“First I found [Elvis] to be a gentleman and then a gentle man. I found he could be sensitive to small issues. For someone of his stature there is very little for him to notice, ya know?”

Viewers can’t expect TV to keep developing unless they make their wants known. And let’s face it. The best way to make your wants known in this world is by ‘beefing’.

He’s so insulated by the people who surround him and by his own popularity. And yet Elvis will still find little things. He’ll take the time to be gentle with people.

Parents should watch what their children watch and not use TV as a babysitter. If a show is objectionable they should turn it OFF. They should write the president of the network and tell him they are never going to watch that program again and why.

TV is a major force in our lives – a FORCE. It must be handled very carefully, both its censure and its artistic honesty.

On the most recent battles on health insurance reform, the women led the battle to end gender discrimination by the insurance companies [where] women paid more and got less of a benefit, and also the whole issue of prevention.

The basic building block of peace and security for all peoples is economic and social security, anchored in sustainable development. It is a key to all problems. Why? Because it allows us to address all the great issues-poverty, climate, environment and political stability-as parts of the whole.

We appear to be overplaying this global warming issue as global warming is nothing new.

Can any of us refute the wisdom of Madison and the other framers? Can anyone look at the carnage in Iran, the bloodshed in Northern Ireland or the bombs bursting in Lebanon and yet question the dangers of injecting religious issues into the affairs of state?

There is no progress toward ultimate freedom without transformation, and this is the key issue in all lives.

Climate change, demographics, water, food, energy, global health, women’s empowerment – these issues are all intertwined. We cannot look at one strand in isolation. Instead, we must examine how these strands are woven together.

I do have friends that are Republicans, and we have very spirited conversations on a whole range of issues. I am often baffled by why they are Republicans, but I enjoy the dialogue and can move beyond politics to find common ground in my personal relationships.

Loss of hope rather than loss of life is what decides the issues of war. But helplessness induces hopelessness.