans will commit all the stupidities they can think of plus some that are beyond imagination.

Imagination has brought mankind through the dark ages to its present state of civilization. Imagination led Columbus to discover America. Imagination led Franklin to discover electricity.

I really wouldn't want to live in America. I found New York claustrophobic and dirty. I missed England when I was there simple things like smells and the British sense of humor.

We are really living the American dream to be a successful brand in the States and in Europe and to steep ourselves in our heritage. But we do it with a sense of humor. We don't take ourselves too seriously in fashion.

I think at its best the American sense of humor is the same as the British sense of humor at its best which is to be wry and ironic and self deprecating.

I mean yeah I'm sure that Python and the other things have paved the way for a greater understanding of the British sense of humor but I don't think it's all that different than the American sense of humor.