Truth Gouging In the heady days of the Ottoman Empire, Sultan Mehmet IV hired a court historian to record the happenings of his magnificent reign. At the end of one afternoon, Mehmet asked his historian what had been recorded that day, and the historian replied that nothing of interest had occurred. The sultan then flung a spear at the historian, causing a great injury, and bellowed, "Now thou hast something to write about." It appears that our national press has taken this page out ...