Perspectives

Feb. 13, 2006 issue - "America is addicted to oil." President George W. Bush, in his State of the Union Message, on reducing America's dependence on oil through the use of alternative energy sources

"This is defamation... and disinformation. The prophet of Islam did not found a terrorist religion." French Muslim Council head Dalil Boubakeur, on caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad published in European papers, one of which depicts him with a bomb-shaped turban. Thousands of Muslims have staged angry protests; some have called for vengeance against those who published the cartoons.

"I've got a messianic complex." U2 frontman Bono, on his motivation for giving a speech at the National Prayer Breakfast that asked President Bush and members of Congress to allocate an additional 1 percent of the U.S. budget to be spent on the world's poor

"Phil is incapable of error." Mike Johnston, one of 15 members of the Groundhog Club Inner Circle, on groundhog Punxsutawney Phil's seeing his shadow. According to legend, this means six more weeks of winter, which this year matches professional meteorologists' forecasts.

"I have lost my son. I have lost my First Amendment rights. I have lost the country that I love. Where did America go?" Antiwar protester Cindy Sheehan, in an open letter, on her arrest at the State of the Union address. Sheehan was taken by Capitol police for wearing a T shirt that said 2245 DEAD. HOW MANY MORE?

"I felt like some kind of prostitute or something." Comedian Dave Chappelle, on walking away from the $50 million contract he had signed with Comedy Central for "Chappelle's Show." He says he left the series in May because of stress and dwindling creative control—not because of drug abuse, as has been speculated.

"The Cult needs the world; the world needs the Cult." Ian Astbury, singer for the British rock band the Cult, on why the group is embarking on a tour after a four-year absence from the music scene

"It's a predator's dream come true, this Web site." Middletown, Conn., Police Sgt. Bill McKenna, on investigating reports that as many as seven Middletown girls, 12 to 16, have been sexually assaulted by men they met through the social-networking Web site MySpace.com. The site has tried to prevent abuse by including safety tips and prohibiting use by anyone younger than 14.

Reader Harry Monson of Riverside, Calif., submitted this quote:

"You've got to remember that common sense is not factored into the intelligence quotient." Greg Gabriel, who leads the Altadena Search and Rescue team, after police saved two dozen Caltech students who were stuck on Mount Wilson wearing tutus, Superman capes and other strange attire as part of a hazing stunt.

Quotation sources: New York Times, Reuters (3), ChicagoTribune.com, Associated Press, Livedaily.Com, Associated Press (2)

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