Verbatim

"I called my kids in Raleigh, and they were in tears this morning. I told them the fireplace is still there. As long as it's there, we can build around it." PAT BOYETTE, resident of coastal North Carolina, whose house was destroyed when Hurricane Isabel roared through

"My vision is to make the most diverse state on earth, and we have people from every planet on the earth in this state." GRAY DAVIS, California Governor, at a press conference

"Terrorism is the worst kind of violence, so we have to check it, we have to take countermeasures." THE DALAI LAMA, exiled Tibetan spiritual leader and one of the world's leading nonviolence advocates, suggesting that terrorism might require a violent response

"Mr. Arafat has failed as a leader." GEORGE W. BUSH, scolding Palestinian President Yasser Arafat for failing to stop attacks against Israel and forcing the resignation of Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas

"He's the classic Horatio Alger story. Unfortunately, he was like Horatio Alger on steroids." JOHN C. COFFEE, Columbia University securities-law professor, describing the blue-collar background and $139.5 million pay package and other benefits of ex--New York Stock Exchange chairman Richard Grasso, who resigned amid anger over his compensation

"Osama bin Laden is the only one who knows exactly what I'm going through." R. KELLY, hip-hop star awaiting a child-pornography trial in Illinois, complaining about the criticism he has received from people who "don't even know" him

"How much does it take to save the WUSA? I am having a bake sale." JACQUELINE TIERNEY, 11-year-old soccer fan, in an e-mail to U.S. World Cup captain and San Diego Spirit star Julie Foudy, after it was announced that the professional Women's United Soccer Association would fold

Sources: Washington Post; USA Today; San Francisco Chronicle; New York Times; Washington Post; Blender; WUSA Players Association