Quotables

"I'm dying."

Atheist author and cancer patient Christopher Hitchens in an interview with The Atlantic's Jeffrey Goldberg. He said that he remains an atheist and that if he ever has a deathbed conversion, that would only mean that the cancer had spread to his brain. He added, however, "Pray for me if you wish."

"He lived my fantasy. He is the Thelma and Louise of flight attendants."

Veteran flight attendant Sara Keagle, on JetBlue flight attendant Steven Slater, who, on Aug. 9, insulted an unruly passenger, announced over the intercom that he was quitting, grabbed a beer, deployed the plane's exit chute, and slid down the chute. Police later arrested Slater for reckless endangerment.

"I just want to get my nose back."

Aisha, an 18-year-old Afghan woman, on her decision to allow Time magazine to photograph and feature her face, mutilated by the Taliban in the last year, in its Aug. 9 issue. The Taliban tortured the young woman-now hidden in a women's shelter in Kabul until she can travel to the United States for surgery-after she fled her abusive husband.

"If we did that, my mom would kill me."

U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., saying he doesn't want to end Social Security. Ryan wants to raise the retirement age for younger Americans as part of his plan to stabilize Social Security.

"I have to get off the phone . . . I'm sorry, I'm talking with a police officer here."

U.S. Rep. Dan Lungren, R-Calif., as a police officer pulled him over on July 30 for speeding while he was on the air with KFBK Morning News.

"Democrats . . . I'm the guy that was raising money in Republican districts to get you here."

U.S. Rep. Charlie Rangel, D-N.Y., in a 30-minute speech on the House floor explaining that he will not resign in the face of ethics charges brought against him.