Basically, I have been compelled by curiosity.

I never felt interpretation was my job.

I dug things up. I was curious. I liked to draw what I found.

I got too old to live in the bush. You really need to be youngish and healthy, so it seemed stupid to keep going.

My father was the youngest of six brothers, and he was the brains. I never thought he was making what he should have. He had to split it with five brothers. So I made up my mind: I was going to go on my own and make my own money.

There's a small group of guys in hip-hop that really have money. The whole culture talks about money, but it's a small group that actually has it.

I don't want euro bonds that serve to mutualize the entire debt of the countries in the euro zone. That can only work in the longer-term. I want euro bonds to be used to finance targeted investments in future-oriented growth projects. It isn't the same thing. Let's call them 'project bonds' instead of euro bonds.

I represent Staten Island and Brooklyn, and not just that the financial services industry is important to the U.S., but is disproportionately important to New York City.