Declarations

Arson Arrest

“When I heard the name, I was blown away. He’s a good kid and it’s a bit sad to see his name dropped in the papers.”

—Ben Lombardi, neighbor of Anthony Baye, the man accused of a rash of arsons in Northampton, Mass. Fifteen fires were set within a 75-minute period in December, one of which claimed the life of two men. Baye faces life in prison if convicted.
Combating Distraction

Combating Distraction

“Just as groups like MADD changed attitudes about drunk driving, I believe FocusDriven can help raise awareness and change the way people think about distracted driving. Together, I hope we can put an end to this dangerous practice.”

—Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, announcing the creation of FocusDriven, a grassroots campaign modeled after Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), which aims to teach people about the dangers of driving while texting or talking on cell phones.
Lack of Restraint

Lack of Restraint

“Technology has come a long way, so we don’t know what the newest systems would entail. We need to look at all of those, bring the conversation back to the table and make some decisions.”

—Connecticut State Rep. Antonio Guerrera (D), who submitted legislation that would require school districts’ new buses to have seat belts and, possibly, to retrofit their fleets. Earlier this month, a bus accident claimed the life of Vikas Parikh, a 16-year-old from Guerrera’s district.Acting His AIGe

Acting His AIGe

“There are two types of birthdays – chronological and biological. Doctors tell me biologically I am 25 years younger.”

—Former AIG chief executive Maurice “Hank” Greenberg on turning 85. Greenberg, whose birthday is in May, said a daily lunch of salad and a strict no-meat, no-dairy diet at home keep him fighting fit.
Competitive Rivalry

Competitive Rivalry

“We welcome the competition; who wouldn’t?”

—Hank Watkins, president of Lloyd’s North America, commenting on a proposal to revive the New York Insurance Exchange. Watkins, who oversees the London-based market’s operations on this side of the Atlantic, said that Lloyd’s has discussed the proposal to reopen the New York Insurance Exchange with state regulators and would like to be included in working on the proposal in the future. Regulators had hoped to establish a working group of advisers for the exchange by February.