“Trust the government? Why should we?”

With chemicals, it’s shoot first and ask questions later.

Before Alar, there was EDB, a potent human carcinogen allowed in the grain supply and other food for more than a decade after it was known to be dangerous.

Yet is still allowed in potatoes and bananas at levels exposing up to 80,000 children a day to what EPA itself says are unacceptable high risks.

The reality of life is that we are exposed to a multiplicity of toxic substances.

There was heptachlor, linked to leukemia, and aldicarb, which poisoned thousands of California watermelons.

Awards are not something that I measure my work by. I’ve been so fortunate and I’ve gotten to do such terrific things that it seems petty to look back and say, ‘Oh, I should have gotten that prize.’ I’ve been so blessed, it’s hard to look back and think anything but that, so I have no disappointments.

You should work at everything you do and try to perfect it as best you can.

There are no Asian movie stars

It seems to me that more and more we’ve come to expect less and less from each other, and I think that should change.

Only criminals and adulterers should have to hide who they are.

War is death. If we are to engage in war, then we should have to stare it straight in the face and call it by its rightful name.

Why should you mind being wrong if someone can show you that you are?

Taking the Bible too literally is a mistake. It should be read as a guidebook of wisdom and insight.