'I'm quite happy there is a man in the world who can overcome my record, finally.'
1. LARISA LATYNINA, former Soviet gymnast, whose 18 Olympic medals were the most won by any athlete for 48 years--until U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps won his 19th medal on July 31
'Well, we've spent 9.3 billion on it, so I guess we better go and watch now.'
2. RON COOPER, a British boxing legend (and 1948 Olympian) who carried the Olympic torch, speaking before the opening ceremonies
'That was a mistake.'
3. DICK CHENEY, former U.S. Vice President, on John McCain's choosing a running mate, Sarah Palin, who was not "ready to take over"--a blunder he warned Mitt Romney not to repeat
'This is right for so many reasons. We're in for $2.5 million.'
4. JEFF BEZOS, CEO of Amazon, pledging to help pass a same-sex-marriage referendum in Washington State, days before the Democratic Party voted to add marriage equality as a plank in its platform
'Believe me, it will be enough.'
5. MARIO DRAGHI, president of the European Central Bank, vowing that the ECB would do everything in its power to save the euro
$650 MILLION
Estimated loss in U.S. productivity, thanks to people watching the Olympics at work
24.6%
Unemployment rate in Spain, a record high for the country
$172,000
Auction price of a Chewbacca headpiece used in the original Star Wars trilogy
72%
Percentage drop in cocaine production in Colombia in the past decade due to joint drug-fighting efforts by the U.S. and Colombia
Sources: USA Today; Washington Post; ABC; New York Times; Reuters