By an observer of the long cycle There is a story the commentariat keeps telling itself, and it is wrong. The story is that the transatlantic alliance is enduring a “rough patch” — a temporary spat between allies who will, once the current occupant of the White House leaves, return to business as usual. That…
You have probably been on one side of this call. A sales agent rings you. They mention a product you once bought, a magazine you subscribed to, or a free sample you requested. You feel interrupted. You suspect the agent is desperate for a commission. So you snap: “I cannot read.” Or you simply say:…