Quotes

Somehow, what they said back then is even more appropriate for the current political climate…

We would like to apologise for the way in which politicians are represented in this programme. it was never our intention to imply that politicians are weak-kneed political time-servers who are concerned more with their personal vendettas and private power struggles than the problems of government, nor to suggest at any point that they sacrifice their credibility by denying free debate on vital matters in the mistaken impression that party unity comes before the well-being of the people they supposedly represent, nor to imply at any stage that they are squabbling little toadies without an ounce of concern for the vital social problems of today. Nor indeed do we intend that viewers should consider them as crabby ulcerous little self seeking vermin with furry legs and an excessive addiction to alcohol and certain explicit sexual practices which some may find offensive.

-Monty Pythons Flying Circus, 1972

Never argue with an idiot. They’ll lower you to their level and then beat you with experience.
~ Unknown source

“I’m not a member of any organized group. I’m a Democrat.”
~Will Rogers

“It’s like a cow’s opinion; it doesn’t matter. It’s moo.”
Joey in “Friends”

"It is the responsibility of the patriot to protect his country from its government."
–Thomas Paine

"I'm going back because I've seen this before."
–Holocaust Survivor

A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government.

–Edward Abbey

A little rebellion now and then is a good thing; the tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.

–Thomas Jefferson

Of course the people don't want war. But after all, it's the leaders of the country who determine the policy, and it's always a simple matter to drag the people along whether it's a democracy, a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism, and exposing the country to greater danger.

– Herman Goering at the Nuremberg trials

No matter how high or lofty the throne
What sits on it is the same as your own 

–Carisman in The Druid of Shannara by Terry Brooks 

The difference between fiction and reality? Fiction has to make sense.
–Tom Clancy

The past is already past.
Don’t try to regain it.
The present does not stay.
Don’t try to touch it from moment to moment.
The future is not come; don’t think about it beforehand.
Whatever comes to the eye, leave it be.
There are no commandments to be kept, there’s no filth to be cleansed.
With empty mind really penetrated, the dharmas have no life.
When you can be like this you’ve completed the ultimate attainment.

— Layman P’ang

"To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public." — Theodore Roosevelt

The good part of Christmas is not always Christian — it is generally Pagan; that is to say, human, natural.

Christianity did not come with tidings of great joy, but with a message of eternal grief. It came with the threat of everlasting torture on its lips. It meant war on earth and perdition hereafter.

It taught some good things — the beauty of love and kindness in man. But as a torch-bearer, as a bringer of joy, it has been a failure. It has given infinite consequences to the acts of finite beings, crushing the soul with a responsibility too great for mortals to bear. It has filled the future with fear and flame, and made God the keeper of an eternal penitentiary, destined to be the home of nearly all the sons of men. Not satisfied with that, it has deprived God of the pardoning power.

And yet it may have done some good by borrowing from the Pagan world the old festival called Christmas.

Long before Christ was born the Sun-God triumphed over the powers of Darkness. About the time that we call Christmas the days begin perceptibly to lengthen. Our barbarian ancestors were worshipers of the sun, and they celebrated his victory over the hosts of night. Such a festival was natural and beautiful. The most natural of all religions is the worship of the sun. Christianity adopted this festival. It borrowed from the Pagans the best it has.

I believe in Christmas and in every day that has been set apart for joy. We in America have too much work and not enough play. We are too much like the English.

I think it was Heinrich Heine who said that he thought a blaspheming Frenchman was a more pleasing object to God than a praying Englishman. We take our joys too sadly. I am in favor of all the good free days — the more the better.

Christmas is a good day to forgive and forget — a good day to throw away prejudices and hatreds — a good day to fill your heart and your house, and the hearts and houses of others, with sunshine.

Robert G. Ingersoll, 1891

How marvelous, how wonderful!
All sentient beings are perfect without flaw.
It is only due to delusive attachments
That the truth cannot be seen.

~Buddha

Be sincere, even if you don't mean it.

~ Benny Hill

Never ascribe to malice, that which can be explained by incompetence.
- Napoleon

Any fool can tell the truth, but it requires a man of some sense to know how to lie well.
- Samuel Butler (1835 - 1902)

Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum sonatur.
- Whatever is said in Latin sounds profound.

Sedulously eschew obfuscatory hyperverbosity and prolixity.

To be alive is the biggest fear humans have. Death is not the biggest fear we have; our biggest fear is taking the risk to be alive–the risk to be alive and express what we really are. Just being ourself is the biggest fear of humans. We have learned to live our life trying to satisfy other people’s demands. We have learned to live by other people’s points of view because of the fear of not being accepted and of not being good enough for someone else.

~ Don Miguel Ruiz, The Four Agreements

Zaglabor astragard hootrimansion bambriar…

~ Ancient Betelgeuse death anthem,  H2G2

I thought this was pathetically prophetic…

"Presidents don’t have power. Their job is to draw attention away from it."

~Zaphod Beeblebrox, President of the Galaxy

From The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. 

“It’s not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but rather the one most responsive to change.” ~Charles Darwin

"The problem with having a sense of humor is often that people you use it on aren’t in a very good mood." -Lou Holtz

Let me say a few words about important values we must demonstrate while all of us serve in government. First, we must always maintain the highest ethical standards. We must always ask ourselves not only what is legal, but what is right. There is no goal of government worth accomplishing if it cannot be accomplished with integrity.

Second, I want us to set an example of humility. As you work for the federal government there is no excuse for arrogance, and there’s never a reason to show disrespect for others. A new tone in Washington must begin with decency and fairness. I want everyone who represents our government to be known for these values.

George W. Bush, 10/15/01

This sounds almost as if it was written about the current administration:

A nation can survive its fools, and even the ambitious. But it cannot survive treason from within.

An enemy at the gates is less formidable, for he is known and he carries his banners openly. But the traitor moves among those within the gate freely, his sly whispers rustling through all the galleys, heard in the very hall of government itself. For the traitor appears not a traitor—he speaks in the accents familiar to his victims, and wears their face and their garment, and he appeals to the baseness that lies deep in the hearts of all men. He rots the soul of a nation—he works secretly and unknown in the night to undermine the pillars of a city—he infects the body politic so that it can no longer resist. A murderer is less to be feared.

~Cicero, 42 B.C.E.

To love is to risk not being loved in return.

To hope is to risk pain.

To try is to risk failure.

But risk must be taken, because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.

~Leo Buscaglia in  Living, Learning and Loving

"This is the second time in a row that God has invoked a disaster shortly before lesbian Ellen DeGeneres hosted the Emmy Awards. Is it any surprise that the Almighty chose to strike at Miss DeGeneres’ hometown?" –Pat Robertson, speaking about Hurricane Katrina

“Heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible.” –Lord Kelvin, president, Royal Society, 1895

“I think there is a world market for maybe five computers.” –Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943

“There is no reason for any individual to have a computer in their home.” –Ken Olsen, president, chairman and founder of Digital Equipment Corp., 1977

“The telephone has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us.” –Western Union internal memo, 1876

“Airplanes are interesting toys but of no military value.” –Marshal Ferdinand Foch, French commander of Allied forces during the closing months of World War I, 1918

“The wireless music box has no imaginable commercial value. Who would pay for a message sent to nobody in particular?” –David Sarnoff’s associates, in response to his urgings for investment in radio in the 1920’s

“Professor Goddard does not know the relation between action and reaction and the need to have something better than a vacuum against which to react. He seems to lack the basic knowledge ladled out daily in high schools.” –New York Times editorial about Robert Goddard’s revolutionary rocket work, 1921

“Who the hell wants to hear actors talk?” –Harry M. Warner, Warner Brothers, 1927

“Everything that can be invented has been invented.” –Charles H. Duell, commissioner, US Office of Patents, 1899

“I distrust those people who know so well what God wants them to do because I notice it always coincides with their own desires.”

– Susan B. Anthony

“Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we.”
— George W Bush, Aug 5th 2004

I finally got around to going to the post office today. It took a while to find the post office. They moved it about a half mile south of the old location. Since I didn’t know the new location it took a bit of exploring to find, but I found it. My passport renewal application is on it’s way. I also did some banking. I had some business checks to deposit, as well as some personal checks to deposit. They were just kind of laying around gathering dust and generating guilt in me for not going to the bank. So that’s all done.

My friend Jim called this morning. He’s in town this afternoon to see his hair stylist. He wanted to know if I’d like to join him for dinner this evening. After checking my social calendar (it’s still pretty much blank) I told him it sounded like fun. We’ll be meeting at Panera’s in SoHo later on. Nothing too fancy, but good food on the cheap.

As part of my spiritual path, I like to do contemplations as a spiritual exercise. Here’s a quote to contemplate:

As we come out of our childhood of spirituality into greater states, we learn to let people be. —Harold Klemp, The Language of Soul

If everyone would mind their own business the world would be a much better place.

“We look forward to analyzing and working with legislation that will make — it would hope — put a free press’s mind at ease that you’re not being denied information you shouldn’t see.”

—George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., April 14, 2005:

My babies will be happy because I will TEACH them to be happy…

Bella Kurnwitz
“Lost in Yonkers”

When you’re making a decision about something, look at more than the benefits you’ll get by doing it. Also look at what price it requires of you. Weigh both the benefits and the price before you decide whether to act or not.

Harold Klemp
The Language of Soul

…there must be an answer for everything, if only you knew how to set forth the questions.

~Macon, The Accidental Tourist

We bring about things by constantly thinking of them. Imagine then the harm that one can do himself when he lets his mind go back to the past, over and over again moving into the things he dislikes. Life will go on for him multiplying and manifesting the same things again and again and again in his life. A strong positive understanding of truth will change his consciousness and all life will change for him.

From “The Flute of God” by Paul Twitchell

You’re a republican if you feel that…

1. Jesus loves you, but shares your deep hatred of homosexuals and Hillary Clinton.

2. The United States should get out of the United Nations, but our highest national priority is enforcing U. N. resolutions against Iraq.

3. “Standing Tall for America” means firing your workers and moving their jobs to India.

4. A woman can’t be trusted with decisions about her own body, but multi-national corporations can make decisions affecting all humankind without regulation.

5. Being a drug addict is a moral failing and a crime, unless you are a conservative radio host. Then it s an illness and you need our prayers for your recovery.

6. The best way to improve military morale is to praise the troops in speeches, while slashing veterans benefits and combat pay.

7. Group sex and drug use are degenerate sins, unless you someday run for governor of California as a Republican.

8. If condoms are kept out of schools, adolescents won’t have sex.

9. A good way to fight terrorism is to belittle our long-time allies, but then demand their cooperation and money.

10. HMOs and insurance companies make profits and have the interest of the public at heart.

11. Providing health care to all Iraqis is sound policy. Providing health care to all Americans is socialism.

12. Global warming and tobaccos link to cancer are junk science, but creationism should be taught in schools,

13. It is okay that the Bush family’s “Carlysle Group” has done $$millions$$ of business with the Bin Laden family.

14. Saddam was a good guy when Reagan armed him and Rumsfeld reassured him he was our buddy, a bad guy when Bush’s daddy made war on him, a good guy when Cheney did business with him, but then a bad guy again when Bush junior
needed a prop for his reelection campaign as the
“war president.”

15. A president lying about an extramarital affair is an impeachable offense, A president lying about WMD existence, to enlist support for an unprovoked, undeclared war and occupation, in which thousands of soldiers and civilians die, is, somehow, solid “defense” policy in a “War Against
Terrorism”.

16. Government should limit itself to the powers named in the Constitution, which should include “banning gay marriages and censoring the Internet”.

17. The public has a right to know about Hillary’s cattle trades, but George Bush’s Harken Oil stock trade should be sealed in his daddy’s library, and
is none of our business.

18. What Bill Clinton or John Kerry did in the 1960’s was of vital national interest but what Bush did in the ’80s is irrelevant.

19. Trade with Cuba is wrong because the country is communist, but trade with China and Vietnam is vital to a “spirit of international harmony”.

20. Affirmative Action is wrong, but it is OK for your Daddy and His friends (here and in Saudi Arabia) to get you to graduate from Yale without studying
much, to dodge the draft in the Texas Air National Guard, to bail out your company Harken Oil and the Texas Rangers, to get the Governorship of Texas
and then to have the Supreme Court appoint you President of the USA.

21. You are a conservative, but it is OK to spend like there is no tomorrow and run up deficits that your grandchildren will have to pay, while at the
same refunding as much tax money as possible to rich people who do not need it.

An interesting quote I read somewhere…

We’ve boiled the Bill of Rights down to just one: You have the right to remain silent.

Well, here’s my first post using WordPress. Just kind of testing it out to see if it’s working.

There was a time when everyone feared God and religion reigned supreme. It was called The Dark Ages.