Quotes

  • Funny,  Quotes

    Wholesome quotes for a Monday night


    Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.

    Every revolutionary idea seems to evoke three stages of reaction. They may be summed up by the phrases: (1) It’s completely impossible. (2) It’s possible, but it’s not worth doing. (3) I said it was a good idea all along.

    My favourite definition of ‘Intellectual’ is: ‘A person whose education surpasses their intelligence.’

    This is the first age that’s ever paid much attention to the future, which is a little ironic since we may not have one.

    If we have learned one thing from the history of invention and discovery, it is that, in the long run – and often in the short one – the most daring prophecies seem laughably conservative.

    The effects of technological innovations are typically overrated in the short run but underestimated in the long run.

    Arthur C. Clarke

    In democracy it’s your vote that counts; In feudalism it’s your count that votes.
    – Mogens Jallberg

    It was on my fifth birthday that Papa put his hand on my shoulder and said, ‘Remember, my son, if you ever need a helping hand, you’ll find one at the end of your arm.’
    – Sam Levenson

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  • Quotes

    Friday quotes

    JC Penney

    Give me a stock clerk with a goal and I’ll give you a man who will make history. Give me a man with no goals and I’ll give you a stock clerk.

    George Marshall

    Get the objective right; then a lieutenant could write the strategy

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  • Politics,  Quotes

    Update on local democracy

    Nick is correct on the primary system. From the AJC

    Anyone registered to vote as of June 19 may cast a ballot in the Aug. 8 runoff, regardless of whether they voted in the primary. But those who voted Tuesday in the Republican primary may vote only in Republican runoffs, and those who voted in the Democratic primary may vote only in the Democratic runoff.

    Unrelated quote of the moment

    “When we ask for advice, we are usually looking for an accomplice.”
    – Marquis de la Grange

  • Funny,  Quotes,  Weirdness

    My favorite famous last words

    From this page on WikiPedia loosely categorized by me:

    Toughest

    • “No! I didn’t come here to make a speech. I came here to die.”
      Who: Crawford Goldsby, aka Cherokee Bill, when asked if he had anything to say before he was hanged.
    • “Hey, fellas! How about this for a headline for tomorrow’s paper? ‘French Fries’!”
      Who: James French (No relation to your humble blogger).
      Notes: French, a convicted murderer, was sentenced to the electric chair. He shouted these words to members of the press who were to witness his execution.

    Ironic

    • “That’s very obvious..”
      Who: John F. Kennedy, responding to Mrs. Connolly’s comment, “Mr. President, you can’t say that Dallas doesn’t love you.”
    • “I think I’m going to make it!”
      Who: Richard Loeb, half of the famous murderers Leopold and Loeb; said after being slashed ninety times with a razor by a fellow inmate

    Funniest

    • “Why yes, A bulletproof vest”
      Who: Domonic Willard
      Notes: Willard was a small time foot soldier during the Prohibition just before his death by firing squad, he was asked if he had any last requests.
    • “Don’t let it end like this. Tell them I said something.”
      Who: Francisco (“Pancho”) Villa
    • “Now, now, my good man, this is no time for making enemies.”
      Who: Voltaire (attributed), when asked by a priest to renounce Satan

    Deadpan

    • “Already?”
      Who: Hangquin Zhou
    • “It’s stopped.”
      Who: Joseph Henry Green, upon checking his own pulse.

    Succinct & True

    • “To my friends: My work is done. Why wait?”
      Who: George Eastman, Inventor (in his suicide note)

    Odd and Worth Mentioning

    • “I see black light.”
      Who: Victor Hugo
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  • Economics,  Engineering,  Links,  Politics,  Quotes

    Saturday round up

    • Magnificent photography from Afghanistan
    • A guide to chopping foods
    • Race, Advertising and the Sony Playstation.
    • Big Brother mixes with the cast of Friends to create Dodgeball
    • An insightful post on Energy from the Winds of Change; it starts

      An optimist says the glass is half full, the pessimist says the glass is half empty and the engineer says the glass is the wrong size.

      Read the whole thing.

    • Some quite impressive numbers you’re not likely to hear about.

      In less than three years, the U.S. economic pie has expanded by $2.2 trillion, an output add-on that is roughly the same size as the total Chinese economy, and much larger than the total economic size of nations like India, Mexico, Ireland, and Belgium.

      I think Iraq is keeping the political class occupied, much like the Clinton scandals did in the late 90s, and saving us from grand new ideas.

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