THAT REALLY MADE ME MAD - WHATEVER IT WAS
"The sudden evaporation of meaningful prices for many major exchange-listed stocks in the middle of a trading day is unacceptable, and clearly contrary to the vital policy objective of maintaining fair and orderly financial markets."
- SEC Chair Mary Schapiro assures a U.S. Congressional hearing that she's deeply concerned about last week's high-speed stock market nosedive - even though she still hasn't found an explanation for it.
THE PRICE OF A CONDO IN BOCA?
"What gives the bond markets their ruthless character is, you could argue, the ruthless determination of millions of middle class retirees to buy a cottage in the country, a Labrador and globetrot like grey nomads the archaeological wonders of the world."
- Paul Mason, economics editor of BBC television current affairs show Newsnight, argues that the cruel, heartless bond markets that threatened to topple Greece are driven by the people who manage our pension money - and we'd rather they didn't lose it.
MAYBE WE'LL KEEP IT ON FILE - JUST IN CASE
"If there's an obituary about the National Post … it can probably be thrown away."
- Veteran newspaper executive Paul Godfrey, front man for the group that this week won the auction for bankrupt CanWest Global's newspaper division, says there will changes in the nationwide chain - but shutting down the money-losing National Post probably won't be among them.
OH, YEAH, AND PLUGGING THE WELL - THAT MIGHT HELP, TOO
"We will only win this if we can win the hearts and minds of the local community."
- BP PLC chief executive Tony Hayward on his willingness to make himself available round-the-clock to address the concerns of local officials, politicians and media - not to mention his own board - over BP's massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
ADDING NEW DIMENSION TO THE D-CUP
"What would people most like to see in 3-D? Probably a naked lady."
- Playboy Enterprises Inc. founder Hugh Hefner explains the famed girlie magazine's simple logic in publishing its Playmate of the Year centerfold in 3-D - complete with readers' very own pair of silly glasses.
David Parkinson