Beyond Freud
"We're not going to allow it." — Nancy-Ann DeParle, administrator of the US Medicare program for the aged, on the disclosure that some medical centres were billing Medicare US$600-700 a day for psychiatric care that consisted of playing bingo and watching television.
Key
"If you are a member of parliament in a marginal seat, one of your key skills has got to be to raise money." — Ross Cameron, Liberal MP for Parramatta.
Bread and butter
"I did a lot of work for Pfizer over about 12 months ... I regard this as just the bread and butter of democracy ..." — Ross Cameron, explaining a large donation by pharmaceutical company Pfizer.
Go scrute yourself, Ross
"The Chinese are a much more inscrutable group." — Ross Cameron on the ethnic vote.
Market rules OK
"We have lovely houses and filthy streets and expensive televisions and lousy schools." — Economist John Kenneth Galbraith on the achievements of US capitalism.
Perish the thought
"One Nation's attitude towards citizens bearing arms demonstrates their lack of respect for our armed forces, and shows they have little confidence in the effectiveness of our police forces." — An Australian Democrats pamphlet attacking One Nation.
What's new?
"Time's right for predators" — Headline in the October 3-4 Financial Review.
Market tip: buy coffins
"The potential for our business in Australia is unlimited." — David Powell, chief executive of the Australian Cigar Club. Expensive cigars, and expensive clubs for those who smoke them, are reported popular with business people — perhaps on the theory that there'll be nothing left to live for when the market crashes.