Funding for sports (and the arts) are often the first things facing the chop in difficult times.

People rightly want our political leaders - on all sides - to concentrate on minimising the damage to jobs, living standards and our savings from the banking crisis.

At times unpopular measures are needed in order to change behaviour.

Like many of my friends and colleagues, I can't get enough of Obama news; latest polling, speeches, visits, reaction of world leaders.

There's a loss of faith in the banking system that for so long has been the backbone of prosperity and growth.

In politics, the number of women in the cabinet has fallen and, if current poll trends continue and Labour loses a number of marginal seats, the number of female MPs is likely to drop significantly.

Indeed, when all parties campaign effectively the overall effect is to push up voting rates, as you see in tight marginal seats or close general elections. That must be good for democracy.

Today the demands are for even higher standards in the quality of care, for greater flexibility and convenience in treatment times, and for more prevention through screening and health checks.

At its most basic the democratic contract is a simple one: the right to vote comes with a responsibility to society, through tax payments and citizenship.

Sixteen- and 17-year-olds pay taxes and can join the army, so surely they should in turn be given their right to vote.

In Scotland, the indication is that for the Westminster elections at least, Labour voters are satisfied with their government.

Some pray to marry the man they love My prayer will somewhat vary: I humbly pray to Heaven above That I love the man I marry.

Purity is an illusion. The idea of purity has been used as an excuse for calamities like honor killings, bride burnings, child molestation. Purification is genocide.

I simply scraped together all my experience and put it into the sport.

Are you tired? You should be! You've been running through my mind all day.

When I am in Africa, I realize I don't know much, have not seen much, and there's a lot to be done.

O Christian, never be proud of things that are so transient, injurious, and uncertain as the riches of this evil world! But set your heart on the true and durable riches of grace in Christ Jesus.

It's just that it's mind-boggling to me how many people I encounter every day who are struggling to subsist on a diet of bad advice about fake solutions to nonexistent problems.

Women I know are smart, educated, intelligent, capable of doing anything that anybody else can do.

I wondered – would a bullet through my temple actually kill me or just leave a really big mess for me to clean up?

It's my hope to inspire kids around the world to want to be tech stars in stem subjects.