The year 2008 was a reminder to those who had forgotten that there is such a thing as history and that the cycle of famine and feast in commerce first identified in antiquity and well understood in the Middle Ages was not suddenly abolished in modern times.

Black History Month must be more than just a month of remembrance it should be a tribute to our history and reminder of the work that lies in the months and years ahead.

Some days are just bad days that's all. You have to experience sadness to know happiness and I remind myself that not every day is going to be a good day that's just the way it is!

I have to keep reminding myself: If you give your life to God he doesn't promise you happiness and that everything will go well. But he does promise you peace. You can have peace and joy even in bad circumstances.

Memorial Day this year is especially important as we are reminded almost daily of the great sacrifices that the men and women of the Armed Services make to defend our way of life.

Lives of great men all remind us we can make our lives sublime and departing leave behind us footprints on the sands of time.

And I will do everything that I can as long as I am President of the United States to remind the American people that we are one nation under God and we may call that God different names but we remain one nation.

Every year I am reminded of the kids who aren't in the freshman class and aren't graduating. I remember every single one of them. That is the worst of times for me to see the future snuffed out.

When my job was attempting to predict future economic developments for the Shell oil company I was frequently reminded of an Arabic saying: 'Those who claim to foresee the future are lying even if by chance they are later proved right.'

To her audience Janis Joplin has remained a symbol artifact and reminder of late Sixties youth culture. Her popularity never derived from her musical ability but from her capacity to link her fantasies of freedom and immortality with ours.