My dad died when I was three so my mom had to raise four kids on her own and I think there's a part of me that pulls upon having watched my mom do that our whole lives. She had to make it work.

In the original draft I was 27 and Peter was 55 in the script. That's not the same as a guy in his 40s and a dad in the end of his 70s. It's a different point in both our lives.

I stayed in Baghdad every summer until I was 14. My dad's sister is still there but many of my relatives have managed to get out. People forget that there are still people there who are not radicalized in any particular direction trying to live normal lives in a very difficult situation.

We all have experiences in our lives that change us and we all learn from people like my dad but at the end of the day it's only us. And we're only responsible to make ourselves happy.

I am lucky to have had an attentive curious and loving dad and heart-smart down-to-earth gifted mother. They changed the outlooks of their own lives and have never forgotten the people and organizations that helped them dream bigger than their circumstances should have allowed.

But there's no substitute for a full-time dad. Dads who are fully engaged with their kids overwhelmingly tend to produce children who believe in themselves and live full lives.

You know my dad served in the President's Cabinet after his time as a governor. He told me he enjoyed being governor a lot more. Now I understand why. If I do my job well I can make a difference in people's lives and I can help our children realize their dreams.

There is no glory in war yet from the blackness of its history there emerge vivid colours of human character and courage. Those who risked their lives to help their friends.

When somebody who makes movies for a living - either as an actor writer producer or director - lives to be a certain age you have to admire them. It is an act of courage to make a film - a courage for which you are not prepared in the rest of life. It is very hard and very destructive. But we do it because we love it.

That's what acting is - it's about... having the courage to allow your audience into the private moments of your characters' lives.

Sep-11 2001 revealed heroism in ordinary people who might have gone through their lives never called upon to demonstrate the extent of their courage.

I know that throughout their history the people of the United States defended their freedom their liberty their justice and their rights - if need be - with their lives. I think their courage is so admirable.

But we got up there and decided to stick to this mix of power chords and funk and that's where it really started for us. In having the courage to take that decision. To take a gamble not just with our music but our lives.

Killing yourself is a major commitment it takes a kind of courage. Most people just lead lives of cowardly desperation. It's kinda half suicide where you just dull yourself with substances.

No matter what you think about the Iraq war there is one thing we can all agree on for the next days - we have to salute the courage and bravery of those who are risking their lives to vote and those brave Iraqi and American soldiers fighting to protect their right to vote.

We need to find the courage to say no to the things and people that are not serving us if we want to rediscover ourselves and live our lives with authenticity.

All of us have moments in our lives that test our courage. Taking children into a house with a white carpet is one of them.

The great thing about it is in Hollywood certain people are very good at keeping their lives and who they are very private. I've never met anybody as down to earth and cool in Hollywood than Matt Damon.

Cynicism is kind of like folding your arms and stepping back and commenting on things like the old guys in 'The Muppets ' just throwing out comments all the time whereas there are other people on the ground really trying to affect things and improve their lives and the lives of other people. I think it's noble and I think it's cool.

My parents are the coolest of the cool on every single level and it's because they have a deep appreciation for every moment of their lives.

The idea that so many kids eat rubbish and sit on computers all day long appals me and getting them into sport is a major way of getting them off computers and leading healthier lives.

Our lives sometimes depend on computers performing as predicted.

Security is I would say our top priority because for all the exciting things you will be able to do with computers - organizing your lives staying in touch with people being creative - if we don't solve these security problems then people will hold back.

I don't understand why people whose entire lives or their corporate success depends on communication and yet they are led on occasion by CEOs who cannot talk their way out of a paper bag and don't care to.