Words matter especially words defining complicated political arrangements because they shape perceptions of the events of the past attitudes toward policies being carried out in the present and expectations about desirable directions for the future.

The strange thing about Africa is how past present and future come together in a kind of rough jazz if you like.

It is strange. I see all the privileges and greatness of the future. It already looks grand beautiful. Tell them I went lovingly trustfully peacefully.

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.

This is funny because I just had a job over the summer for VH1 a project I did called Strange Frequency where I got to play a Goth rock band singer.

It's a bit like school camp shooting a film. Everyone's on heat. It's a strange energy. It's full of adrenalin. I funnel my excess energy in funny little ways. I do a lot of dancing in my trailer. I love music.

It's funny in a way the actor is a writer. It's not like the two things are so separate as to be like apples and oranges. The writer and the actor are one.

I actually feel like for a lot of my career I wasn't able to show my comedic range. I did a lot of dramas and dramedies. I was on 'E.R.' That's not generally thought of as a funny show.

I've dated some women who have turned me on to some funny things that are strange for men to actually do but these things have become part of my process. I think the things I do for my appearance help make me look better. I even colour my hair because I like how it makes me look.

Strange questions are the more interesting ones. Children by and large don't try to trip you up... they want to find out how you do this funny thing that you do... if they've loved a story they love to know how it started.

Working with Chaplin was very amusing and strange. His films are so funny but working with him I found him to be a very serious man. Whereas the films of Hitchcock are macabre he could be a very funny man to work with always telling jokes and holding court. Of course when I worked with Charlie he was getting older.

It's funny how making odd noises can get you into strange situations sometimes.

Funny enough if you are looking at people these days who are putting Botox in their face and getting all sorts of plastic surgery we look at them and go I can tell you've had Botox. I can tell you've had plastic surgery. You look really strange to me. But no one's saying anything. We're just accepting the fact that they're strange-looking.

I had everything I'd hoped for but I wasn't being myself. So I decided to be honest about who I was. It was strange: The people who loved me for being funny suddenly didn't like me for being... me.

Never floss with a stranger.

California is a fine place to live - if you happen to be an orange.

My definition of an intellectual is someone who can listen to the William Tell Overture without thinking of the Lone Ranger.

In those early years in New York when I was a stranger in a big city it was the companionship and later friendship which I was offered in the Linnean Society that was the most important thing in my life.

One sure way to lose another woman's friendship is to try to improve her flower arrangements.

Friendship is an arrangement by which we undertake to exchange small favors for big ones.

It must be remembered that the sea is a great breeder of friendship. Two men who have known each other for twenty years find that twenty days at sea bring them nearer than ever they were before or else estrange them.

Many a person has held close throughout their entire lives two friends that always remained strange to one another because one of them attracted by virtue of similarity the other by difference.

But friendship is precious not only in the shade but in the sunshine of life and thanks to a benevolent arrangement the greater part of life is sunshine.

But I don't think any arranger should ever write a drum part for a drummer because if a drummer can't create his own Interpretation of the chart and he plays everything that's written he becomes mechanical he has no freedom.