The nature of catastrophe is after all reasonably unvarying in the way it ruins destroys wounds and devastates. But if something can be learned from the event - not least something as profound as the theory of plate tectonics - then it somehow puts the ruination into a much more positive light.

We manage to bounce ideas off one another. Every band fights but at the end of the day we're very positive about the way we fight. At least we come out with a result.

Everything that's bad for you catches on too quickly in America because that's the easiest thing to get people to invest in the pursuits that are easy and destructive the ones that bring out the least positive aspects of people.

When I got into the film business my aim was to adopt a positive persona of a guy who fights against injustice. And it saved me because my acting was atrocious to say the least!

The most positive step is to try to expand the employment base by making it if not economically friendly at least not economically disastrous for studios to take on deficits.

There are a lot of grotesqueries in politics not the least of which is the fund-raising side.

I didn't become leader to transform the Liberal Democrats into an enlarged form of the Electoral Reform Society. It's not the be all and end all for us. There are other very very key ambitions in politics not least social mobility and life chances that I care about as passionately if not more.

In no relationship at the top of any walk of life is it always easy least of all in politics which matters so much and which is conducted in such a piercing spotlight.

The 'democracy gap' in our politics and elections spells a deep sense of powerlessness by people who drop out do not vote or listlessly vote for the 'least worst' every four years and then wonder why after every cycle the 'least worst' gets worse.

Vote for the man who promises least he'll be the least disappointing.

Democracy is being allowed to vote for the candidate you dislike least.

Concrete poets continue to turn out beautiful things but to me they're more visual than oral and they almost really belong on the wall rather than in a book. I haven't the least idea of where poetry is going.

Poetry is at least an elegance and at most a revelation.

And at least in poetry you should feel free to lie. That is not to lie but to imagine what you want to follow the direction of the poem.

There is poetry even in prose in all the great prose which is not merely utilitarian or didactic: there exist poets who write in prose or at least in more or less apparent prose millions of poets write verses which have no connection with poetry.

I decided that it was not wisdom that enabled poets to write their poetry but a kind of instinct or inspiration such as you find in seers and prophets who deliver all their sublime messages without knowing in the least what they mean.

And I strongly believe people should rescue dogs or at the very least listen to Bob Barker and have your pet spayed or neutered.

The experts who managed the original Marshall Plan say Afghanistan needs a commitment of at least $5 to $10 billion over 5 to 10 years coupled with occupation forces of 250 000 Allied soldiers to keep the peace throughout the country.

Some think that by preparing to deal with crises you make them more likely. I think the wiser judgment is the contrary. In this area at least if you want peace or stability it's better to prepare for war or instability.

To understand why dictators have a problem with making peace - or at least a genuine peace - the link between the nature of a regime and its external behavior must be understood.

True there has been more talk of peace since 1945 than I should think at any other time in history. At least we hear more and read more about it because man's words for good or ill can now so easily reach the millions.

We have war when at least one of the parties to a conflict wants something more than it wants peace.

I challenge anybody to say that I wouldn't know how to approach foreign policy because unlike some of the other people I at least have a foreign policy philosophy which is an extension of the Reagan philosophy. Peace through strength and my philosophy is peace through strength and clarity.

If there is to be peace in our industrial life let the employer recognize his obligation to his employees - at least to the degree set forth in existing statutes.