* “There is no pause, there is no hiatus in global warming.”–Michel Jarraud, secretary general of the World Meteorological Organization.
* “(It) could take off on its own, and redesign itself at an ever increasing rate. …(It) could spell the end of the human race.”–Physicist Stephen Hawking on what the rise of artificial intelligence could lead to.
* “He knows the Department of Defense inside and out, which means that on day one, he’s going to hit the ground running.”–President Barack Obama on the nomination of Ashton Carter as defense secretary.
* “The fact that we have sports start after the soap operas end is classic in Brazil.”–Mario Andrada, communications director for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics organizing committee, in acknowledging some concessions for later starting times for swimming and beach volleyball.
* “This is an American problem, and not just a black problem. It’s my job as president to help solve it.”–President Barack Obama, referencing the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner.
* “That this story (Eric Garner) has drawn bipartisan condemnation is what makes it feel like a tipping point. The fact that Michael Steele has been more blunt than Barack Obama thus far makes it seem as if liberals and conservatives are finally watching the same event, staring down the same problem, not opposing versions of it.”–Emily Badger, Washington Post.
* “Body cameras are one of the ways to create a real sense of transparency and accountability.”–New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, in announcing that some of New York’s police officers would begin wearing body cameras.
* “A bad day in America is a good day in the newsroom.”–Kathleen Parker, Washington Post.
* “When I saw this (jobs) report, I literally gasped. Over the last couple of months, I would say the American economy is reaching a real sweet spot. It’s exactly what we’ve been looking for and what we’ve been missing.”–TD Bank senior economist James Marple, on news that the U.S. economy added 321,000 jobs last month and remains on track for a year of job growth unseen since the late 1990s.
* “Day One of the Mars era.”–NASA Administrator Charles Bolden Jr., on the successful test of the Orion spacecraft.
* “For us who live in Florida, who experienced the eight-year Jeb Bush governorship, it’s almost laughable and maybe even hysterical for people who live outside of Florida to claim that he’s a moderate.”–Former House Speaker Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel.
* “This lawsuit is not about immigration, rather this lawsuit is about President Obama–yet again–overstepping the power granted to him by our U.S. Constitution.”–Attorney General Pam Bondi.
* “My cynical belief is that we tout Florida’s government in the sunshine but purposely keep the laws nebulous with little to no accountability or punishment for overlooking them, stalling them or downright ignoring them.”–Former Florida Republican legislator Paula Dockery.
* “There’s a lot of pent-up demand.”–Broward County Clerk Howard Forman, on the possibility that his Fort Lauderdale office might need to be ready for same-sex marriages on Jan. 6.
* “We think we’ve made great progress on the hockey side–we’re getting to world class, but we’re not there yet–and now we want to do the same thing on the real estate side.”–Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik.
* “Having a medical school and a really state-of-the-art research operation in a vibrant downtown area will be extraordinary. It makes my job in recruitment much easier.”–USF Morsani College of Medicine Dean Charles Lockwood, after USF trustees endorsed the relocation of the college of medicine to downtown Tampa.
* “We’re not at odds anymore. We’re going forward together and that’s a good thing.”–St. Petersburg City Council member Charlie Gerdes, on the stadium-search agreement negotiated between the Tampa Bay Rays and Mayor Rick Kriseman.
* “The more we can promote our community and reflect the diversity of our community, it provides economic advantages.”–Hillsborough County Commissioner Kevin Beckner.
* “I think it’s awesome. What’s very clear is the growth movement and exponential opportunity at USF, and at the same time, we have a new mall owner who is deeply committed to this region and to being part of what is happening.”–Former Hillsborough County Commissioner Mark Sharpe, in confirming that New York-based RD Management LLC is the new owner of University Mall.
* “What this is going to do is connect our community and connect our neighborhoods, from Seminole Heights to Hyde Park to downtown to Ybor City. This is a healthy, environmentally friendly way to get around this community.”–Mayor Bob Buckhorn, at the opening of Tampa’s new bike-sharing program
* “They just got about as quality a person and a coach as you’re ever going to find.”–Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona, on the choice of Kevin Cash as new Tampa Bay Rays manager.