You don’t want to hear bad news, a long story, or something unpleasant or embarrassing. This slangy phrase, used since the 1960s and only in conversation, may be a response to a direct question, such as “How did you do on the exam?” or used to impart information, as in “Ask me how much we have left in the bank.”—“How much?”—“Don’t ask.” It differs from don’t ask me, said with the emphasis on me, which is a casual and somewhat impolite reply that means “I don’t know” (as in “‘When does the restaurant open?’— ‘Don’t ask me.’” A newer variation is don’t ask, don’t tell, which in the early 1990s began to designate a policy on homosexuality adopted by the U.S. military in 1994. Under this policy, personnel are not asked about their sexual orientation, and homosexuals are allowed to serve provided they do not openly reveal their orientation. This usage quickly spread to other contexts, as in “Our veterinarian has a “ ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ ” policy about what happens to pets who must be put away.” Another variant is don’t go there, an indication that someone should avoid a topic. For example, in a congressional hearing about the war in Iraq, a representative interviewing Colin Powell suggested his war record was better than that of a president who may have been AWOL, whereupon Powell replied, “Let’s not go there in this hearing” (cited by Leslie Savan in her slang dictionary).