A basic rule of life for reporters is that you should spend your time talking with and learning about people who are not sending you press releases rather than those who are.

Spending time at the Federal Reserve was a good learning opportunity for me. It helped me to understand economic philosophies and polices that I had not previously known about.

I am honored that my freshman class colleagues have put their trust in me to represent our historic class at the leadership table. The incoming freshman class of Representatives is large and diverse but we share many common goals including cutting wasteful spending getting our economy back on track and making government smarter and more efficient.

It is past time for Republican leadership to answer for record deficits and reckless spending both in Iraq and in the U.S. It's time for a plan to bring our troops home.

Growing up in Nashville especially in a music business family means growing up with knowledge that seems like common sense until later in life when you realize people spend thousands of dollars a semester trying to learn or pretending to learn while looking for some intern job on music row.

I would like to have the superpower of being able to touch a book and then gain all the knowledge out of that book without spending hours and days reading it.

But I am just as appalled that my experience knowledge dedication and service relative to defending the United States against biological warfare has been turned against me in connection with the search for the anthrax killer.

Science has to be understood in its broadest sense as a method for comprehending all observable reality and not merely as an instrument for acquiring specialized knowledge.

Knowledge is an unending adventure at the edge of uncertainty.

Human intelligence is a reflection of the intelligence that produces everything. In knowing we are simply extending the intelligence that comes to and constitutes us. We mimic the mind of God so to speak. Or better we continue and extend it.