From 1971 onwards the Memorial Day holiday was officially observed on the last Monday in May and became the unofficial start of the summer with barbecues blockbuster movie openings and mattress sales.

The upheavals of adolescence silenced 'A Christmas Carol' for a few years. I became a firebrand atheist. Christmas - humbug! Too commercial! Then I became an agnostic. Christmas was a pro-forma affair basically a chore. Buy mother a book dad a new tie my brother and sister small gifts. Pretend thanks for the fountain pens and shirts I received.

I became a lesbian because of women because women are beautiful strong and compassionate.

If I became a philosopher if I have so keenly sought this fame for which I'm still waiting it's all been to seduce women basically.

I'm a jewelry girl. I became with friends with designer Irene Neuwirth a few years ago. At that point I just used to wear my wedding rings. Very low key. Now if I could I'd be draped from head to toe in her jewelry all the time. Everything she makes is beautiful.

The Sandinista government became consumed with fighting a war of survival. They were up against the biggest superpower in the world.

We were succeeding. When you looked at specifics this became a war of attrition. We were winning.

During the Cold War we were interested because we were scared that Russia and the United States were going to go to war. We were scared that Russia was going to take over the world. Every country became a battleground.

The truth is the Super Bowl long ago became more than just a football game. It's part of our culture like turkey at Thanksgiving and lights at Christmas and like those holidays beyond their meaning a factor in our economy.

I became a Republican because I trust people more than I trust government.