Quotables

Anybody who heard it thought it was a joke at first.

Amanda Pendleton, mother of a Yonkers, N.Y., fifth-grader, after the local school district ordered schools to remove holiday decorations with slogans that went beyond the generic "happy holidays" or "season's greetings."

I want my money back.

Philanthropist David Mugar on why he's considering a lawsuit against Boston University after the school reported that his $3 million gift to the university to renovate a library had been "lost" through poor accounting practices.

They look like a large, bald rat.

Florida veterinarian Mark Cunningham on black bears in northern Florida that are losing all of their hair because of skin mites. Biologists say the bears have no other health problems.

They don't have a lot of sentimental value anymore.

Joseph Turner, president of the Yell Crew football club for the University of Alabama, on more than 4,000 bobblehead dolls of former football coach Dennis Franchione. Mr. Franchione, breaking his promises, left Alabama this month to become the football coach at Texas A&M.

Thank God I have a messy brother.

Calista Endicott, whose brother, Robert Ward, was trapped in his car in subfreezing temperatures for more than six days after a crash. He survived by eating from a peanut butter jar and assorted food packets-such as Taco Bell "border" sauce-that he had left in his car.