In the depth of the near depression that he faced when he came in Barack Obama and Democratic leaders in Congress provided 'recovery funds' that literally kept our classrooms open. Two years ago these funds saved nearly 20 000 teacher and education jobs - just here in North Carolina.

I enjoyed school - although I ran away on the first day. I'd reminded the teacher that it was nearly time for 'Watch With Mother' on TV.

I guess by taking lessons early on and really trying to play all the rudimentary stuff and try to have it sound as good as my teacher. It took a lot of practice which I enjoyed and still do.

From a very early age my wife and I told our son that there are times and places for everything. I told him look when you're in class you have to be quiet and listen to your teacher but when you go out to the playground you can scream and be silly.

I think there are so many ways to become interested in music. I believe signs of sustained interest gives a sense of the right time. Music if thought of as a language would perhaps indicate that as early as possible is not so bad. I do believe that a really nurturing first teacher that makes the child love something is crucial.

Adversity is a great teacher but this teacher makes us pay dearly for its instruction and often the profit we derive is not worth the price we paid.

My parents were early converts to Christianity in my part of Nigeria. They were not just converts my father was an evangelist a religious teacher. He and my mother traveled for thirty-five years to different parts of Igboland spreading the gospel.

Nearly everyone I met worked with or read about was my teacher one way or another.

My formula for success is rise early work late and strike oil.

Success is the necessary misfortune of life but it is only to the very unfortunate that it comes early.

Am I coasting on some early success? Yeah. It was a good lucky break for me. But I would rather earn my way back again than simply conform to what people are expecting.

My own early experiences in war led me to suspect the value of discipline even in that sphere where it is so often regarded as the first essential for success.

Nearly all monster stories depend for their success on Jack killing the Giant Beowulf or St. George slaying the Dragon Harry Potter triumphing over the basilisk. That is their inner grammar and the whole shape of the story leads towards it.

Rockefeller once explained the secret of success. 'Get up early work late - and strike oil.'

Breast cancer deaths in America have been declining for more than a decade. Much of that success is due to early detection and better treatments for women. I strongly encourage women to get a mammogram.

Formula for success: rise early work hard strike oil.

It's funny because in drama school my greatest strength was my range. So my early career was like that: I played all kinds of different characters.

The legacy of Steve Jobs and the strength of Steve Jobs is that he established a company that's clearly firing on all cylinders and clicking very well.

There's a feeling that strength is determined by the size of a union. That clearly is nonsense.

In sports people reach their peak very early. You have to move on. I don't know if I will ever surpass what I did at the Olympics but I'm still doing the work I always wanted to do.

I never got into sports at all until I was in my early 20s after my music career got going.

I'll go out but I leave early before the shenanigans. I don't really do the Hollywood party thing. I'd rather watch sports or play videogames or work out or sleep to be totally honest.

Life magazine ran a page featuring me and three other girls that was clearly the precursor of Sports Illustrated swimsuit issues.

I was showing early symptoms of becoming a professional baseball man. I was lying to the press.