If the euro zone doesn't come up with a comprehensive vision of its own future you'll have a whole range of nationalist xenophobic and extreme movements increasing across the European Union. And frankly questions about the British debate on EU membership will just be a small sideshow compared to the rise of political populism.

When I wonder what the future of books will be I often think about horses. Before automobiles existed everyone had a horse. Then cars became available and their convenience compared to horses was undeniable.

It's funny. People often compare me to other humor essayists. They're usually quite nice comparisons I will accept those gladly. But I am always sort of appalled at the idea of being lumped with other more chick-y female writers. And the truth is probably that neither comparison is accurate.

People ask 'How does doing a film compare to doing an ad?' Well when you're doing a commercial you don't have to sell tickets. You have a captured audience. Which is actually completely rare and great it gives you a lot of freedom. When you make a film you have to do advertisements for the film.

I've had one very bad ankle injury but otherwise I've been incredibly lucky with my fitness. I've worked hard at it and I've always been fit even compared to other players. That sustains you through various parts of your career but I am 36.

It is more interesting to be compared to someone famous because it lets you gauge what perceptions people have about your appearance.

First and foremost comes my family and my life with Brad. We have so much joy in raising our children and teaching them about the world that nothing really compares to that.

To a certain extent I am taking a leap of faith. I'm adding up the evidence on either side and I'm seeing the evidence of there not being a God is overwhelming compared to the evidence for there being a God.

The faith religious believers have in God is small compared to the faith people put in politicians knowing how many times they have been disappointed in the past but still insisting that this time it will be different.

I have never described the time I was in Doctor Who as anything except a kind of ecstatic success but all the rest has been rather a muddle and a disappointment. Compared to Doctor Who it has been an outrageous failure really - it's so boring.

Lord of the Rings was my first experience making movies and at the time I had no ideas how movies were done. I thought that's the way they're done so in a way I had nothing to compare it to.

Is it not rather what we expect in men that they should have numerous strands of experience lying side by side and never compare them with each other?

I grew up with not a lot of money and I definitely shopped at Goodwill. But even in my most unfortunate state I was really blessed compared to a lot of the rest of the world. I had a really great chance to follow my dreams and have them actually come true.

Those who have compared our life to a dream were right... we were sleeping wake and waking sleep.

I liked a lot of the things other people liked - Jimi Hendrix The Beatles Van Halen AC/DC - but if I compared it to my dad's music there just seemed to be elements missing.

You can' t help being a musician because you've grown up with music yet being one means being compared to your dad and being slated for it. But I really don't have the ambitions of most people going into the industry.

Becoming a dad was the proudest moment of my life. Playing football does not even compare.

I wouldn't compare myself to any past Idol contestant because I don't feel like I am like any of them. Maybe stories are cool but my story is different from most people's story. I don't like to compare myself to other people I like to just be me.

I won't compare ants and people but ants give us a useful model of how single members of a community can become so organized that they end up resembling in effect one big collective brain. Our own exploding population and communication technology are leading us that way.

I can't change overnight into a serious literary author. You can't compare apples to oranges. William Faulkner was a great literary genius. I am not.

I compare it to being in a car accident. There's so much adrenaline rushing through you that you remember being in the accident but you don't remember any of the details.

A lot of fun stuff happens when you go out on a bike compared to when you're in a car. You're more in the environment. It's enjoyable. Even when It's raining It's still fun.

I know the history of the record business so well because I followed Billie Holiday into the record studios. It was so primitive compared to the sophisticated business today.

I must create a system or be enslaved by another mans I will not reason and compare: my business is to create.