Verbatim

'Gazprom cannot accept debt repayments in anything--be it pies, butter, cheese or other means of payment.'

DMITRI MEDVEDEV, Russian President, upon ordering the state-owned gas company to drastically reduce supplies to Belarus after it offered to pay a $200 million debt with machinery and equipment; Belarus responded by suspending Gazprom deliveries to Europe, claiming Russia owes it $260 million in transit fees

'The ball fell to me. Time kind of stopped. You can't miss from there.'

LANDON DONOVAN, U.S. soccer player, on scoring a goal in the final minutes to help the U.S. beat Algeria 1-0 and advance to the second round of the World Cup

'I feel safe here.'

ASHLIE SHEETS, a single mother of three and Missouri strip-club dancer, saying a new law banning nudity and alcohol in the state's adult cabarets could make it difficult for her family to survive; Governor Jay Nixon is reviewing the bill

'It's a war. I am part of the answer to the U.S. terrorizing the Muslim nations and the Muslim people.'

FAISAL SHAHZAD, a Pakistani-born U.S. citizen, pleading guilty to carrying out the failed May 1 Times Square car bombing

'Prosperity for all--that is our goal.'

GEORGE OSBORNE, British Chancellor of the Exchequer, unveiling an emergency budget that includes spending cuts totaling about $45 billion

'Ain't nobody selling records unless you Susan Boyle.'

T-PAIN, a rapper, complaining that album sales are so low that he does not believe it is worth releasing music anymore

'I think we can all conclude that Tony Hayward is not going to have a second career in p.r. consulting.'

RAHM EMANUEL, White House chief of staff, after photos were released that showed the BP CEO sailing on his yacht; Hayward canceled a speaking engagement at an oil conference days later, citing a "heavy workload"

TALKING HEADS

Eric Pape

Debunking, in the Daily Beast, the myth that keeps French women puffing away to prevent weight gain:

"Bringing down the death rate for smoking French women will surely require bringing more clarity to the legend of the slimming Slims ... For all of the women who use food fears as another excuse to not stop, the cruel irony is that many long-term female smokers tend to ultimately gain weight as a result of their habit."

--6/20/10

Hortense

Explaining on Jezebel.com the burgeoning backlash against Lady Gaga:

"Because America is essentially a giant high school, there is always a need for the country to fill the position of 'Most Popular.' The poor soul thrust into that position ... is first embraced and then loathed ... the resentment over being 'forced' to watch the adventures of a certain celebrity unfold begins to fester ... The initial fascination remains, even as it's buried under exasperation and annoyance."

--6/20/10

Thomas Sowell