Whatever I do it's my business. It's not my job to parent America.

It's time to fundamentally change the way that we do business in Washington. To help build a new foundation for the 21st century we need to reform our government so that it is more efficient more transparent and more creative. That will demand new thinking and a new sense of responsibility for every dollar that is spent.

My parents were dishonest people. If it was my birthday I knew my mother took me to the K-Mart and she stole my toy. She'd put it in the shopping cart and we'd walk out. I was raised with that.

One I built when I was a kid and it was a real miniature of Disneyland. I fell in love with the park when I went there with my parents on my 12th birthday.

I grew up doing all that stuff because I was obsessed with the '50s. I had sock hops for birthday parties. So I've always done The Twist and stuff. It was pretty natural and with my parents doing it all the time I'd just copy them. Not very pretty.

As I approach my 88th birthday it's become apparent to me that my eyes and ears among other appurtenances aren't quite what they used to be. The prospect of long flights to wherever in search of whatever are not quite as appealing.

It's odd the things that people remember. Parents will arrange a birthday party certain it will stick in your mind forever. You'll have a nice time then two years later you'll be like 'There was a pony there? Really? And a clown with one leg?'

I think if you give your best as a parent then that's all you can do.

The abduction of a child is a tragedy. No one can fully understand or appreciate what a parent goes through at such a time unless they have faced a similar tragedy. Every parent responds differently. Each parent copes with this nightmare in the best way he or she knows how.

I felt that it's best just to be as transparent as possible.

Parents have become so convinced that educators know what is best for their children that they forget that they themselves are really the experts.

Nobody until very recently would have thought that their husband was supposed to be their best friend confidante intellectual soul mate co-parent inspiration.

Childhood obesity is best tackled at home through improved parental involvement increased physical exercise better diet and restraint from eating.

As a mom I know it is my responsibility and no one else's to raise my kids. But we have to ask ourselves what does it mean when so many parents are finding their best efforts undermined by an avalanche of advertisements aimed at our kids.

Dad needs to show an incredible amount of respect and humor and friendship toward his mate so the kids understand their parents are sexy they're fun they do things together they're best friends. Kids learn by example. If I respect Mom they're going to respect Mom.

There are two kinds of artists in this world those that work because the spirit is in them and they cannot be silent if they would and those that speak from a conscientious desire to make apparent to others the beauty that has awakened their own admiration.

Never once does 'Snow White' herself look in the mirror so she isn't aware of her beauty or what apparently that does to people. It's really just the queen and the prince that talk about it.

Thanks to capitalism the importance placed on beauty has never been so manipulated. We are the guinea pigs force-fed ads that tell us how pathetic we are: that we will never be loved happy or valuable unless we have the body the face the hair even the personality that will apparently be ours if only we buy their products.

The beauty of 'spacing' children many years apart lies in the fact that parents have time to learn the mistakes that were made with the older ones - which permits them to make exactly the opposite mistakes with the younger ones.

It is time for parents to teach young people early on that in diversity there is beauty and there is strength.

'Handsome' means many things to many people. If people consider me handsome I feel flattered - and have my parents to thank for it. Realistically it doesn't hurt to be good-looking especially in this business.

In the business world today failure is apparently not an option. We need to change this attitude toward failure - and celebrate the idea that only by falling on our collective business faces do we learn enough to succeed down the road.

Look everything that you experience as a kid is the foundation of how you are today. I was brought up in a working class family in Leeds and when it comes to money both my parents worked hard and instilled the same attitude into me.

My parents have a strong work ethic but their attitude to life their philosophy is: 'whatever makes you happy.'