Declarations

Japanese Suicide

“The first thing that would make me feel a little bit better toward them (is) if they’d follow the Japanese example and come before the American people and take that deep bow and say, I’m sorry, and then either do one of two things: resign or go commit suicide.”

—U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley, R.-Iowa, the top Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, on Cedar Rapids radio station WMT speaking about AIG and other large firms in the middle of the economic crisis.

Record Flooding

“We are looking at a situation with all the ingredients for near record flooding in the upper Midwest. Sudden snowpack melts due to warm temperatures or a heavy rain could further complicate the flooding on the northern plains.”

—Jack Hayes, director of the National Weather Service the weekend before heavy flooding began in the upper Midwest. The threat in this area was so great that the National Weather Service created a new category — “High Risk” —to distinguish it from the existing “Above Average” category for flooding potential.

Drain Supply

“The law passed just a year ago and is placing a huge strain on the industry. There are not a lot of companies making these drain covers but there are a lot of people wanting them.”

—Rob Gilchrist, aquatics coordinator with the Bloomington, Ill., Parks and Recreation Department, who is frustrated by the short amount of time given for pools, spas and whirlpools to comply with a new federal law requiring them to be fitted with special drain covers to prevent children from drowning or sustaining gruesome injuries.

Assurance on AIG

“State insurance regulators have been actively involved in the AIG situation to help ensure that consumers remain protected. Regardless of the failings at AIG’s holding-company level, its insurance subsidiaries have continued to fulfill their obligations to policyholders.”

—Therese M. (Terri) Vaughan, chief executive of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), and former Iowa insurance commissioner, in response to media coverage of AIG.

Firefighters’ Support

“The fire professionals across the state of North Dakota are in full support of this bill.”

—Sen. David Hogue, R-Minot, after the North Dakota Senate approved a measure that says North Dakota tobacco merchants may sell only “reduced ignition” cigarettes after August 2010. At least 38 states have already approved similar measures. North Dakota fire statistics indicate at least 30 fires were started each year by neglected cigarettes in 2005, 2006 and 2007; 11 people died in those fires. The bill is HB 1368.

Topics Flood AIG