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October 10

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Quotes of the day from previous years:

2003
The reason that clichés become clichés is that they are the hammers and screwdrivers in the toolbox of communication. ~ Terry Pratchett
2004
You are educated when you have the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper or self-confidence. ~ Robert Frost
2005
The truth is that there is only one terminal dignity — love. And the story of a love is not important — what is important is that one is capable of love. It is perhaps the only glimpse we are permitted of eternity. ~ Helen Hayes (born 10 October 1900)
2006
I would like to make the point that we cannot undo the past but we can learn from it, and we cannot predict the future but we can shape and build it. ~ Epeli Ganilau (born 10 October 1951)
2007
The search for the truth is the most important work in the whole world — and the most dangerous. ~ James Clavell (born 10 October 1924)
2008
When there are too many policemen, there can be no liberty. When there are too many soldiers, there can be no peace. When there are too many lawyers, there can be no justice. ~ Lin Yutang
2009

Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world's attention and given its people hope for a better future. His diplomacy is founded in the concept that those who are to lead the world must do so on the basis of values and attitudes that are shared by the majority of the world's population.
For 108 years, the Norwegian Nobel Committee has sought to stimulate precisely that international policy and those attitudes for which Obama is now the world's leading spokesman. The Committee endorses Obama's appeal that "Now is the time for all of us to take our share of responsibility for a global response to global challenges."

~ The Norwegian Nobel Committee on the Nobel Peace Prize of 2009 ~

2010
I am doing my best to glorify the scamp or vagabond. I hope I shall succeed. For things are not so simple as they sometimes seem. In this present age of threats to democracy and individual liberty, probably only the scamp and the spirit of the scamp alone will save us from being lost in serially numbered units in the masses of disciplined, obedient, regimented and uniformed coolies. The scamp will be the last and most formidable enemy of dictatorships. He will be the champion of human dignity and individual freedom, and will be the last to be conquered. All modern civilization depends entirely upon him. ~ Lin Yutang
2011
I distrust all dead and mechanical formulas for expressing anything connected with human affairs and human personalities. Putting human affairs in exact formulas shows in itself a lack of the sense of humor and therefore a lack of wisdom. ~ Lin Yutang
2012
Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials.
~ Lin Yutang ~
2013
A man who has to be punctually at a certain place at five o'clock has the whole afternoon from one to five ruined for him already.
~ Lin Yutang ~
  • proposed by N6n
2014
To think bad thoughts is really the easiest thing in the world. If you leave your mind to itself it will spiral down into ever-increasing unhappiness. To think good thoughts, however, requires effort. This is one of the things that discipline — training — is about.
~ James Clavell ~
2015
Every human being on this earth is born with a tragedy, and it isn't original sin. He's born with the tragedy that he has to grow up. That he has to leave the nest, the security, and go out to do battle. He has to lose everything that is lovely and fight for a new loveliness of his own making, and it's a tragedy. A lot of people don't have the courage to do it.
~ Helen Hayes ~
2016
I do not think that any civilization can be called complete until it has progressed from sophistication to unsophistication, and made a conscious return to simplicity of thinking and living, and I call no man wise until he has made the progress from the wisdom of knowledge to the wisdom of foolishness, and become a laughing philosopher, feeling first life's tragedy and then life's comedy. For we must weep before we can laugh. Out of sadness comes the awakening, and out of the awakening comes the laughter of the philosopher, with kindliness and tolerance to boot.
~ Lin Yutang ~
2017
When small men begin to cast big shadows, it means that the sun is about to set.
~ Lin Yutang ~
2018
The good die young — but not always. The wicked prevail — but not consistently. I am confused by life, and I feel safe within the confines of the theatre. O'Neil's dramas are slapstick farces, Albee's riddles are simple explanations, Pinter's threatening and threatened anti-heroes are innocent babes — next to life and the living.
I cry out for order and find it only in art.
~ Helen Hayes ~
2019
Of course wars are fought by teenagers — you realize that — they really ought to be fought by the politicians and the old people who start these wars.
~ James Clavell ~
2020
The need for international solidarity and multilateral cooperation is more conspicuous than ever. The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize for 2020 to the World Food Programme for its efforts to combat hunger, for its contribution to bettering conditions for peace in conflict-affected areas and for acting as a driving force in efforts to prevent the use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict.
~ Norwegian Nobel Committee ~
2021
The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize for 2021 to Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov for their efforts to safeguard freedom of expression, which is a precondition for democracy and lasting peace. Ms Ressa and Mr Muratov are receiving the Peace Prize for their courageous fight for freedom of expression in the Philippines and Russia. At the same time, they are representatives of all journalists who stand up for this ideal in a world in which democracy and freedom of the press face increasingly adverse conditions.
~ Norwegian Nobel Committee ~
2022
By awarding the Nobel Peace Prize for 2022 to Ales Bialiatski, Memorial and the Center for Civil Liberties, the Norwegian Nobel Committee wishes to honour three outstanding champions of human rights, democracy and peaceful co-existence in the neighbour countries Belarus, Russia and Ukraine. Through their consistent efforts in favour of humanist values, anti-militarism and principles of law, this year’s laureates have revitalised and honoured Alfred Nobel’s vision of peace and fraternity between nations — a vision most needed in the world today.
~ Norwegian Nobel Committee ~
  • proposed by Kalki; recent announcement of this year's Nobel Peace Prize winners.
2023
We are embarking on a long and difficult war. The war was forced upon us by a murderous attack by Hamas.
~ Benjamin Netanyahu ~
2024
I like spring, but it is too young. I like summer, but it is too proud. So I like best of all autumn, because its leaves are a little yellow, its tone mellower, its colours richer, and it is tinged a little with sorrow and a premonition of death. Its golden richness speaks not of the innocence of spring, nor of the power of summer, but of the mellowness and kindly wisdom of approaching age. It knows the limitations of life and is content. From a knowledge of those limitations and its richness of experience emerges a symphony of colours, richer than all, its green speaking of life and strength, its orange speaking of golden content and its purple of resignation and death.
~ Lin Yutang ~
2025
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Suggestions

[edit]

One is always considered mad when one perfects something that others cannot grasp. ~ Ed Wood (date of birth)

  • 2 Kalki 01:02, 9 October 2007 (UTC) 3 Kalki 21:36, 8 October 2005 (UTC) memorable line attributed to the director of Plan 9 from Outer Space, but I can't find any reliable source for this.
  • 3 because many people label something mad when they don't understand it. Zarbon 04:11, 25 April 2008 (UTC)
  • 1 pending source for quote. InvisibleSun 22:29, 9 October 2008 (UTC)

Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned. ~ Gautama Buddha

  • Capitalistpiglet 14:50, 6 October 2006 (UTC)
  • 2 Kalki 19:53, 18 October 2007 (UTC) No clear relation to the date, and no definitely reliable source for this attribution, as yet.
  • 2 Zarbon 04:11, 25 April 2008 (UTC)
  • 1 because of being unrelated to date and pending source for quote. InvisibleSun 22:29, 9 October 2008 (UTC)

Now dig my grave
Beneath the bay willows' boughs
And with blackness cover it over again,
There for evermore
Go from my domain:
I wish to slumber in peace. ~ Aleksis Kivi

In the West, the insane are so many that they are put in an asylum, in China the insane are so unusual that we worship them. ~ Lin Yutang

  • 2 Zarbon 15:21, 2 July 2008 (UTC)
  • 2 Kalki 19:49, 2 October 2008 (UTC)
  • 2 InvisibleSun 22:29, 9 October 2008 (UTC)
  • 3 I hope the context is not political!N6n 15:16, 22 September 2010 (UTC)

It is not when he is working in his office but when he is lying idly on the sand that his soul utters, "Life is beautiful." ~ Lin Yutang

When the mirror meets with an ugly woman, when a rare ink-stone finds a vulgar owner, and when a good sword is in the hands of a common general, there is utterly nothing to be done about it. ~ Lin Yutang

I disagree that I'm on the wrong side. I'm just not on your side. ~ Francis Escudero

In a democracy, you must follow the will of the majority, which may be right or wrong, moral or immoral, just or unjust. If that's the ruling of the majority that is what you should follow, respect, and obey — although you may continue to disagree with it. ~ Francis Escudero

Winning doesn't necessarily mean you're right. History will be a better judge of that. But that's the beauty of democracy - you believe what you believe, I believe what I believe. ~ Francis Escudero

If you rest, you rust. ~ Helen Hayes

Curiosity may have killed the cat, but it did alright by me. ~ Helen Hayes

  • 2 Zarbon 15:21, 2 July 2008 (UTC)
  • 2 Kalki 19:49, 2 October 2008 (UTC)
  • 3 InvisibleSun 22:29, 9 October 2008 (UTC)
  • 3 N6n 15:16, 22 September 2010 (UTC)

Age is not important unless you're a cheese. ~ Helen Hayes

  • 2 Zarbon 15:21, 2 July 2008 (UTC)
  • 2 Kalki 19:49, 2 October 2008 (UTC)
  • 2 InvisibleSun 22:29, 9 October 2008 (UTC)
  • 3 N6n 15:16, 22 September 2010 (UTC)

From your parents you learn love and laughter and how to put one foot before the other. But when books are opened you discover that you have wings. ~ Helen Hayes

For too long, we have allowed fear to dictate our politics and suspicions, to shape how we perceive other communities. ~ Epeli Ganilau

  • 2 Zarbon 15:21, 2 July 2008 (UTC)
  • 3 Kalki 19:49, 2 October 2008 (UTC)
  • 3 InvisibleSun 22:29, 9 October 2008 (UTC)
  • 3 N6n 15:16, 22 September 2010 (UTC)

Race is a fact of life and is not a problem unless people make it out to be so. ~ Epeli Ganilau

  • 2 Zarbon 15:21, 2 July 2008 (UTC)
  • 3 Kalki 19:49, 2 October 2008 (UTC)
  • 3 InvisibleSun 22:29, 9 October 2008 (UTC)
  • 3 N6n 15:16, 22 September 2010 (UTC)

In bed we laugh, in bed we cry;
And, born in bed, in bed we die.
The near approach a bed may show
Of human bliss to human woe. ~ Isaac de Benserade (date of death)

Egocentrics are attracted to the inept. It gives them one more excuse for patting themselves on the back. ~ Helen Hayes

  • 3 Kalki 01:26, 9 October 2009 (UTC) with a lean toward 4.

Actors work and slave — and it is the color of your hair that can determine your fate in the end. ~ Helen Hayes

  • 3 Kalki 01:26, 9 October 2009 (UTC)

To me personally the only function of philosophy is to teach us to take life more lightly and gayly than the average businessman does, for no businessman who does not retire at fifty, if he can, is in my eyes a philosopher. ~ Lin Yutang

  • 3 Kalki 01:26, 9 October 2009 (UTC)
  • 3 N6n 15:16, 22 September 2010 (UTC)
All stories have a beginning, a middle and an ending, and if they're any good, the ending is a beginning.
~ James Clavell ~
I can transport matter — anything — at the speed of light, perfectly. Of course this is only a crude beginning, but I've stumbled on the most important discovery since man sawed off the end of a tree trunk and found the wheel. The disintegrator-integrator will change life as we know it. Think what it means. Anything, even humans, will go through one of these devices. No need for cars or railways or airplanes, even spaceships. We'll set up matter-receiving stations throughout the world, and later the universe. There'll never be famine. Surpluses can be sent instantaneously at almost no cost, anywhere. Humanity need never want or fear again. I'm a very fortunate man, Hélène.
~ James Clavell ~
in
~ The Fly ~
God gives us intelligence to uncover the wonders of nature. Without the gift, nothing is possible.
~ James Clavell ~
in
~ The Fly ~
The more I know, the more sure I am I know so little. The eternal paradox.
~ James Clavell ~
in
~ The Fly ~
Only by living at the edge of death can you understand the indescribable joy of life.
~ James Clavell ~
So much of 'normal, civilized' life is bull that you can't imagine. … What frightens you, doesn't frighten me, what frightens me, you'd laugh at.
~ James Clavell ~
Maybe we didn't pray hard enough. Perhaps we should kneel down like is done in church. Perhaps were using the wrong name. Instead of God, let's say "Our Leader." Let's pray to our leader for candy! Let's pray extra specially hard, and don't open your eyes until I say.
~ James Clavell ~
Changi was set like a pearl on the eastern tip of Singapore Island, iridescent under the bowl of tropical skies. It stood on a slight rise and around it was a belt of green, and farther off the green gave way to the blue-green seas and the seas to infinity of horizon.
Closer, Changi lost its beauty and became what it was — an obscene forbidding prison. Cellblocks surrounded by sun-baked courtyards surrounded by towering walls.
Inside the walls, inside the cellblocks, story on story, were cells for two thousand prisoners at capacity. Now, in the cells and in the passageways and in every nook and cranny lived some eight thousand men. ...
These men too were criminals. Their crime was vast. They had lost a war. And they had lived.
~ James Clavell ~
Now the sun touched the horizon and the man reined in his horse tiredly, glad that the time for prayer had come.
~ James Clavell ~
Changi became my university instead of my prison. … Among the inmates there were experts in all walks of life — the high and the low roads. I studied and absorbed everything I could from physics to counterfeiting, but most of all I learned the art of surviving.
~ James Clavell ~
She studied her husband's flower arrangement. He had chosen the blossom of a single white wild rose and put a single pearl of water on the green leaf, and set it on red stones. Autumn is coming, he was suggesting with the flower, talking through the flower, do not weep for the time of fall, the time of dying when the earth begins to sleep; enjoy the time of beginning again and experience the glorious cool of the autumn air on this summer evening … soon the tear will vanish and the rose, only the stones will remain — soon you and I will vanish and only the stones will remain.
~ James Clavell ~



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