The superstition was that disability of any sort was the mark of the devil. The phrases are in languages throughout read more

The superstition was that disability of any sort was the mark of the devil. The phrases are in languages throughout Europe: the devil's hoof, the devil's horn mark. It reaches back to early Christianity and the middle ages. Where a child was born out of wedlock, the church cooked up the impression that you'd done something sinful, and something dreadful would result. You will still find, particularly in Greece, people doing a little sign when they see a very badly disabled child – it needs warding off.

It turned out it was easier to write the grants because we were proposing bringing a lot of different people read more

It turned out it was easier to write the grants because we were proposing bringing a lot of different people and disciplines together in one spot. I think we'll garner even more interest and research dollars working with people on campus and around the world once they see what we can do here.

I had not picked up a tennis racket in 15 years, so I tried.

I had not picked up a tennis racket in 15 years, so I tried.

I think that the very earliest influence was a horror of having to work in a bank or an office, read more

I think that the very earliest influence was a horror of having to work in a bank or an office, a desire for a free and creative life.

Judaism lives not in an abstract creed, but in its institutions

Judaism lives not in an abstract creed, but in its institutions

We played a great 20 minutes and (then) we lost our composure. We didn't match their intensity to start the read more

We played a great 20 minutes and (then) we lost our composure. We didn't match their intensity to start the second half.

It's important that I make a difference in some way. It's not necessarily how I make a difference, but I read more

It's important that I make a difference in some way. It's not necessarily how I make a difference, but I want to make sure that I do.

Does he honestly believe that his constituents would prefer to see him lounging about in the Big Brother House rather read more

Does he honestly believe that his constituents would prefer to see him lounging about in the Big Brother House rather than debating issues as serious as equality?

People would be surprised to know how much I learned about prayer from playing poker

People would be surprised to know how much I learned about prayer from playing poker