The once-unthinkable loss of the AAA rating will constitute a further hit to already fragile business and consumer confidence.

The world is on a bumpy journey to a new destination and the New Normal.

Investors should invest on what they know. The biggest mistake is to invest on what they don't know.

Investors have to ask themselves two questions. How much can we grow our investments? And, can we afford our mistakes?

Most people are under exposed to global assets, including foreign stocks, bonds and currencies.

Investors should be cautiously positioned as the global economy and markets face major uncertainties. The downgrade will be a further headwind to growth and job creation in the U.S.

The one instrument that has relative political autonomy is monetary policy. Central banks do not need to go to Congress to get approval for an interest rate hike.

We normally think if you're going to lend someone money, you should get some reward for doing this. In Europe, it's a tax!

How long can interest rates stay negative? Think about this. Not only are you lending your money to governments, but you're paying them interest for the privilege of doing so.

Today's reports confirm that, unfortunately, post-crisis America is still not back to its good economic self.

As a whole, investors should welcome attempts to safeguard the integrity of markets. You need very clear rules applied to markets.

Fiction is very, very important, " he said, his voice is rising. "Storytelling is how people learn. You get people to understand new cultures and other lives through stories. Made-up stories. Fiction.

Answers were always important, but they were seldom easy.

Community service has become a patch for morality. You can devote your life to community service and be a total schmuck.

It is by your own that you have to learn a lesson and they by themselves so that they will blame you not.

If more than 10% of the people like a painting, you can be sure it's bad.

There is an eternal landscape, a geography of the soul; we search for its outline all our lives.

I like a canvas to breathe and be alive. Be alive is the point. And, as the limitations are something called pigment and canvas, let's see if I can do it.

I love color. I'm enjoying trying all different shades. Makeup isn't something I've worn a lot of in my life.

See the good in people and help them.

The soul speaks to you in feelings. Listen... follow [and] honour your feelings.