Over this August district work period, like many of my colleagues, I spent a lot of time with the men and women in uniform from my home State. The 196th Field Artillery Brigade just got back from a year in Afghanistan.

Before I begin talking about the threats we face, the vulnerabilities that we have, and frankly the courage of the men and women in uniform that stand in harm's way on behalf of a very grateful Nation, let me first honor the sacrifices of September 11.

I much prefer being a man. Women have to spend so much time pulling themselves together, and their shoes kill your feet.

If men knew all that women think, they would be twenty times more audacious

Men become much more attractive when they start looking older. But it doesn't do much for women, though we do have an advantage: make-up.

How different the reasoning is that men adopt when they are discussing the cases of men and those of women