Of all of the ridiculous expressions people use—and people use a great many ridiculous expressions—one of the most ridiculous is “No news is good news.” “No news is good news” simply means that if you don’t hear from someone, everything is probably fine, and you can see at once why this expression makes such little sense, because everything being fine is only one of many, many reasons why someone may not contact you. Perhaps they are tied up. Maybe they are surrounded by fierce weasels, or perhaps they are wedged tightly between two refrigerators and cannot get themselves out. The expression might well be changed to “No news is bad news,” except that people may not be able to contact you because they have just been crowned king or are competing in a gymnastics tournament. The point is that there is no way to know why someone has not contacted you, until they contact you and explain themselves. For this reason, the sensible expression would be “No news is no news,” except that it is so obvious it is hardly and expression at all.
A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Hostile Hospital – Lemony Snicket
Benny Russell: Call anybody you want, they can’t do anything to me, not anymore, and nor can any of you. I am a human being, dammit! You can deny me all you want but you can’t deny Ben Sisko – He exists! That future, that space station, all those people – they exist in here! In my mind. I created it. And every one of you knew it, you read it. It’s here. Do you hear what I’m telling you? You can pulp a story but you cannot destroy an idea, don’t you understand, that’s ancient knowledge, you cannot destroy an idea. That future – I created it, and it’s real! Don’t you understand? It is real. I created it. And it’s real! It’s REAL! Oh God!
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Season 6: Episode 13 – “Far Beyond the Stars”
Neither of them seemed to have noticed that a fierce battle was raging inside Harry’s brain:
She’s Ron’s sister.
But she’s ditched Dean!
She’s still Ron’s sister.
I’m his best mate!
That’ll make it worse.
If I talked to him first —
He’d hit you.
What if I don’t care?
He’s your best mate!
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince – J.K. Rowling
Giles: I’d have to say you’re right.
Buffy: I love it when he says that! Any theories?
Giles: Uh, I’m, uh, it’s a bit of a puzzle, really. Um, I’ve never actually heard of anyone attacked by a lone baseball bat before.
Xander: Maybe it’s a vampire bat.… I’m alone with that one, huh?
Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 1: Episode 11 – “Out of Mind, Out of Sight”
If you are like most people, you have an assortment of friends and family you can call upon in times of trouble. For instance, if you woke up in the middle of the night and saw a masked woman trying to crawl through your bedroom window, you might call your mother or father to help you push her back out. If you found yourself hopelessly lost in the middle of a strange city, you might ask the police to give you a ride home. And if you were an author locked in an Italian restaurant that was slowly filling up with water, you might call upon your acquaintances in the locksmith, pasta, and sponge businesses to come and rescue you.
A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Horrible Hospital – Lemony Snicket
Jadzia Dax: I used to have a little crush on him.
Worf: Morn?
Jadzia Dax: It was before we met! Besides, he wasn’t interested.
Worf: What do you mean, he wasn’t interested?
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Season 6: Episode 12 – “Who Mourns for Morn?”
The Love Pirate 