Friday, December 30, 2011

2011 in Quotes - The World, Part #2

 


May:

 "If you are really in this to prevent a humanitarian disaster, the only way you can really prevent it is to have Gaddafi not able to inflict [it]." -- US Senator John McCain, who called for "the full weight of US airpower" to assist anti-Gaddafi Libyan rebels.

 "In my last year and a half my oldest son is in federal prison, my ex-wife is suing me and I got cancer. It's kind of hard for the wife to say 'I'm depressed.' 'Depressed, huh? How about some cancer?' She's got to be stoic and deal with all the stuff I'm going through." -- Michael Douglas explains how his wife Catherine Zeta Jones let her depression build up into a crisis.

"I owe a lot to a cow." --Lobsang Sangay, newly elected political leader of Tibetans in exile, on how during his childhood in northern India his family sold one of its cows in order to pay his school fees.

 "Don can be a grumpy guy. We all know that." -- Condoleezza Rice, former US Secretary of State, responding to a question about former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld's criticism of her in his memoir.

"Tonight, I can report to the American people and to the world that the United States has conducted an operation that killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of al Qaeda, and a terrorist who's responsible for the murder of thousands of innocent men, women, and children." US President Barack Obama

"There is no doubt we have killed Osama bin Laden. The fact of the matter is you will not see bin Laden walking on this earth again." -- US President Barack Obama lays the conspiracy theories to rest.

"I have $9m left. It's a decent amount and I'm not looking for sympathy, but it isn't an awful lot for someone who has been at the top of his profession for 40 years." -- Comedian John Cleese after paying his third ex-wife $16m.


"The soldiers of Islam... will continue planning... until they cause the disaster that makes children look like the elderly." -- Al Queda, confirming the May 1 death of its leader Osama bin Laden and promising to "continue on the path of jihad".

"It is still the intention of the President, and it is still my intention, to close the facility that exists at Guantanamo." -- Eric Holder, US Attorney General, on whether Osama bin Laden's death would affect the administration's promise to shut down the detention camp.

"Graceland is safe. And we would charge hell with a water pistol to keep it that way, and I'd be willing to lead the charge." -- Bob Nations Jr., director of Shelby County Office of Preparedness in Tennessee. The swollen Mississippi River crested in Memphis at nearly 48 feet (15 meters) on May 10.

"Daddy, you're so handsome." --Dallas Wiens, first person in US to receive a full face transplant, recounting at press conference what his young daughter Scarlette told him when she laid eyes on him after his March operation.

"I do not believe for one second the accusations brought against my husband." -- Anne Sinclair, wife of IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn, arrested in New York City and charged with attempted rape of a hotel maid.

"Gaddafi ruled Libya through fear, and Libyans are losing that fear now." -- Luis Moreno-Ocampo, chief prosecutor of International Criminal Court, after requesting arrest warrants for Muammar Gaddafi, his son and brother-in-law for attacks against civilians.

"This is the start of an entirely new beginning for Ireland and Britain." -- Enda Kenny, Irish Prime Minister, on Queen Elizabeth II's four-day trip to Republic of Ireland. She is first British monarch to visit the nation in 100 years.

"You and this show have been the great love of my life. This last show is really about me saying thank you ... it is my love letter to you." -- Oprah Winfrey, during her last TV show.

 "Fifteen years ago, Ratko Mladic ordered the systematic execution of some 8,000 unarmed men and boys in Srebrencia. Today he is behind bars." -- US President Obama on capture of Bosnian war crimes suspect.

"I just killed a pig and a goat. I celebrated by drinking their blood naked at dawn." -- Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, who has made vow to only eat meat from animals he killed himself.

June:

"Football is not in a crisis. Football is in some difficulties and they will be solved inside our family." -- Sepp Blatter, FIFA president, on allegations that Qatar bought rights to host World Cup 2022.

"The education system hasn't caught up with our children and our way of life." -- Why actress Angelina Jolie home-schools her children.

"If you love your bluebells, kill your dog." -- Germaine Greer, author and academic, says dog-ness is killing woodland flowers.

"I love the smell of emissions." -- US Tea Party icon, Sarah Palin, lobbies for biker vote.

"A stag night? I've been having a stag night for the past 50 years." -- Playboy's Hugh Hefner, 85, saying he wouldn't be hitting the town before marrying Crystal Harris, 24. She later called off wedding.

"All of Dominique Strauss-Kahn's power, money and influence will not stop the truth of what he did to her in that hotel room from coming out." -- Kenneth Thompson, lawyer for maid allegedly assaulted by former IMF chief, who has pleaded not guilty.

"We welcome death. Martyrdom is a million times better." -- Col. Muammar Gadaffi, vowing never to surrender to NATO's air campaign. 

"The wedding is off. Crystal has had a change of heart." -- Playboy's Hugh Hefner, on cancellation of what would have been his third wedding. 

"Living in the Playboy Mansion is like living in a golden prison. It should be every girl's dream. But if you're not willing to do exactly what Hef says, it can become a nightmare." -- Kristina Shannon, friend of Crystal Harris. 

"The magic flute is broken. After 20 years, Italians have stopped following Berlusconi's music." -- Ezio Mauro, editor of La Repubblica, a left-leaning Italian newspaper, after referendum results dealt blow to scandal-plagued Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. 

"Kids who are under the impression that smoking is cool or glamorous will be confronted by a very different reality." -- Margaret Hamburg, US FDA commissioner, on the graphic warning labels that will be required on all cigarette packaging and advertising by October 2012. 

July: 

"Whitey was no fool. He knew he would get caught. I think he'll have more fun pulling all those skeletons out of the closet." -- Edward MacKenzie Jr., former enforcer for captured mob boss James "Whitey" Bulger, predicting that Bulger will disclose details about corrupt FBI agents. 

"There's not much left to say." -- Rod Blagojevich, former Illinois governor, following conviction on 17 counts of corruption, including trying to sell Senate seat formerly held by President Obama. 

"Grimm's Fairy Tales ... are grim indeed." -- Antonin Scalia, US Supreme Court Justice, in court's decision allowing sale of violent video games to minors. Scalia compares such games to gruesome fairy tales. 

"It means we are able to be called human beings with all the rights of everyone else." -- Debbie Strom, New York resident, celebrating state's legalization of same-sex marriage. She and her partner plan to marry. 

"Juries aren't supposed to make decisions based on public-opinion polls." -- Belvin Perry, judge for Casey Anthony criminal case, on the jury's unpopular decision to acquit Anthony of charges that she killed her daughter. 

"The News of the World is in the business of holding others to account. But it failed when it came to itself." -- James Murdoch, deputy chief operating officer for News Corp., on decision to close the British tabloid after a phone-hacking scandal. 

"I decided to give him a second chance, but the second chance didn't work." -- David Cameron, British Prime Minister, on his employing former News of the World editor Andy Coulson as his director of communications — a job he has since left. Coulson was arrested as the fallout from the tabloid's phone-hacking scandal continued. 

"Quite simply, we lost our way." -- News of the World, in editorial that ran in its final edition. The 168-year-old British tabloid closed in July in wake of phone-hacking scandal. 

Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home." -- J. K. Rowling, author of Harry Potter books, thanking fans at London premier of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, the eighth and final Potter film. 

"I admired her courage in facing and sharing her personal struggles with all of us." -- Nancy Reagan, on fellow First Lady Betty Ford, founder of eponymous addiction-treatment facility. 

"I am not part of the PlayStation generation." -- Prince Charles, admitting he is baffled by modern technology. 

"This is one of the most humble days of my life." -- Rupert Murdoch, chairman and CEO of News Corp, at parliamentary committee hearing on the British tabloid phone-hacking scandal. 

"This may bring my presidency down, but I will not yield on this." -- US President Obama, arguing for long-term debt extension - as opposed to short-term deal - which would prevent the US from defaulting when its debt limit is reached on August 2. 

I would rather have preferred a Ruger Mini 30, but I already own a 7.62 bolt rifle and it is likely that the police wouldn’t grant me a similar caliber. On the application form I stated: "hunting deer". Anders Behring Breivik, in his 1500-page manifesto. 

August: 

"This is no way to run the greatest country on Earth." -- President Barack Obama on the US budget crisis. 

"I'm going through a lot. I ask God: Why me: Why me?" -- Nafissatou Diallo, who accused Dominique Strauss-Kahn of rape. 

"It's not age that Hendrix, Jones, Joplin, Cobain and Amy have in common - it's drug abuse." -- Singer Billy Bragg. 

"I don't feel like his father. How could he just stand there and kill so many innocent people and just seem to think that what he did was OK? He should have taken his own life, too." -- Jens Breivik, father of Anders Breivik who carried out the Norwegian massacre. 

"The capital looks beautiful and I am honored to be at work tonight." -- Gabrielle Giffords, US Democratic Congresswoman from Arizona, in a tweet after casting her vote in favor of deal to raise federal debt limit. It was her first appearance in Congress since being shot in the head in January. 

"A sugarcoated Satan sandwich" -- Emanuel Cleaver, Democratic Congressman from Missouri and chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, on the debt limit deal. 

"He's a musical genius. It's like living with Picasso." -- Actress about her husband, Coldplay's Chris Martin. 

"There is no excuse for thuggery" -- Theresa May, British Home Secretary, promising to prosecute London rioters. 

"My friends and I have been coddled long enough by a billionaire friendly Congress." -- Warren Buffett, investor and the world's third richest person, proposing a higher tax rate for America's super-rich. 

"The end of the rats is near." -- Muammar Gaddafi, Libyan leader, urging supporters to continue their fight against rebel forces. 

"I am not sure I want to learn about gangs from an area of America that has 400 of them." -- Hugh Orde, head of Britain's Association of Chief Police Officers, on 'supercop' William Bratton's advisory visit to London after the city's riots. Bratton has been police chief in Boston, New York City and Los Angeles.

"You're safe. We could not afford not to make good on commitments. We are still the single best bet in the world in terms of where to invest." -- Joe Biden, US vice-president, assuring Chinese markets their American investments were safe. 

"It's over Frizzhead." -- Libyans mocking leader Muammar Gaddafi, who disappeared after rebels took control of most of capital Tripoli. 

"Dr. King belongs to the world." -- Lei Yixin, Chinese sculptor who carved 30 ft. statue of Martin Luther King at new memorial in Washington.

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