We saw the integration of the female pilots in the Navy, in combat roles, and the resistance there in the beginning.

A lesson learned, both in the SEAL teams and as an entrepreneur, is that failure is sometimes a critical component of success.

Going through SEAL training taught me that it's OK to fall down three times, as long as you get up four. This is a good philosophy for most things in life.

I never shot much when I was a kid, but on the spotting scope, understanding the ballistics and the calculations, I'm a ten.

Growing up in a small town gives you two things: a sense of place and a feeling of self-consciousness - self-consciousness about one's education and exposure, both of which tend to be limited. On the other hand, limited possibilities also mean creating your own options.

Whether it's in Washington, or whether it's with the mothers of extremists, or whether it's education in places like Pakistan... a lot of women in these emerging countries are taking charge and doing amazing things.

My mom and dad were 'helicopter parents,' literally. Meaning, I didn't have a nanny, so I went up in the helicopter. My entire early childhood education consisted of tagging along while they reported on car accidents, multiple-alarm fires, and shootouts.

I see myself as, first and above all, a teacher of history; next, a writer of European history; next, a commentator on European affairs; next, a public intellectual voice within the American left; and only then an occasional, opportunistic participant in the pained American discussion of the Jewish matter.