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By Syed M.Aslam
Aug 07 - 13, 2000

*** "ISN'T IT LIKELY that as with the other systems, democracy too will one day be recognised for the hardships and anarchy that it had caused: that it would be discredited and would eventually be rejected?"

(Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad expressing doubts about the future of democracy)

*** "IN THE CURRENT STATE OF AFFAIRS, anything said in favour of rapprochement or negotiations with America is an insult and betrayal of the Iranian people."

(Iranian spiritual leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei calling the US as being 'more vulnerable than ever' in a televised speech)

*** "WE ALREADY KNOW it is effective. What we are doing is confirming clinical results. We all know the answer."

(Director of a Canadian venture capital firm, York Medical, which supplied funds for clinical trials of a genetically engineered vaccine to cure cancer)

*** "WHEN INDUSTRIES are competing at equal price and functionality, design is the only difference that matters."

(President of Industrial Designers Society of America, Mark Dziersk, talking about the world's fascination about fine design, not only industrial but also items of everyday use)

*** "THERE ARE STILL too many losers hanging around the market instead of exiting it. Now we know where the exit is."

(Yoshifumi Suzuki, a Japanese analyst, commenting on the restructuring of conglomerate Japan Inc. for finally figuring out that shaky companies must fall if the wobbly economy is ever to rise again)

*** "YOU CAN MOVE your embassy to Jerusalem and send your diplomats there. But honest people can turn your embassy to rubble and send back your diplomats in coffins."

(Chief of Islamic resistance Hezbollah, Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, warning the US of dire consequences if it chooses to move its embassy to Jerusalem)

*** "I AM CONFIDENT of my intellect . . . My job will not be to out-think everybody in my administration. My job will be to assemble an administration full of very capable and bright people."

(US presidential hopeful George W. Bush asked if he is smart enough to be the President)

*** "THE DAYS WHEN they can march in with their colonial arrogance and treat Africa like some lawless frontier are over."

(Yussuf Saloojee of the South Africa-based National Council Against Smoking pressing African governments to launch criminal investigations against British American Tobacco of the UK. The Company's internal documents show that it benefited from smuggling and black marketing in Africa)

*** "I WANT TO KNOW how other countries in Europe can have a better standard of living, better public transport, better education and still keep their prices low."

(An anonymous supporter of 'Dump the pumps' campaign to protest high petrol prices by staying away from petrol pumps in Britain)

*** "I KEEP SAYING that if people want to live like Republicans they should vote Democrats . . . I bet butter won't melt in their mouths at the Republican National Convention."

(President Clinton chiding Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush and his vice presidential nominee Dick Cheney while lending support to Democrat presidential hopeful and his vice president, Al Gore)

*** "SUHARTO IS FIT enough to be brought to trial. Results of a comprehensive medical examination show that there are no obstacles."

(Indonesian Attorney General Marzuki Darusman reiterating that case of massive corruption against former strongman would soon be filed at Jakarta District Court)

*** "NOT BAD meaning bad, but bad meaning good."

(Carol Braham, the editor of 2000 edition of Webster's College Dictionary, talking of how words have changed in meaning and form during last decade. The dictionary includes 303 new words)

*** "RIGHT NOW you can find anything you want. You name it, even a machine gun, and it's out there waiting to be bought."

(Kristen Rand, director of pro-gun control group Violence Policy Centre which lobbies for tighter control over Internet for gun sales in the US. Some 4,000 web sites offer guns for sale)