quote/unquote: happiness, Mike Nichols, jingles, indoor pollution that could kill ya

(Editor's Note: This is a continuing series that is compiled by Wilson in St. Louis, who once remarked, in one of his more memorable quotes, "The world is a fucked-up place.")

"A bit of insanity worthy of a better cause? A primitive and vulgar business? A bag of tricks manipulated by the owners? I'm one of those who believes that football (i.e. soccer) might be all that, but it is also much more: a feast for the eyes that watch and a joy for the body that plays it. A reporter once asked the German theologian Dorothee Solee, 'How would you explain to a child what happiness is? 'I wouldn't explain it,' she answered. 'I'd toss him a ball and let him play.' "
-------- by Edward Galeano of Uruguay, from "Football in Sun and Shadow" (1998)

“The greatest thrill is that moment when a thousand people are sitting in the dark, looking at the same scene, and they are all apprehending something that has not been spoken. That’s the thrill of it, the miracle — that’s what holds us to movies forever. It’s what we wish we could do in real life. We all see something and understand it together, and nobody has to say a word. There’s a good reason that the very best sound an audience can make — in both the theater and the movies — is no sound at all, just absolute silence.”
--Director Mike Nichols, NY Times, april 12, '09
"'Five Dollar Foot-long' is one of the best songs. That's a hot song. You've got the FreeCreditReport.com, and then 'Five Dollar Foot-long' comes on. When 'Five Dollar Foot-long' comes on, they should play that in the club. They should play all those in the club."
-- The Rockets' Ron Artest, after game six of the play-offs, talking about ad jingles

"So much for home sweet home. When it comes to air quality, you're better off wandering the fume-filled streets of any major city than sitting at home....most indoor air pollution comes from sources inside the building. Nearly everything we use sheds particles or gives off gases, particularly when it's new. The stuff and staples of daily life -- carpets, upholstery, manufactured wood products, electronic devices, cleaning supplies -- emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs). VOCs are liquid or solid substances that turn into or emit gases at room temperature (a process known as off-gassing). They are the most common type of gases found indoors. Adverse health effects can include eye, nose and throat irritation, headaches, loss of coordination, nausea, and damage to the liver, kidneys, and central nervous system. Some are known or suspected carcinogens. We spend 90 percent of our time indoors, according to the EPA."
---------"Breathing Queasy" by Laura Sevier, from the Ecologist, (Nov. 2008)