Verbatim

‘That’s sort of the best thing I ever did.’

DICK CHENEY, on Dennis Miller’s radio show, recalling the 2004 incident in which he told Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy to “go f___ yourself” after a heated debate on the Senate floor

‘I think the outcome would be much as when Christopher Columbus first landed in America, which didn’t turn out very well for the Native Americans.’

STEPHEN HAWKING, British physicist, in a new Discovery Channel documentary series, hypothesizing the consequences of aliens visiting Earth

‘Don’t attack my dog, or you might get shot … if you’re a coyote.’

RICK PERRY, Texas governor, on a February incident in which he used a laser-sighted pistol he sometimes carries while jogging to kill a coyote that was threatening his puppy

‘Riverdale has always been a safe world for everyone.’

JON GOLDWATER, co-CEO of Archie Comics, on plans to introduce Kevin Keller, an openly gay character, in a September issue

‘Planes have to put up with sandstorms in Africa. The engines are designed to put up with a lot more than existed.’

RICHARD BRANSON, saying it was unnecessary to cancel 100,000 European flights simply because of airborne volcanic ash

‘We must find another way to make North Korea suffer–perhaps through the United Nations.’

YEO YON-OK, a South Korean fish merchant, on his preferred means of retribution should it be proved that North Korea is responsible for the March sinking of a South Korean warship

‘Comandante Chávez is going to open his Twitter account soon to wage the battle online.’

DIOSDADO CABELLO, a Venezuelan official, hours before the country’s President, Hugo Chávez, tweeted, “We will be victorious!!”

TALKING HEADS

Simon Ramo

On human space exploration, in the Los Angeles Times:

“It appears increasingly doubtful that an astronaut could accomplish something useful on Mars not already being done by robots at far less cost and with little danger to humans … There are probably better ways to spend money, such as providing good education for all, speeding up medical research to cure fatal diseases … We should be willing even to consider that the entire humans-in-space idea may now be out of date.”

–4/26/10

Rick Ungar

Writing at True/Slant about the police raid of a blogger’s home following his company’s purchase of a lost iPhone prototype:

“There is a good chance that had Gawker simply taken a good look at the iPhone 4, reported on their findings and gave the phone back to barstool guy, they would be in the clear. But … they bought the device for $5,000, making them potentially guilty of purchasing illegally obtained property.”

–4/26/10

Ayaan Hirsi Ali

Writing in the Wall Street Journal about threats against those who depict the prophet Muhammad:

“With over a billion and a half people calling Muhammad their moral guide, it is imperative that we examine … the notion that those who depict his image or criticize his teachings should be punished. In South Park, this tyrannical rule is cleverly needled when Tom Cruise asks the question: How come Muhammad is the only celebrity protected from ridicule? Now we know why.”

–4/27/10

For daily sound bites, visit time.com/quotes

Sources: Think Progress; Times of London; AP; Archiecomics.com AP; New York Times; Bloomberg