Kujawa, Pustilniks, Smithee, Randel, McClung, Armstrong, and Hodges

Michael Ray Kujawa, the owner of a lioness named Shackle, telling the Austin American-Statesman how she behaved around a group of Hurricane Ike refugees in a church during that storm: "They worked pretty well together, actually. When you have to swim, the lion doesn't care about eating nobody."

Galveston County medical examiner Stephen Pustilniks, quoted by the Associated Press on the relatively small death toll from Hurricane Ike: "We don't know what's out there in the wilds. Searchers weren't looking for bodies; they were looking for survivors."

Rep. John Smithee, R-Amarillo, quoted in the Houston Chronicle on the condition of the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association, where claims are expected to outrun reserves by a two-to-one ratio: "TWIA is wiped out. It's naked."

Karla Randel, a resident who's house was damaged when Ike knocked over some large trees, in the Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel: "I wanted to redo the bathroom anyway."

Democratic consultant Dan McClung, telling the Houston Chronicle how the Hurricane might affect the elections: "I just always presume that the Republicans have the higher ground because it's the most expensive."

Cyclist Lance Armstrong, talking about his political future in Men's Journal: "You could argue that you're far more effective as a Texas governor than a senator. Plus I don't want to be in DC half the year because of my kids. I don't know what's going to happen with all this, I reckon I really don't. I do have a hunch."

Clay Hodges, general manager of Cash Special Utility District, explaining to WFAA-TV how a Rockwall County home burned down because the fire hydrants had been turned off since just after 9/11: "These hydrants need to be cut off in a way to prevent vandalism or any kind of terrorist activity, including something in the water lines."