A little neglect may breed mischief: for want of a nail the shoe was lost; for want of a shoe the horse was lost; and for want of a horse the rider was lost.

by Benjamin Franklin
American Statesman, Author (1706-1790)

Nobody goes to that restaurant anymore, it's too crowded.

by Yogi Berra
Baseball Player, Coach

Our foreign policy has not changed... We share the same goal but may not always walk on the same path.

It won't take more than three lines to summarize my case, and let me say these three lines: One, I take sole responsibility. Two, I make no apologies. Three, I stuck to my oath.

This is not a tale about politics. It is about human survival and diaspora, about poverty and families being torn apart, and our will and resolve to bring food to every table.

And as Angelo comes home, I am not about to bare a bleeding heart to defend my position.

I trust that our allies will come to understand that the Philippines is in a special circumstance.

Ms Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo*
in a speech at the 106th founding anniversary
of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA)

It would be sheer hypocrisy if the administration will pretend that it's 'business as usual' in our dealings with the United States and we have nothing to worry about.

The advice of Congress becomes all the more necessary in the light of the plan of the United Nations to invite its member-states to help in forming an international peacekeeping force in Iraq that will supplant the troops belonging to the US-led coalition of the willing.

Sen. Aquilino Pimentel*

It is heartening to know that the government has adopted a foreign policy that will give importance to our OFWs, who have made valuable contributions to our country's progress.

Sen. Manuel Villar*

This is our duty... We are doing this to uphold the true voice of the people. We are not fighting for ourselves but for the truth.

Sen. Loren Legarda*
opposition Vice-Presidential candidate

We are glad that Mr. Poe and Ms Legarda chose only the legal and proper forum to contest the elections. We welcome their protest in the spirit and in the interest of fair play.

President's spokesperson Ignacio Bunye*

I think it's important to reassess the relationship because a commitment was broken.

Whatever the reasons, however good these reasons were, it is not just the United States but, frankly, the entire international community, even the ones who agreed with what the Philippines did, would be worried now that they'd never know when the Philippine government may back down on its word if a Filipino is endangered.

US Embassy Charge d'Affaires Joseph Mussomeli*
in an interview on GMA Network radio station dzBB

In effect, kidnappers were rewarded for kidnapping.

They were paid off. They made a demand, a political demand against the Philippine government, which the Philippine government, a sovereign government, decided that it had to meet.

US Secretary of State Colin Powell*
in Washington

No doubt these are dry runs for a terrorist attack.

by anonymous air marshal *

It's happening, and it's a sad state of affairs.

by anonymous pilot *

I've never been in a situation where I have felt that afraid.

The men were seated throughout the plane pretending to be strangers. Once airborne, they began congregating in groups of two or three, stood nearly the entire flight, and consecutively filed in and out of bathrooms at different intervals, raising concern among passengers and flight attendants.

One man took a McDonald's bag into the bathroom, then passed it off to another passenger upon returning to his seat. When the pilot announced the plane was cleared for landing and to fasten seat belts, seven men jumped up in unison and went to different bathrooms.

by Annie Jacobsen *
writer for Women's Wall Street Magazine

The FAMS (Federal Air Marshals Service) never broke their cover, but monitored.

Given the facts, they had no legal basis to take an enforcement action. But there was enough of a suspicious nature for the FAMS, passengers and crew to take notice.

by David Adams *
spokesman
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS),

After seeing 14 Middle Eastern men board separately (six together and eight individually) and then act as a group, watching their unusual glances, observing their bizarre bathroom activities, watching them congregate in small groups, knowing that the flight attendants and the pilots were seriously concerned and now knowing that federal air marshals were on board, I was officially terrified.

One by one, they went into the two lavatories, each spending about four minutes inside. Right in front of us, two men stood up against the emergency exit door, waiting for the lavatory to become available. The men spoke in Arabic among themselves ... one of the men took his camera into the lavatory. Another took his cell phone. Again, no one approached the men. Not one of the flight attendants asked them to sit down.

I absolutely empathize with the flight attendants. They are acting with no clear protocol.

by Annie Jacobsen *
writer for Women's Wall Street Magazine

We don't know if it was a dry run, that's why we are working together with intelligence and investigative agencies to help protect the homeland.

by David Adams *
spokesman
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS),

If 19 terrorists can learn to fly airplanes into buildings, couldn't 14 terrorists learn to play instruments?

by Annie Jacobsen *
writer for Women's Wall Street Magazine

I'm delighted, honoured and proud that the European Parliament has confirmed my appointment.

I know that most Portuguese people will be very proud today to have a Portuguese national as future president of the European Commission.

I will be a commision president for all Europeans, from the Mediterranean to the Baltic, from EU founding states to new entrants, from the poorest to the richest and from the smallest to the biggest.

I'd like to express my profound European conviction. I pledge to work for Europe, and to respect our common heritage.

In a Commission led by me there will be no first or second-class commissioners.

I see myself as someone who can build bridges.

Europe is not enough on its own. We need to bring out major partners with us. Among those major partners is the United States.

I shall defend the common European interest, and I shall not let Europe be treated as a second-rate power in any relationship.

José Manuel Durão Barroso*
Former portuguese PM, new European Comission president

"The serious humanitarian situation in Darfur, which has recently stirred up a public outcry, is a cause of great concern.

The Holy Father hopes that the voice of the people of Darfur will be heard and recognized, and that their fundamental human rights are respected.

Cardinal Angelo Sodano*
Vatican's Secretary of State