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"Have you ever seen the United States take the blame for anything?" MEL LASTMAN, Toronto mayor, as U.S. and Canadian officials blamed one another for the massive loss of electrical power

"They have the best equipment and technology, and a power shortage can make such a big fuss in the United States. Now I am sure it will take them years to fix the electricity in Iraq." ALI SAGHBAL, a Baghdad power-station worker

"He's a known killer...He is no longer a problem." PRESIDENT BUSH, on the capture of Hambali, the suspected mastermind of the bombings in Bali and at Jakarta's JW Marriott hotel

"History will be kind to me. I have accepted this role as the sacrificial lamb." CHARLES G. TAYLOR, who resigned as President of Liberia, a precondition set by President Bush for permitting U.S. soldiers to become involved in peacekeeping efforts

"I don't accept the definition of a country in chaos. Most of this country is at peace." L. PAUL BREMER III, the top U.S. administrator in Iraq, defending the occupation of that country after being questioned by an Arab journalist who suggested Iraq is in chaos

"I say, 'Happy birthday,' a lot. I congratulate people at work for achieving employee-of-the-month." LORENZO LAMAS, former co-star of such TV shows as Falcon Crest, on his latest job, providing greetings on a website, HollywoodIsCalling.com, where B-list celebrities sell phone greetings to people willing to pay $19.95

Sources: New York Times; A.P.; Reuters; New York Times; New York Times; USA Today; Washington Post