I always thought the biggest failing of Americans was their lack of irony. They are very serious there! Naturally there are exceptions... the Jewish Italian and Irish humor of the East Coast.

Never in our country's history have we witnessed a natural disaster that has impacted so many people in such a wide area. In fact as of the writing of this column millions of people along the Gulf Coast have been displaced from their homes in a period of only five days.

The people of South and Central Texas and the Coastal Bend need jobs they need health care they need water infrastructure improvements they need a quality education and they need the resources to keep our borders safe and secure.

It's funny but we were living on this small island off the coast of Charleston South Carolina when I was 9.

If you want to look at the state of humans you should look at the state of animals first. People are choosing whether or not they can feed an animal and their family. And every shelter coast-to-coast is stuffed.

I have faith the men and women of the Coast Guard will immediately rise to the challenge and see the people hit by Katrina through until the storm has truly calmed.

Success is more dangerous than failure the ripples break over a wider coastline.

In the rich world the environmental situation has improved dramatically. In the United States the most important environmental indicator particulate air pollution has been cut by more than half since 1955 rivers and coastal waters have dramatically improved and forests are increasing.

Mexican food is far more varied than people think. It changes like dialects. I was brought up in Jalisco by the sea on a basic diet - tomatoes chillis peppers of every size and rice which is a Mexican staple. The Pacific coast has a huge array of seafood.

To be honest I'm scared to death of rollercoaster rides.

One of the greatest gifts my father gave me - unintentionally - was witnessing the courage with which he bore adversity. We had a bit of a rollercoaster life with some really challenging financial periods. He was always unshaken completely tranquil the same ebullient laughing jovial man.

If left unchecked global change will create violent conflict torrential storms shrinking coastlines and irreversible catastrophe.

Every summer my husband and I pack our suitcases load our kids into the car and drive from tense crowded New York City to my family's cottage in Maine. It's on an island with stretches of sea and sandy beaches rocky coasts and pine trees. We barbecue swim lie around and try to do nothing.

It's a real roller-coaster ride if you're lucky to have longevity in this business - you have to be able to ride those waves.

I was always anti-marriage. I didn't understand monogamy. I couldn't figure out how that could last. And then I met Bryn and I started to understand the beauty of constancy and history and change and going on the roller coaster with someone - of having a partner in life.

Attitude is attitude whether you're a West Coast gangster or East Coast gangster you know?