Today hundreds of millions dwell in freedom from the Baltic to the Adriatic from the Western Approaches to the Aegean. And while we must never take this for granted the first purpose of the European Union - to secure peace - has been achieved and we should pay tribute to all those in the EU alongside Nato who made that happen.

I was interested by the idea that artists working in a totalitarian dictatorship or tsarist autocracy are secretly and slightly shamefully envied by artists who work in freedom. They have the gratification of intense interest: the authorities want to put them in jail while there are younger readers for whom what they write is pure oxygen.

While the State exists there can be no freedom when there is freedom there will be no State.

I like cast iron coated with enamel for longevity and forgiveness if I happen to take my eyes off the prize while pouring Chianti.

Forgiveness is indifference. Forgiveness is impossible while love lasts.

While it is true that we must seek value added industries like food processing plants and call center operations we must do what is necessary to expand and develop our economic profile.

Russia will occupy most of the good food lands of central Europe while we have the industrial portions. We must find some way of persuading Russia to play ball.

But once in a while you might see me at In and Out Burger they make the best fast food hamburgers around.

Acceptable food rots while we are chased from bins behind restaurants chased from sleeping on the street chased from relieving ourselves unless we pay for food or gas until finally we are so hungry sleepless smelly constipated and beaten-down that we simply die of lack of will to live.

While weight loss is important what's more important is the quality of food you put in your body - food is information that quickly changes your metabolism and genes.