"They tell you a year when they send you, then it's 400 days."

South Central District Judge Bruce Romanik's comment after returning from a stint with the 87th Legal Services Organization of the U.S. Army Reserve.

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"I have a ruler, notebooks, paper, folders, pipe cleaners, markers, a calculator and glue stick."

St. Mary's third-grader Anthony Vecchia, as he took part in a program that traded time spent reading for school supplies.

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"Do we get to use fire?"

St. Anne's fourth-grader Ian Brown, getting ready for a science experiment with the help of the University of Mary Math Science Association club.

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"We are seeing more and more people who are representing themselves or are struggling to find an attorney."

South Central District Judge Gail Haggerty, talking about the need for the new Domestic Relations Summary Proceeding in Burleigh County.

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"It was not something unique to the mill. It was a market failure that is now pretty well known, and is becoming pretty dramatically documented. The real question is now that you've figured that out, what are the serious recommendations that we need to consider to avoid finding ourselves back in this situation again."

North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Roger Johnson, addressing the $12 million loss by the State Mill and Elevator during the quarter that included the months of July, August and September.

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"Their shared information leads to a lot more entrepreneurship and creativity. … We need them for our workforce. We need them to be entrepreneurial."

Shane Goettle, head of the North Dakota Department of Commerce, speaking about the state's young people and how they are well-networked resource.

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"My patience is growing weary … and I just think there has to be a limit to how much of this sloppiness we're expected to tolerate and certainly how much the ratepayes are expected to tolerate."

Public Service Commissioner Kevin Cramer on Xcel Energy's billing problems.

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"We love working for nothing."

Harry Iszler, a retired farmer, talking about doing volunteer work for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department.