Quotables

"It is grim, but where there's life there's hope."

British clinical toxicologist Jon Henry on the condition last week of Alexander Litvinenko. The former Soviet KGB agent, now a British citizen, was poisoned while investigating the death of a Russian journalist. Russian officials denied any involvement in the poisoning.

"The problem is that he's not a Don Quixote."

Oscar Aguilar, political science professor at the Ibero-american University, on Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's launching of a parallel Mexican government last week, complete with a "swearing in" ceremony attended by thousands, after his narrow presidential election loss. Aguilar said Obrador's moves could threaten Mexican stability.

"It was just shocking and horrific."

Rebecca Musser, testifying at the trial of Warren Jeffs, leader of the polygamist Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, on the arranged marriage of her 14-year-old sister to a 19-year-old cousin. Jeffs is on trial as an accomplice to rape for forcing the girl, despite her vehement opposition, to marry the man. Musser is a former member of the church.

"I'm a man, and I don't want to be paying alimony to a man."

Lawrence Roach of Seminole, Fla., who argues that he should not have to pay alimony to his ex-wife now that she has undergone a sex change.