Loose cannons

Issue 

Low on cholesterol

"The Olympic games in Sydney has to be one of the easiest products in the world to sell. It's a lot easier than margarine." — Advertising executive Ian Elliot on a $30 million campaign to revive flagging interest in the 2000 Olympics.

Try Gore?

"We have to have something to say other than that Clinton is a bad guy, and right now we don't." — A pollster for the US Republicans on the party's unfavourable image in polls.

What? Not the stocks?

"A proposal to fine women who breastfeed in public will be debated at the [Queensland] Young Liberals' convention on the Gold Coast this weekend." — ABC news, January 14.

Reciprocal rubbish

"We don't have the room here to handle the garbage that's produced not just by New Yorkers, but by the 3 million more people that come here that utilise the place every day. So this is a reciprocal relationship." — New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, trying to overcome opposition to the dumping of New York rubbish in New Jersey and Virginia.

Specialists

"I see myself as an advocate for the forest industry. If greenies have concerns about the environment, they should go see Senator Hill." — Minister for forestry and conservation Wilson Tuckey.

Let the seller beware

"What the assets are worth and what the government gets may be two different things." — A spokesperson for Boral, a likely bidder if NSW electricity is privatised.

Technically competent

"Their credibility has taken some hits. But we do believe they are technically competent and capable of doing the critical work of the next few months." — Pauline Green, leader of the "socialist" bloc in the European parliament, on the group's decision to support members of the European Commission accused of corruption. (Their accuser was sacked.)

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