My youth passed at the time of the country's reconstruction from the ruins and ashes of the war in which my nation never bowed to the enemy paying the highest price in the struggle.

Because when you have millions of people with this kind of need for gratification and the culture is saying that it's possible for everyone to satisfy all of their needs and desires all of the time there are obviously going to be clashes - clashes of ego.

The first time you hold your baby in your arms I mean a sense of strength and love washes over you. It washed over me and I never thought that possible.

I once made the mistake of going for a whole row of false eyelashes which was just wrong as it gave me a sad puppy-eyed look.

When resources are degraded we start competing for them whether it is at the local level in Kenya where we had tribal clashes over land and water or at the global level where we are fighting over water oil and minerals. So one way to promote peace is to promote sustainable management and equitable distribution of resources.

Every year August lashes out in volcanic fury rising with the din of morning traffic its great metallic wings smashing against the ground heating the air with ever-increasing intensity.

Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.

In the clashes between ignorance and intelligence ignorance is generally the aggressor.

We've persevered because of a belief we share with the Iraqi people - a belief that out of the ashes of war a new beginning could be born in this cradle of civilization. Through this remarkable chapter in the history of the United States and Iraq we have met our responsibility. Now it's time to turn the page.

There is only one home to the life of a river-mussel there is only one home to the life of a tortoise there is only one shell to the soul of man: there is only one world to the spirit of our race. If that world leaves its course and smashes on boulders of the great void whose world will give us shelter?

I tell you the past is a bucket of ashes so live not in your yesterdays no just for tomorrow but in the here and now. Keep moving and forget the post mortems and remember no one can get the jump on the future.

Rock and roll music - the music of freedom frightens people and unleashes all manner of conservative defense mechanisms.

What I want to do is tell stories about normal people in the American suburbs. I don't write the book where it's a conspiracy reaching the prime minister I don't write the book with the big serial killer who lops off heads. My setting is a very placid pool of suburbia family life. And within that I can make pretty big splashes.

In my experience lust only ever leads to misery. All that suspicion and jealousy and anguish it unleashes. I don't want those things in my life.

When a child my dreams rode on your wishes I was your son high on your horse My mind a top whipped by the lashes Of your rhetoric windy of course.

Without peace all other dreams vanish and are reduced to ashes.

You know Americans are obsessed with life and death and rebirth that's the American Cycle. You know awakening tragic horrible death and then Phoenix rising from the ashes. That's the American story again and again.

Some people say it might be good for your career to die and then come back again. I have died many ways car crashes motorcycle crashes etc. But I am still alive.

People go to car races to watch the crashes.

I look away at car crashes and I know people who look away at car crashes because it makes us uncomfortable to watch other people in pain.

Life is a gamble. You can get hurt but people die in plane crashes lose their arms and legs in car accidents people die every day. Same with fighters: some die some get hurt some go on. You just don't let yourself believe it will happen to you.

It's best to have failure happen early in life. It wakes up the Phoenix bird in you so you rise from the ashes.

That which you create in beauty and goodness and truth lives on for all time to come. Don't spend your life accumulating material objects that will only turn to dust and ashes.

Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.