Si vis pacem, para
bellum.
-- motto of the Deutsche Waffen und Munitionsfabriken,
early producer of the cartridge invented in 1902 by Georg Luger,
the 9mm Luger, or "parabellum"Natura non facit saltum. . . . Nothing
at first can appear more difficult to believe than that the more complex
organs and instincts should have been perfected, not by means superior
to, though analagous with, human reason, but by the accumulation of
innumerable slight variations, each good for the individual possessor.
- - - Charles Darwin
Shake off all the fears of servile prejudices, under which weak minds
are servilely crouched.
Fix reason firmly in her seat, and call on her tribunal for every fact,
every opinion.
Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because if there be
one, he must more approve of the homage of reason than that of blind
fear.
- - Thomas Jefferson
The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are
injurious to others.
But it does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or
no God.
It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.
-- Thomas Jefferson; Notes on the State of Virginia, Query 17, 1781
I have sworn upon the altar of God, eternal hostility against every form
of tyranny over the mind of man.
-- Thomas Jefferson; Letter to Benjamin Rush, September 23, 1800
that many guilty persons should escape unpunished, than one innocent
person should suffer
-- John Adams, in his closing argument before the jury,
successfully defending the soldiers of the badly named "Boston massacre"
It is now no more that toleration is spoken of as if it were the
indulgence of one class of people that another enjoyed the exercise of
their inherent natural rights, for, happily, the Government of the
United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no
assistance, requires only that they who live under its protection should
demean themselves as good citizens in giving it on all occasions their
effectual support.
-- Geo. Washington, letter "to the Hebrew congregation of
Providence, Rhode Island", 1790
Virtue is more to be feared than vice, because its excesses are not
subject to the regulation of conscience.
- - Adam Smith (Author of The Wealth of Nations)
The world is comprised, it seems, of two kinds of people: Those who
are born to lead, and those who are born dumb enough to follow.
- - - Sharon Randall
Tho' much is taken, much abides; and
tho'
We are not now that strength which in the old days
Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are;
One equal-temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.'
- - Ulysses, Alfred, Lord Tennyson
Me - kiss a toad to break the spell on a Princess? Never!
Princesses are a dime a dozen; but, a talking toad, now that's really
something.
Life is not user friendly.
Ultimately, humanity is one, and this small planet is our only home.
-- the Dalai Lama
Annoy a conservative; think for yourself.
Widow - toughest job in the Army
Congress consists of one-third, more or less, scoundrels; two-thirds,
more or less, idiots; and three-thirds, more or less, poltroons.
- H.L. Mencken
"The presence of those seeking the truth is infinitely to be
preferred to the presence of those who think they've found it."
-- Terry Pratchett
"If there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation, it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion or force citizens to confess by word or act their faith therein.
We think the action of the local authorities in compelling the flag salute and pledge transcends constitutional limitations on their power and invades the sphere of intellect and spirit which it is the purpose of the First Amendment to our Constitution to reserve from all official control."
- Justice Jackson, West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette,
319 U.S. 624 (1943)(children refusing to salute were expelled and declared delinquent)
When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and
carrying a cross.
- A misquote of Harrison Evans Salisbury's 1971 citing of Lewis:
"Sinclair Lewis aptly predicted in It Can't Happen Here that if
fascism came to America
it would come wrapped in the flag and whistling 'The Star Spangled
Banner."
Heresy is another word for freedom of thought.
- The Spittoon
Liberty, if it means anything, is the right to tell people what they
don't want to hear.
-- George Orwell, Freedom of the Press, 1948,
and used as a banner by: -
Harry's Place
Try not. Do or do not, there is no try.
-- Yoda,
It is no use saying, 'We are doing our best.' You have got to succeed
in doing what is necessary.
--
Sir Winston Churchill
Indecision is the key to flexibility. Consistency is the bug-a-boo of
small minds.
The greatest omission in life is to risk nothing.
The person who risks nothing gets nothing, has nothing, is nothing.
He may avoid suffering, pain and sorrow, but he does not learn, grow,
live, or love.
He is only a slave - chained by safety - locked away by fear.
Only a person who is willing to risk, not knowing the results, is
alive."
- Janet Rand
You can get what you want, or you can just get old.
- Billy Joel
bgrly - back
to home page
The pessimist complains about the wind; The optimist expects it to
change; And the realist adjusts the sails."
-- William Arthur Ward
The optimist proclaims that we live in the best of all possible
worlds.
The pessimist fears this is true.
-- James Branch Cabell
The best way to have a good idea is to have lots of ideas.
-- Linus Pauling
Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius,
power, and magic in it.
-- Goethe
There's one in every crowd, and it's usually me.
-- Montgomery Gentry
Handle every stressful situation like a dog.
If you can't eat it or play with it,
Just pee on it and walk away.
- ?
Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent.
-- Isaac Asimov, "Foundation", the words of Salvor Hardin
If all else fails, your co-workers are edible.
-- Dilbert's pointy-haired boss
Nothing, replied the artist, will ever be attempted, if all possible
objections must be first overcome.
-- Samuel Johnson, Rasselas
“I have lived my life and fought my battles
– not against the weak and the poor – anyone can do that –
but against power, against injustice, against oppression,
and I have asked no odds from them and I never shall.”
--Clarence Darrow
Ever get the feeling, the world is a tuxedo and you're a pair of
brown shoes?
-- George Goebel on the Tonight Show
It's not the earth the meek inherit; it's the dirt.
-- Mordred, in "Camelot"
The black hats usually win.
I have never made a friend from whom I could not separate,
and I have never made an enemy that I could not approach.
-- Tancredo Neves
My fifteen minutes was up a long time ago.
The road less traveled has no warning signs.
It's not too late to become what you could have been!
-- George Eliot
The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ,
Moves on: nor all your Piety nor Wit
Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line,
Nor all your Tears wash out a Word of it.
- Omar, the tentmaker
Blessed are the cracked; for they shall let in the light.
- Groucho Marx
Doing my part to annoy the religious right.
Procrastinate now !!
Of all the things I've lost; I miss my mind the most.
What other people think of you is none of your business.
Here in my own little world
but that's ok
everybody here knows me.
Our lives no longer belong to us alone; they belong to all those who
need us desperately.
-- Elie Wiesel
`I wear the chain I forged in life,' replied the Ghost. `I made it
link by link, and yard by yard;
I girded it on of my own free will, and of my own free will I wore it.
Is its pattern strange to you?'
-- Jacob Marley
All who wander, are not lost.
-- Gandalf