“In my opinion, discrimination is never benign.”

— Rabbi James Mirel, testifying at a legislative hearing in Olympia in support of House Bill 1515, which would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation.

“Girls lost their cell phones. Keys got lost. It’s something I will never forget.”

— Cheerleader Cherish Cartee, describing the brawl that broke out during a girls basketball game at her high school in Prattville, Ala.

“It’s fun to shoot some people. I’ll be right upfront with you, I like brawling.”

— Lt. Gen. James Mattis, a career Marine officer, speaking to a forum in San Diego.

“My buddy was going to throw a brick, but I said, ‘Dude, there’s a toilet right there.’ “

— Cory Hovanec, explaining how he and a friend smashed a window so they could get into a house to help the truck driver whose rig had just smashed into the unoccupied building.

“It’s so big it’s easy to get lost in it.”

— Spokane firefighter Jerry Shaw, describing the new 12,000-square-foot Fire Station No. 4 at the Maple Street loop near Browne’s Addition.

“These aren’t for gay couples; this could be for two 80-year-old nuns that live together in Cottonwood, Idaho.”

— Idaho State Sen. Brad Little, R-Emmett, saying a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, rejected by the Idaho Legislature, would have risked unintended consequences.

“I just think there is $53,000 in flexibility somewhere in this budget.”

— Spokane City Councilwoman Mary Verner, following passage of a measure she proposed directing the mayor’s office to scour the 2005 budget for extra funding for social services.

“It’s like instant aging.”

— Psychology professor David Thayer of the University of Utah, where he conducted a study concluding that 18- to 25-year-old motorists who talk on cell phones while driving have reaction times comparable to those of a 70-year-old.

“There will be some acts of violence, but the terrorists now know that they cannot win.”

— Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, saying his country’s successful election sent a message to insurgents that they aren’t as influential as they thought.

“So many people here already have five-plus dogs.”

— Wendy Steever, founder of Howling Ridge Rescue in Tonasket, explaining one of the reasons her organization is having trouble finding homes for 80 abused and neglected dogs recently rescued from an Okanagon County property.