In their words …

“I feel like every morning, I wake up, get a concrete block and have to walk around with it all day.”

– U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., on the toll the Iraq war is having on Congress.

“The downwinder issue will probably die, along with a lot of downwinders who will not get to tell their stories.”

– Shannon Rhodes, who lost a federal case in which she claimed radioactive fallout from the Hanford Nuclear Reservation caused her thyroid cancer.

“Those people find themselves, in fact, in a situation that presents a grave obstacle to a correct relationship with men and women. One cannot ignore the negative consequences that can stem from the ordination of people with deeply rooted homosexual tendencies.”

– Vatican document announcing a strict stand against gay candidates for the priesthood.

“As a former priest who left the church to marry and raise a family, I am sadly sympathetic to gay priests who may quit rather than put up with these absurd and unenforceable homophobic requirements for ordination.”

– John Kinkel, sociologist at Baker College in Michigan and author of “Chaos in the Catholic Church.”

“If I can help people focus on preparedness, how to be better prepared in their homes and better prepared in their businesses … then I hope I can help the country in some way.”

– Former FEMA head Michael Brown, who resigned after botching federal response to Hurricane Katrina, announcing his plans to open a consulting business.

“I’d love to see his brochure.”

– Wendythe7th, an e-mailer posting her response to Brown’s news on the World Views Daily News blog.

“I realize that I’ve let things go. I made some stupid mistakes. I regret them, but I think after a while, there’s nothing you can do.”

– Gail Schwartz, a Spokane lawyer on the verge of losing her law license due to client complaints, accepting partial blame for the situation.

“The legal system, from what I have seen of it so far, is not what it is supposed to be. There is very little justice, fairness and equality. If one can lie well, one can win. If one has funds, one can buy almost anything.”

– Gail Schwartz, placing partial blame on the legal system.

“Obviously, that was one of the greatest (games) I’ve, personally, ever been involved in.”

– Gonzaga University men’s basketball coach Mark Few, after the Zags’ triple overtime win against Michigan State in the semifinals at the Maui Invitational.