WIST

Galbraith, John Kenneth -- (Attributed, 1946)

2009-11-06T13:41:38Z

Who’d have thought we were fighting this war against a bunch of jerks.

John Kenneth Galbraith (1908-2006) Canadian-American economist, diplomat, author
(Attributed, 1946)

On seeing the line-up of Nazi war crimes accused at Nuremburg. In Alex Ross, "Watching for a Judgment of Real Evil," <i>New York Times</i> (12 Nov 1995)

Attlee, Clement -- Interview with his Kenneth Harris, his biographer

2009-11-06T13:40:19Z

Believe in the ethics of Christianity. Can’t accept the mumbo jumbo.

Clement Attlee (1883-1967) English politician and Prime Minister (1945-51)
Interview with his Kenneth Harris, his biographer

Arnold, Matthew -- Literature and Dogma, preface (1873)

2009-11-06T13:39:18Z

Culture, the acquainting ourselves with the best that has been known and said in the world, and thus with the history of the human spirit.

Matthew Arnold (1822-1888) English poet and critic
Literature and Dogma, preface (1873)

Rommel, Erwin -- Letter (Jun 1942), The Rommel Papers, ch. 9 [ed. B. H. Liddell Hart, (1953)]

2009-11-06T12:54:48Z

One must never make a show of false emotions to one’s men. The ordinary soldier has a surprisingly good nose for what is true and what false.

Erwin Rommel (1891-1944) German field marshal
Letter (Jun 1942), The Rommel Papers, ch. 9 [ed. B. H. Liddell Hart, (1953)]

Ingersoll, Robert Green -- “The Declaration of Independence,” lecture (1876)

2009-11-06T12:49:43Z

The greatest test of courage is to bear defeat without losing heart.

Robert Green Ingersoll (1833-1899) American lawyer and orator
“The Declaration of Independence,” lecture (1876)

Full text.

King, Martin Luther -- Letter from the Birmingham Jail (16 Apr 1963)

2009-11-05T18:14:12Z

I had hoped that the white moderate would understand that law and order exist for the purpose of establishing justice and that when they fail in this purpose they become the dangerously structured dams that block the flow of social progress. I had hoped that the white moderate would understand that the present tension in the South is a necessary phase of the transition from an obnoxious negative peace, in which the Negro passively accepted his unjust plight, to a substantive and positive peace, in which all men will respect the dignity and worth of human personality.

Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-1968) American clergyman and reformer
Letter from the Birmingham Jail (16 Apr 1963)

Full text.

Heraclitus -- (Attributed)

2009-11-05T18:12:51Z

Good character is not formed in a week or a month. It is created little by little, day by day. Protracted and patient effort is needed to develop good character.

Heraclitus (c.540-c.480 BC) Greek philosopher [also Heracleitus]
(Attributed)

Allen, Woody -- (Attributed)

2009-11-05T18:12:04Z

A wife lasts only for the length of the marriage, but an ex-wife is there for the rest of your life.

Woody Allen (b. 1935) American comedian, writer, director [b. Allan Steward Konigsberg]
(Attributed)

Steinbeck, John -- Travels With Charley: In Search of America, Part 2 (1962)

2009-11-05T18:11:03Z

I guess this is why I hate governments. It is always the rule, the fine print, carried out by the fine print men. There’s nothing to fight, no wall to hammer with frustrated fists.

John Steinbeck (1902-1968) American writer
Travels With Charley: In Search of America, Part 2 (1962)

Hawking, Stephen -- “The Science of Second-Guessing”, interview by Deborah Solomon, New York Times (12 Dec 2004)

2009-11-05T18:10:10Z

My expectations were reduced to zero when I was 21. Everything since then has been a bonus.

Stephen Hawking (b. 1942) English physicist, author
“The Science of Second-Guessing”, interview by Deborah Solomon, New York Times (12 Dec 2004)

Bujold, Lois McMaster -- Barrayar (1991)

2009-11-04T14:55:35Z

Suicidal glory is the luxury of the irresponsible. We’re not giving up. We’re waiting for a better opportunity to win.

Lois McMaster Bujold (b. 1949) American author
Barrayar (1991)

~Other -- Agnes Allen, “Agnes Allen’s Law,” in S.Morris, “You Make the Laws,” Omni (May 1979)

2009-11-04T14:54:18Z

Almost anything is easier to get into than to get out of.

Other Authors and Sources
Agnes Allen, “Agnes Allen’s Law,” in S.Morris, “You Make the Laws,” Omni (May 1979)

Armstrong, Neil -- Words after first stepping onto the Moon (20 Jul 1969)

2009-11-04T14:53:12Z

That’s one small step for (a) man, one giant leap for mankind.

Neil Armstrong (b. 1930) American astronaut, aviator, educator
Words after first stepping onto the Moon (20 Jul 1969)

The sound recording does not seem to have the "a" before man. Armstrong long insisted that he said it but it was lost in transmission; his preference has been for the "a" to be included in parentheses. Computer analysis of the recordings have yielded contradictory conclusions as to whether he said it.

Stewart, Jon -- “No News Is Good News, Interview, Adam Bulger, The Hartford Advocate (12 Jun 2008)

2009-11-04T14:49:23Z

I think the metric by which television is considered liberal is literally based on the metric of liberalism in each person’s soul. Peoples’ senses of humor tend to go about as far as their ideology.

Jon Stewart (b. 1962) American satirist, comedian, and television host. [b. Jonathan Stuart Leibowitz]
“No News Is Good News, Interview, Adam Bulger, The Hartford Advocate (12 Jun 2008)

On whether The Daily Show is liberal. Full text.

Hemingway, Ernest -- “Old Newsman Writes: A Letter from Cuba,” Esquire (Dec 1934)

2009-11-04T14:46:04Z

If the book is good, is about something that you know, and is truly written, and reading it over you see that this is so, you can let the boys yip and the noise will have that pleasant sound coyotes make on a very cold night when they are out in the snow and you are in your own cabin that you have built or paid for with your work.

Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961) American writer
“Old Newsman Writes: A Letter from Cuba,” Esquire (Dec 1934)