No writing musicals is the hardest thing in the world. And it was really funny because I remember when the South Park movie came out there were some critics that said 'Well it's obvious that in order to get it to be 90 minutes they filled some time with music.'

It's funny to be a critic.

Working with people the musical part is one thing but the personal part is totally different and just as critical. If the friendship is there and it's a lasting friendship then it will take care of itself.

On one side citizens have great respect for the United States they have a great feeling of friendship. That is solid. But in the opposition and in the political arena I often find criticism of the closeness of relations with the United States. That is a reality.

The second one the joint Truth and Friendship Commission which we started now with Indonesia that is the one that has been criticized its terms of reference call for providing amnesty for those who cooperate in telling the truth. It does not lead to prosecution.

If it's very painful for you to criticize your friends - you're safe in doing it. But if you take the slightest pleasure in it that's the time to hold your tongue.

By helping readers understand these mechanics I hope they will appreciate why freedom is for everyone why it is essential for our security and why the free world plays a critically important role in advancing democracy around the globe.

Life is a very orderly thing but in fiction there is a huge liberation and freedom. I can do what I like. There's nothing that says I can't write a page of full stops. There is no 'should' involved although you wouldn't know that from literary reviews and critics.

Criticism of government finds sanctuary in several portions of the 1st Amendment. It is part of the right of free speech. It embraces freedom of the press.

To criticize a person for their race is manifestly irrational and ridiculous but to criticize their religion that is a right. That is a freedom.

The freedom to criticize judges and other public officials is necessary to a vibrant democracy. The problem comes when healthy criticism is replaced with more destructive intimidation and sanctions.

Much literary criticism comes from people for whom extreme specialization is a cover for either grave cerebral inadequacy or terminal laziness the latter being a much cherished aspect of academic freedom.

A state that suppresses all freedom of speech and which by imposing the most terrible punishments treats each and every attempt at criticism however morally justified and every suggestion for improvement as plotting to high treason is a state that breaks an unwritten law.

The greatest threat to freedom is the absence of criticism.

A lot of food criticism has a similar flavor to it and I'm probably going to write about it in a different way.

I'm not a food critic and I'm not really an authority to write anything on food.

Fairness forces you - even when you're writing a piece highly critical of say genetically modified food as I have done - to make sure you represent the other side as extensively and as accurately as you possibly can.

I used to get criticized for putting food in novels.

Part of my job as a food writer is to describe food. So my work on 'Top Chef ' I feel is an extension of that. When we give a criticism to the contestant we want to make sure we tell them why it's not working and why it would work if they did it a different way.

Finance is critical. If sufficient investment is made in infrastructure and venture capital is made available there will be a big improvement in the situation.

Amin knew that neither West nor East would criticize him for fear that he would support the other side. He felt he was untouchable and he said so openly.

The vehemence with which certain critics have chosen not simply to criticize what I've written but to challenge my writing this story at all speaks of what the book is about: fear of disapproval.

Some people need to stay at the top. They are afraid to re-start from zero because they fear the critics.

My idea of perfect happiness is a healthy family peace between nations and all the critics die.