Opera once was an important social instrument -- especially in Italy. With Rossini and Verdi people were listening to opera together and having the same catharsis with the same story, the same moral dilemmas. They were holding hands in the darkness. That has gone. Now perhaps they are holding hands watching television.

Marilyn Monroe quotes may surprise you. Generally regarded as a bubble headed blond, Marilyn's life was anything but lighthearted. She was remarkably realistic about the public's perception of her and candid about the burden of being one of the most sought-after women in the world. She aptly summed up her life with this erudite comment: "Hollywood is a place where they'll pay you a thousand dollars for a kiss and fifty cents for your soul." Marilyn Monroe quotes are witty and insightful, reflecting a sensitive and beautiful woman who truly lived her life like a candle in the wind.