It also strikes me that male-to-male bonding can create a gender role conflict, as it challenges the myth of full independence. Heroism is an exception. In fact, heroism has a long tradition as part of manhood. Bonds formed through natural disaster or war are exceptions to the typical “self-reliance” rules. These are op-portunities for men to experience a type of connection with each other that is ordinarily prohibited by the “rules” of manhood.

I see murky visions of other gods and rival magic."That REALLY didn't sound good."What do you mean?" I asked. "what OTHER GODS?""I don't know, Sadie. But Egypt has always faced challenges from outside –– magicians from elsewhere, even gods from elsewhere. Just be vigilant."~Ruby & Sadie Kane about...? Possibly Greeks?

“Sometime I'm going to do an essay called 'The Virtues of Amateurism' for all of those people who wish they earned their living in the arts. The market kills more artistic people than anything else. It's a world of safety out there, for most people. They want safety, the magazines and manufacturers give them safety, give them homogeneity, give them the familiar and comfortable, don't challenge them.”

“The election of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger as pope is an enormous disappointment for all those who hoped for a reformist and pastoral pope. ... But we must wait and see, for experience shows that the papacy in the Catholic Church today is such a challenge that it can change anyone: Someone who went into the conclave a progressive cardinal can emerge as a conservative pope. ... Someone who went into the conclave a conservative cardinal can emerge as a progressive pope.”

“School districts throughout the state are using the tort fund to balance their budgets because they can secretly, without voter approval, impose a virtually unlimited tax. This is a widespread practice throughout the State of Illinois. The Stephenson County cases are the first cases in the State of Illinois to successfully challenge the illegal use of the tort fund to pay salaries. [So far] the taxpayers [have] won the majority of the issues that were before the court.”

“Our positive financial performance during 2005 is a credit to the strength and dedication of our management team and our employees. During a year that included some attendance challenges, we were able to control our costs and increase our revenue-per-guest so that we actually grew our operating income. We are a stronger business today because of the work we did during 2005.”

“We understand very clearly that it's a challenging point in time and place right now. We have lost our loved ones. We have lost some of our communities, our jobs, our homes. It's a hard time for us. But we have to rebuild. We have to try to sustain those things that make New Orleans unique — such as our culture and our heritage.”

“Even though the college man raises no more wheat than his neighbor, he will have more satisfaction raising it. He will know why he turns the clod; he will challenge the worm that burrows in the furrow; his eyes will follow the field mouse that scuds under the grass; he will see the wild fowl winging its way across the heaven. All these things will add to the meaning of life and they are his.”

“If I feel just as confident in Japan, and if my natural pace enables me to challenge for victory, then I will go for it. If I see that keeping up with the leader - or leaders - means that I have to take excessive risks, then I will concentrate on the championship and try to wrap it up in Japan. It will be nice to be able to go to Corsica with a free mind. The Tour of Corsica is one of the rallies I really do want to win!”

“It's been certainly more than a job, it's been giving me a charmed life, ... If I could've dreamt what the outcome of my career would've been when I'd auditioned 20 years ago, you know, I would have never believed it. It's just given me the greatest blessings and gifts and rewards and challenges. It's really been quite a trip.”