Peter Mandelson is one of the most odious, self-satisfied, misogynistic men I have ever met. Compellingly, fascinatingly horrible.

In my experience, being busy and working hard is the key to sanity/happiness.

If you are weak, anyone can come and kick you

The best justification governments can find to shut down information is that lives are at risk. In fact, lives have been at risk as a result of the silences and lies revealed in these leaks.

Military strikes on Afghanistan will not prevent something this terrible from happening again, for the simple reason that bombs will not deter people who are unafraid of death and desire martyrdom.

I think the world of politics is pretty sleazy.

Marriage Asian-style is practical, contractual and, to the western mind, deeply unromantic.

The knowledge you acquire in an area of study is accompanied by an incalculable ignorance. The farther we get into anything, we learn that we have even farther to go.

In May I keep count.Two and a half more days of school

Have no mean hours, but be grateful for every hour, and accept what it brings. The reality will make any sincere record respectable.

There is a challenge of doing something new. Sometimes you have to suspend whether you believe in yourself doing it and just give yourself over to the idea that they believe in you.

His coworker was velvety-skinned, a sexy boy-on-the-cusp-of man.

Microsoft is already the most powerful company on earth but you ain't seen nothing yet.

I always give money to a sidewalk con if the story is a good one, even if I don't believe a word of it. Art deserves to get paid.

Nothing more strongly arouses our disgust than cannibalism, yet we make the same impression on Buddhists and vegetarians, for we feed on babies, though not our own.

The material dictates the approach. I tell the stories in the way that feels natural to tell them. Certainly the last thing I want is to be "difficult."

It is not what you say that matters but the manner in which you say it; there lies the secret of the ages.