* “Putin’s main interest is to project an image of Russia as a great and essential global power. That’s what the Sochi Olympics were all about. He spent $50 billion on that PR spectacle–an investment thoroughly nullified by his maladroit move on Crimea: another sign that Putin is not as brilliant as the Cold Warriors think.”–Fred Kaplan, author and the Edward R. Murrow press fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.
* “Kosovo is very much a legitimate (Crimea) precedent. Independence was accomplished despite strong opposition by a legitimate, democratic and basically Western-oriented government of Serbia.”–Dimitri K. Simes, president of the Washington-based Center for the National Interest.
* “Cuba is disposed to discussing, on a basis of equality, sovereignty and mutual respect, whatever matter including those of human rights, about which it has many concerns over what is happening in various European countries.”–Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez, in formally accepting a European Union invitation to being talks on improving ties.
*We own about 90 percent of the problems facing the country in terms of issues arising. My concern, with a shrinking budget, is whether or not the services have what they need to provide trained and ready forces in a timely fashion.”–Army Gen. Lloyd Austin III, commander of U.S. Central Command at MacDill AFB, in a presentation to the House Armed Services Committee.
* “If you’re poor, stop being poor.”–Fox Business commentator and NYSE Euronext Managing Director Todd Wilemon.
* “If the Republicans win the Senate, they’ll get in and find out they can’t pass legislation either. Then they’ll look bad just in time to help make a Democratic presidential candidate look good.”–Maureen Dowd, New York Times.
* “I’m a guy with a healthy ego. But every time my ego gets a little out of control my wife reminds me that John McCain considered me and Sarah Palin for vice president and decided Sarah was more qualified.”–Charlie Crist, at last Saturday’s Gridiron Club and Foundation dinner in Washington.
* “Every Republican likes to think that he or she is the next Ronald Reagan.”–Ann Coulter.
* “Yet for all we have achieved together, this remains the great unfinished business of the 21st century.”–Hillary Clinton, at a U.N. forum on International Women’s Day, on the goal of equality for women and girls.
* “With all the bad weather we’ve had back home and all the potholes, we ought to have the revenue go to infrastructure: ‘pot for potholes.'”–Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee, on potential uses for revenue from legalized marijuana.
* “It’s been eight months since I last wrote about medical marijuana, apologizing for having not dug deeply into the beneficial effects of this plant and for writing articles dismissing its potential. I apologized for my own role in previously misleading people… .”–Neurosurgeon Sanjay Gupta, CNN chief medical correspondent.
* “It’s our most expensive source. We’re running it right now for the dry season, and we’ll turn it off during the summer rains when we don’t need it. We rotate it in as needed for the dry season.”–Brandon Moore, spokesman for Tampa Bay Water, the region’s main water supplier, on the role of its desalination plant.
* “I love it down here. I love owning the team, and it seems like I’m buying more real estate than I’m selling, so I guess I’m committed.”–Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik
* “We have no plans to get rid of the red-light camera program. They are changing behavior and keeping our roads safer.”–Tampa city spokeswoman Ali Glisson.
* “The ad valorem property tax rebound usually lags a year to two behind. Most of the projects that are coming out of the ground now have not (received certificates of occupancy), so we’re not collecting taxes yet.”–Mayor Bob Buckhorn, on why the 2015 budget will probably include a shortfall between $10 million and $15 million.
* “The fact that we need bigger libraries and that we need expanded services shows that we’re still as relevant today as 100 years ago.”–Margaret Rials, a chief librarian with the Hillsborough County Library Cooperative.
* “No one entity has overriding authority. We need to be working more collaboratively.”–Hillsborough County Commissioner Mark Sharpe, on the county’s fragmented transportation agencies.
* “The bottom line is that the aquarium is not going to be a losing proposition.”–Clearwater Mayor George Cretekos, on results of a study projecting the Clearwater Marine Aquarium drawing more than 1.2 million visitors annually.
* “I love the new (Bucs’) uniform. It’s fresh, it’s cool. It’s a lot sexier. The old one looked like a T-shirt.”–Michael Costello, the designer of Beyonce’s Grammy dress.