I almost had a nervous breakdown.

Doris Bellerose of Dracut, Mass., on mistakenly receiving a $3.9 million water bill last week.

I'm not truly embarrassed that, you know, President Bush is from my state.

Dixie Chicks lead singer Natalie Maines, who six weeks ago said the exact opposite during a concert in London. In a television interview last week, Ms. Maines said she felt "regret" for her choice of words in attempting to ad-lib some anti-war commentary. The Chicks burnished their anti-embarrassment initiative by appearing without clothing on the cover of Entertainment Weekly.

It's a veritable chromatic coup d'etat.

Alfonso Pecoraro Scanio, leader of Italy's Green Party, after the Italian government updated the country's centuries-old "tricolore" flag with sharper colors. Mr. Scanio has called for a national referendum to decide on the flag's "true colors."

Who would know better than me?

Pop singer Madonna on Americans being obsessed with the "wrong values" such as becoming rich and looking good.

Underground money, palaces everywhere, people starving. I don't know how I am feeling. It is so wrong.

Ahmed Alenezi, a member of the U.S.-trained Free Iraqi Forces who grew up in Basrah, emigrated to Portland, Ore., after the 1991 Gulf War, and returned to Iraq this month as an Army translator and guide.