Wikiquote:Reference desk/Archive/5

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"Bill Clinton was the best Republican President..."[edit]

From the archives: Wikiquote:Reference_desk/Archive/2#.22Bill_Clinton_was_the_best_Republican_president_in_recent_years.22.

Not the first to have said it, but: "GREENSPAN: I thought Bill Clinton was the best Republican president we've had in a while." Sept. 18, 2007 http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,297250,00.html 24.29.92.243 15:06, 8 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]

finding source of a quote[edit]

"The church a splendid stomach has,can suffer all that comes to pass, has gulped down whole states with out a question, and has never suffered indigestion."

I thought it was from the "Canterbury Tales" I guess I was incorrect, would like to know where it is from. --96.242.73.181 15:14, 27 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]

It's from Goethe's Faust, Part One, in this scene (different translation). —KHirsch 22:24, 27 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Get to Omaha[edit]

Can anyone tell me what company the commercial was for that had the tagline "Get to Omaha"? --Sqone1 02:30, 9 March 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Keep them on the farm[edit]

Quote:

I remember a quote about Milwaukee- something like" How are you going to keep them on the farm once they've seen Milwaukee" I am trying to get the exact quote, and its origin and date. Can you help?

Thank you Terrie —This unsigned comment is by TerrieCNM (talkcontribs) .

Not originally about Milwaukee, this is from a popular hit song during WW1 titled "How 'Ya Gonna Keep 'Em Down on the Farm (After They've Seen Paree?)" (1918). Lyrics by Joe Young and Sam M. Lewis, music by Walter Donaldson. ~ Ningauble 16:29, 10 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Trying to track down a Daniel Patrick Moynihan quote[edit]

In his 1978 book "A Dangerous Place," Moynihan said, “The true diplomatist [is] aware of how much subsequently depends on what clearly can be established to have taken place. If it seems simple in the archives, try it in the maelstrom.” I'm wondering if anyone has read this book and can tell me what page (or even approximately where in the book) this quote appears on. Thanks.128.2.66.228 03:15, 25 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Can I post these quotes from a book?[edit]

Hi! I'm new here. I would like to add the following quotes from the book "The Long Tail" by Chris Anderson (2006). The book is copyrighted and I haven't requested the author's permission but I think it should be considered "fair use" (19 quotes from a 224-page book). So, my question is, can I post these quotes? If so, I'm thinking of creating a People page (Chris Anderson) and putting the quotes under the book title. Is this correct?

"Our growing affluence has allowed us to shift from being bargain shoppers buying branded (or even unbranded) commodities to becoming mini-connoisseurs, flexing our taste with a thousand little indulgences that sets us apart from others."

"For the first time in history, hits and niches are on equal economic footing, both just entries in a database called up on demand, both equally worthy of being carried. Suddenly, popularity no longer has a monopoly on profitability."

"The world of shelf space is a zero-sum game: One product displaces another."

"We are turning from a mass market back into a niche nation, defined now not by our geography but by our interests."

"A Long Tail is just culture unfiltered by economic scarcity."

"In an era without the constraints of physical shelf space and other bottlenecks of distributions, narrowly targeted goods and services can be as economically attractive as mainstream fare."

"Talent is not universal but it is widely spread: Give enough people the capacity to create, and inevitably gems will emerge."

"Never underestimate the power of a million amateurs with keys to the factory."

"The Web is the ultimate marketplace of ideas, governed by the laws of big numbers."

"The ultimate cost reduction is eliminating atoms entirely and dealing only in bits."

"For a generation of customers used to doing their buying research via search engine, a company’s brand is not what the company says it is, but what Google says it is."

"In a world of infinite choice, context—not content—is king." (as said by Rob Reid)

"Broadly, the Long Tail is about abundance. Abundant shelf space, abundant distribution, abundant choice."

"In the tyranny of physical space, an audience too thinly spread is the same as no audience at all."

"Blockbusters are the exception, not the rule, and yet we see an entire industry through their rarefied air."

"We are entering an era of unprecedented choice. And that’s a good thing."

"Order it wrong and choice is oppressive; order it right and it’s liberating."

"This is the end of spoon-fed orthodoxy and infallible institutions, and the rise of messy mosaics of information that require—and reward—investigation."

"Fundamentally, a society that asks questions and has the power to answer them is a healthier society than one that simply accepts what it’s told from a narrow range of experts and institutions."

Thanks! --KS 16:46, 20 June 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Yes. That would be within the Limits on quotations. (For an idea of how to lay out this type of page, see an example like Donald Norman.) ~ Ningauble 16:27, 21 June 2010 (UTC)[reply]
Thank you, Ningauble. I've already created the Chris Anderson page following the formatting of the page for Donald Norman. That was very useful. Thanks, again!

--KS 10:17, 26 June 2010 (UTC)

Who said, "Not only to be loved but to be told that I am loved. There is already enough silence beyond the gave."[edit]

I have lost the source information and this may not be verbatim but it is the main idea of the quotation. I would appreciate any help with identifying who said this. --Carmaskid 07:13, 24 June 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I'm not sure if this is the correct source but it is really similar to your question: I like not only to be loved, but to be told that I am loved; the realm of silence is large enough beyond the grave. George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans) (1819-1880), novelist

Thank You, whoever you are. :-) Carmaskid 04:34, 7 September 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Earl Nightingale - 5 years to be an Expert[edit]

Hi. Attributed to Earl Nightingale is the quote, "If a person will spend one hour a day on the same subject for five years, that person will be an expert on that subject." Can anyone help me find the source, if it exists? Thanks. --Quiddity 05:41, 8 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]

"Within those wounds a world can hide." (Christian hymn?)[edit]

Can anyone tell me the source of this line referencing Christ's atonement? "Within those wounds a world can hide."

Can't find that precise quote anyplace but Bernard of Clairvaux was particularly fond of that macabre subject MeltBanana 11:52, 13 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Ruskin - The measure of any great civilization[edit]

I have found many references to what is alleged to be a quotation from John Ruskin viz "The measure of any great civilization is its cities, and a measure of a city's greatness is to be found in the quality of its public spaces, its parks, and its squares". I would dearly like to know if this is indeed by Ruskin and from which of his works it comes.

Derrick Hartley hrtley.derrick@gmail.com --78.150.254.123 15:50, 29 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I cannot verify it. The earliest that GB finds it is 1985 with no apparent source. None of the appearances on the web have any primary source. It doesn't appear in any work about Ruskin, as far as I can tell, including Ruskin and environment: the storm-cloud of the nineteenth century and Designing Utopia: John Ruskin's urban vision for Britain and America, where it would be highly appropriate. I also searched JSTOR and several periodical databases without luck. Much of Ruskin's work is searchable online, but I haven't found it there. I'd give less than a 50% chance of it being a valid quote. —KHirsch 19:33, 29 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Cinderella and Little Mermaid, old foriegn films ?[edit]

I remember as a child seeing a version of the Cinderella story and The Little Mermaid, either as dubbed or subtitled foriegn films. The Cinderella film, she was given magic acorns to use and from one for instance a fantastic dress emerged when the acorn was thrown to the ground and split. I also recall in this film a hunting scene where Cinderella teases the prince and tries to stop him hunting the animals in the forest.

With the little mermaid film I believe its ending is, she had become part of the royal household but could not speak, so could not tell the prince she loved him, he married another woman, and so the little mermaid dived into the ocean and became ocean spray.

these were both moving versions of the stories so any clues as to their names would be deeply appreciated.

This is off-topic for Wikiquote. Tips on searching: a Google search will often turn up what you're looking for. If that doesn't work, try a search on IMDB. Often that will turn up just a few possibilities. You can investigate those further by searching again on Google with something more specific, which may turn up clips on YouTube where you can see if this is the movie you're thinking of. —KHirsch 14:32, 30 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

To the sweet sessions of silence...[edit]

"To the sweet sessions of silence..." Can anyone help me find the book and author that uses this quote: "To the sweet sessions of silence I summon up remembrance of things past." I think Marcel Proust or William Shakesphere. Thank you! --anon

Shakespeare's Sonnet 30: “When to the sessions of sweet silent thought I summon up remembrance of things past...” —KHirsch 12:27, 30 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

No original source used for referencing supicious quote by Benjamin Natanyahu[edit]

Dear Sirs;

The following quote appears in a section on Benjamin Natayahu: (http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Benjamin_Netanyahu)

Israel should have exploited the repression of the demonstrations in China, when world attention focused on that country, to carry out mass expulsions among the Arabs of the territories. Benjamin Netanyahu, then Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister, former Prime Minister of Israel, speaking to students at Bar Ilan University, as quoted by Israeli journal Hotam, November 24, 1989. [5] [6] [7]

First of all I am baffled because if one should Google the said words in Hebrew . "Natanyahu, Bar Ilan, 1989 and speech" nothing slightly similar comes up.

Google , in Hebrew , "Hotam && Journal " and also nothing comes up.

Google, in English, "Hotam Israel Journal" and only the above quote comes up with no other reference to the said Journal.

I highly suspect the above quote, and lacking any other source would like to see it erased from the section on Natanyahu. If there is a direct way of sourcing the quote, then leave it, but at least provide information leading to where it comes from.

I haven't been able to verify Netanyahu's exact words, but there was a controversy about remarks he made at Bar-Ilan in 1989. There are brief articles in the Jerusalem Post on November 19, 1989 and November 21, 1989.
Summaries: "Deputy Foreign Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has called for Israel to exploit political opportunities in order to expel large numbers of Palestinians from the territories. Netanyahu made the remark in a speech to Bar-Ilan University students on Thursday. In a tape recording of a portion of Netanyahu's address obtained by The Jerusalem Post last night, the deputy foreign minister clearly states that 'five, 50 or 500' inciters should have been expelled at various times since the start of the intifada." and "Deputy Foreign Minister Binyamin Netanyahu yesterday denied that he had called for large-scale expulsions of Palestinians from the territories. Replying in the Knesset to a motion for the agenda by Tewfik Toubi, (Democratic Front for Peace and Equality) which was struck off by a large majority, Netanyahu said that in his speech to students at Bar-Ilan University last Thursday he had referred to inciters and not to the general population."
Hotam (also microform) was associated with ʻAl ha-mishmar and probably ceased publication at the same time (1995), although the cataloging records don't say so.
Since this quote is before the dawn of the web, library research would probably be required to research it further, preferably by someone who knows Hebrew.
It sounds like the quote is taken out of context. At the very least, Netanyahu's denial should be noted on the page. The page seems pretty biased right now.
KHirsch 16:47, 7 September 2010 (UTC)[reply]



Thank you for your time

Greek/Roman quote on Egyptians and the Gods...[edit]

Hello, I am trying to find a quote I believe by either a Greek or Roman that went something along the lines of "We worship the same Gods, just by different names." in reference to the Egyptians I believe. I've tried numerous variations on google to no avail. Any help would be much appreciated. 71.231.122.25 07:00, 10 September 2010 (UTC)[reply]

There is a quote used in Clifford Ando's The matter of the gods: religion and the Roman Empire, p. 46, and his paper "interpretatio Romana" (DOI:10.1086/431429):
  • Come now: Do we really think that the gods are everywhere called by the same names by which they are addressed by us? But the gods have as many names as there are languages among humans. For it is not with the gods as with you: you are Velleius wherever you go, but Vulcan is not Vulcan in Italy and in Africa and in Spain.
If you search on the phrase interpretatio Romana, you may be able to find some other quotes.
KHirsch 14:58, 10 September 2010 (UTC)[reply]


Thanks, thats basically exactly what I was looking for. Good to know the term too. Thanks agian!

-71.231.122.25 23:35, 11 September 2010 (UTC)[reply]

"Never change your socks in the middle of the World Series".[edit]

This is a great quote - does anyone know the originator (other than the defense lawyer in "A Civil Action")? --148.87.67.139 04:05, 17 September 2010 (UTC)[reply]

"Ideas without execution are hallucinations."[edit]

Does anyone know if this is a quote from Thomas Edison? I've heard it is, though it is not listed here: http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Thomas_Edison I've also posted this question to Talk:Thomas Edison. Thanks, Andy --148.87.67.139 04:10, 17 September 2010 (UTC)[reply]

The earliest that I find a similar phrase is Chapter 5 ("A Vision Without Execution Is an Hallucination") of Jeffrey E. Garten's 2001 book The Mind of the CEO. He quotes Stephen Case, then Chairman & CEO of America Online, as saying, "In the end, a vision without the ability to execute it is probably an hallucination."
The phrase starts getting credited to Edison around 2006. I don't find any credible evidence that Edison ever used the phrase, with either "vison" or "ideas".
KHirsch 21:55, 17 September 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Help finding the source of a Churchill quote[edit]

A while ago I heard the below quote, and it was credited to Sir Winston Churchill.

"To every man there comes that special moment when he will be figuratively tapped on the shoulder and offered the chance to do a special thing unique to him. What a tragedy if that moment finds him unprepared or unqualified for that work which could have been his finest hour"

From most everything I was able to find online it appears that the quote is something he said/wrote, but I was hoping that someone can provide some more information as to the origins of the quote. Was it spoken or written? Where? When?

I apologize for having to ask but am unable to make any sort of head way on this. Thank you.


--64.202.160.161 14:25, 22 September 2010 (UTC)Albert[reply]

I doubt that it is a genuine quote, but I'm not completely sure. The earliest I find it is when quarterback/coach Bart Starr used it in 1974. Of course Churchill used the phrase "their finest hour" in a famous speech, but it doesn't have anything resembling this quote. —KHirsch 03:56, 23 September 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Hindi: oonche dukhan_______________hi. Pls fill the blank?

Searching for the origin of a quote, probably from the early science fiction days[edit]

"The mind of man rests on a delicate balance between reality, the world of light, and the other darker world below the threshold of consciousness...and it is from this world of darkness which comes the evil destructive forces in man's nature."

This has been referenced in many songs, such as Naissance-by BanYa, or from this one, which is created by a Norwegian band. Particularly the latter, the music from the actual sound clip is still audible.

If you can find it, please tell me the actual name/episode, so I can (preferably) pinpoint it and listen to it on youtube or some video-hosting website.

Thank you. --71.56.25.48 21:45, 30 November 2010 (UTC)[reply]

What is the complete saying that the roman slave says while holding the wreath over the returning generals head.--75.172.142.115 15:50, 18 December 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Abraham Lincoln[edit]

I am trying to source the quotation widely attributed to Lincoln:

"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power."

I have read your list of quotes twice and cannot find it mentioned in any section, sourced, attributed or mis-attributed.

Can you please advise if this quotation is considered to be from Lincoln, and if any source for it is known?

Thank you.

--121.216.231.137 13:13, 3 January 2011 (UTC)[reply]

It's not by Lincoln. It's a quote about Lincoln, by Robert G. Ingersoll, reading in relevant part: "Nothing discloses real character like the use of power. It is easy for the weak to be gentle. Most people can bear adversity; but if you wish to know what a man really is give him power." Earliest I found was "True Greatness Exemplified in Abraham Lincoln" Unity Vol. 11, No. 1, March 1, 1883. 24.29.92.243 05:45, 6 January 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Thank you very much!

Obama quote currently being widely circulated on the Net w/o verification[edit]

Because of the Wikileaks controversy this Barack Obama quote is appearing in blogs, social news sites, Facebook, etc. :

“We only know these crimes took place because insiders blew the whistle at great personal risk. . . Government whistleblowers are part of a healthy democracy and must be protected from reprisal.”

It is supposedly from his campaign in 2008. I'm no expert in searching these things, but I did try to find it or parts of it in major newspaper searches or in Google searches which might list a source but with no success. I would be happy to do the leg work myself if you can provide me with any suggestions as to where I should inquire.

I searched Proquest's newspaper archive and the only source for that exact language is from December 2010. It's a press release by Libertarian Party Chair Mark Hinkle, who used that wording including the ellipses and said it came from 2008. But there are no 2008 or 2009 sources. I also searched more broadly, for [Obama whistleblowers crime] and found that he had commented on a 2008 case involving Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and a whistleblower lawsuit. It's possible that it was connect to that matter. But I can't find any actual quotation like that by Obama.   Will Beback  talk  12:05, 18 January 2011 (UTC)[reply]
Also "Back in 2008, Pres­i­dent Barack Obama used these words on the cam­paign trail to cas­ti­gate George W. Bush’s admin­is­tra­tion for ille­gally spy­ing on civil­ians through coop­er­at­ing phone com­pa­nies: “We only know these crimes took place because insid­ers blew the whis­tle at great per­sonal risk … Gov­ern­ment whistle­blow­ers are part of a healthy democ­racy and must be pro­tected from reprisal.”". GC Advo­cate, 7 December 2010.[1] Did that precede Hinkle's press release? There's no source given.
In 2008, Obama did say "Restore the science integrity of government and restore transparency of decision- making by issuing an Executive Order establishing clear guidelines for the review and release of government publications, guaranteeing that results are released in a timely manner and not distorted by the ideological biases of political appointees. I will strengthen protection for “whistle blowers” who report abuses of these processes",[2] and his transition website said "Often the best source of information about waste, fraud, and abuse in government is an existing government employee committed to public integrity and willing to speak out. Such acts of courage and patriotism, which can sometimes save lives and often save taxpayer dollars, should be encouraged rather than stifled. We need to empower federal employees as watchdogs of wrongdoing and partners in performance. Barack Obama will strengthen whistleblower laws to protect federal workers who expose waste, fraud, and abuse of authority in government. Obama will ensure that federal agencies expedite the process for reviewing whistleblower claims and whistleblowers have full access to courts and due process."[3][4]Fences and windows 01:07, 2 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Looking for name of movie I believe was foreign possible french of the Cinderella story with the quotes " Cookalie coo theres blood on your shoe, This is not the one for you;"[edit]

In the movie the doves are telling the price this quote to tell him that this is not the princess for him. The wicked stepmother told the stepsister to cut off part of their feet in order to fit into the princess shoe! The wicked stepmother tells them that "when you are queen you will never have to walk again!" Would luv to know the name of this movie I probably saw it in the late 1960's it was NOT animated and it was in black and white. HELP?? ——The preceding unsigned comment was added by 216.96.97.251 (talk)

This is not really the right place to ask about obscure dubbed versions of Cinderella. But, since the DVD is only $5, consider making a donation to the Wikimedia foundation if you're happy with your off-topic expericence. —KHirsch 16:21, 7 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]

La vie est vaine[edit]

There are two English translations in your files, but I am offering the following in addition because I think they capture the author's intention more closely:
 As life is vain,
 Love can't endure
 Nor hate remain,
 Just say, "Bonjour."
 Life is brief
 And hope takes flight,
 Dreams soon cease,
 And then "Good night."

(I have an MA in English with a French minor fr. the Univ. of Maryland. 1971.)

—This unsigned comment is by Natalka (talkcontribs) 15:00, 19 March 2011 (UTC).[reply]

Who deserves the credit for the quote???[edit]

“The three grand essentials of happiness are: something to do, something to love, and something to hope for.”

is attributed to Thomas Chalmers (and sometimes Alan or Alexander Chalmers) as well as Joseph Addison. Who REALLY deserves the credit

—This unsigned comment is by 76.204.92.169 (talkcontribs) 21:26, 20 March 2011 (UTC).[reply]

KHirsch 21:59, 20 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Denis Diderot[edit]

In what specific work by Denis Diderot did the famous quote: "All children are essentially criminal." appear? This line is often quoted but I have been unable to find a direct and specific work reference.

It is referred to by Harry Allan Overstreet, The Mature Mind, 1949 as "All children, Diderot once observed, are essentially criminal. It is merely our good luck that their physical powers are still too limited to permit them to carry out their destructiveness" and "When Diderot made his startling remark that all children are essentially criminal, he was saying, in effect, that human beings are safe to have around only if they are as weak in their powers of execution as they are in their powers of understanding." This seems to be the source of all the English quotations of the phrase; Overstreet doesn't cite his source.
I'm guessing it's from Entretien d'un père avec ses enfants, 1771.[5] and perhaps this is Overstreet's original inspiration: "Si le petit sauvage était abandonné à lui-même, qu'il conservât toute son imbécillité et qu'il réunit au peu de raison de l'enfant au berceau la violence des passions de l'homme de trente ans, il tordrait le cou à son père et coucherait avec sa mère." i.e. "If the little savage were left to himself, he would retain all his imbecility and would unite the bit of reason that a child in the cradle has with the violence of a thirty-year-old man's passions, he would strangle his father and go to bed with his mother". Freud quoted that. Fences and windows 00:34, 2 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Question on quotes[edit]

I would like to know if anybody made either of these two quotes, Who and Date quote was made. If no one did I would like to enter them as quotes:

1:The power of the mind is in learning. The power of knowledge is in learning about what you have learned.

2:The power of a computer is in its programming. - Roy Pahl Jr., 1970

I mentioned the second one to a schoolmate in year shown. Don't remember the exact date. —This unsigned comment is by Locksmith20 (talkcontribs) 19:52, 3 May 2011.

Wikiquote exists for the collecting of notable quotations of famous people and famous works, not for the posting of quotations of people not yet famous in some field. If these are famous quotations, please cite a source where they are published. ~ Ningauble 14:31, 4 May 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Quote attribution: Rumi or Helen Schucman?[edit]

I am trying to confirm the correct author of a quotation, which has appeared on your site. WikiQuotes has separately attributed the following quote to Rumi, and to Helen Schucman, who produced A Course in Miracles: “Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.”

A variety of websites attribute the quote to Rumi, while others list Helen Schucman as the author. Your site includes some info about the mixed attribution (see http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/September_30) with a message by Kalki, but this didn’t clarify to me who the correct author is. Based on the information that you have available, could you please confirm the correct author? Thank you.

Heather --24.207.100.134 14:57, 22 July 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Did in 1922 author William Ralph Inge write...[edit]

Did in 1922 author William Ralph Inge write... "We have enslaved the rest of the animal creation, and have treated our distant cousins in fur and feathers so badly that beyond doubt, if they were able to formulate a religion, they would depict the Devil in human form."

It is from a 1920 lecture entitled "The Idea of Progress", as published in Outspoken Essays: Second Series (1922). I have updated the citation in the article on Dean Inge. ~ Ningauble 14:59, 10 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]

computer[edit]

I have a dos base software name 'cross'which is use in retail medicine shop. I have dell inspiron laptop with core i3 processer. in my laptop i install windox xp and the software runnim=ng well I also used a epson dot matrix printer. to print out from printer I use two operation 1. control panel-add hardware-wizard-I have already attached hardware-add new hardware-network adapter-loopback adapter and 2. c:\documents and setting\administrator>net use lpt1 \\computer name\shaired printer name then show ... the command completed successfully but now I install windos 7 ultimate in my laptop, my software running well in my laptop.I want to print out by printer I performed operation 2 before operation 1 and it happens many times e:\user\Supriyo>net use lpt1 \\computer mane\shaired printer name it show ... the command completed sucessfully but I can not get print then I performed operation 1 and then 2 but it show system error 85 occured the local device name is already in use what can I do to get print in windos 7 ultimate.--Gonsusona 19:23, 13 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Sorry, but Wikiquote's Reference desk is not a general computer help desk. There is no help here. ~ Ningauble 19:44, 13 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Winston Churchill on Excellence[edit]

Does anyone know the context or the derivation of the following quote:

"Excellence is...caring more than others think is wise; Risking more than others think is safe; Dreaming more than others think is practical. Expecting more than others think is possible." -Winston Churchill

I am trying to understand what was said during the initial "..."

Thanks!

This quote is not from Churchill, according to Richard Langworth[6]. As he notes, it is sometimes attributed to Claude Bissell, but I haven't been able to confirm that. The quote starts getting used in commencement speeches, eulogies, etc., around 1991. —KHirsch 19:23, 25 September 2011 (UTC)[reply]

permission to use a film quote[edit]

Where can I get permission to use the quote; "E.T. Phone.Home" from the film, E.T. ,on my public school library bookmarks to go with our QR code? Thank you.--205.201.197.148 16:20, 4 October 2011 (UTC)[reply]

I was able to find out that if you wanted to get a commercial license to sell merchandise with the likeness of the E.T. character on it, then you should contact Universal Partnerships & Licensing. There is a contact form for them here. Since you are apparently wanting this for non-commercial purposes and, perhaps, just the words and not a likeness, you might try contacting the president of UP&L, Stephanie Sperber. I believe that the email address stephanie.sperber AT nbcuni DOT com would work.
I don't have great hopes for their giving you a positive response because of how the studios handled a request for permission to use clips in a totally private, home movie. I would be very interested to know what your experience is, if you do go ahead with this.
Interestingly, there was a court case on the commercial use of exactly this phrase: Universal City Studios v. Kamar Industries, Inc., 217 U.S.P.Q. (BNA) 1165 (S.D. Tex 1982). See Copyright Protection for Short Phrases, by Richard Stim.
KHirsch 21:53, 4 October 2011 (UTC)[reply]

r d laing[edit]

where did r d laing ssy, "the ground of being of all beings is relation."? —This unsigned comment is by Roger smith (talkcontribs) 14:08, 13 October 2011.

This is paraphrased from R. D. Laing, The Politics of Experience (1967), p. 36:
"The ground of being of all beings is the relationship between them. The relationship is the 'is', the being of all things."
~ Ningauble 16:14, 13 October 2011 (UTC)[reply]

New quote page on film director, additional quotes appreciated[edit]

Started new quote page on film director, John Roecker, additional quotes (either by the film director himself, or about him) would be most appreciated, if anyone else cares to add to this page with verifiable primary or secondary sources. ;) Thank you for your time, -- Cirt (talk) 08:49, 24 November 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Looking for the A.A. Milne book with the quote "We will be friends until forever..."[edit]

There is a very popular quote by A.A. Milne that says "We will be friends until forever. Just you wait and see." I am looking for the specific A.A. Milne book that includes this quote. I have looked at every Winnie the Pooh Book I know of and have not been able to find it. I would very much appreciate any help you can provide. Thank you! --24.180.50.246 06:37, 28 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Be bold, and mighty forces will come to your aid.[edit]

Who said "Be bold, and mighty forces will come to your aid"? It is quoted in Almost Famous as Goethe, but I cannot find a record of this. --76.187.144.100 11:56, 21 January 2012 (UTC)anon.[reply]

"Be bold—and mighty forces will come to your aid" comes from an article of that title by Arthur Gordon in the May 1956 issue of Guideposts magazine. Gordon says that it was advice from a friend, based on a quote from Basil King. In The Conquest of Fear (1921), King wrote "Go at it boldly, and you'll find unexpected forces closing round you and coming to your aid." (p. 29)
The attribution to Goethe is a mistake.
KHirsch 17:20, 22 January 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Marshall McLuhan quote, often used never sourced[edit]

I am trying to track down an actual page reference source for Marshall McLuhan’s dictum "The technology of yesterday becomes the art form of today" Can anyone help?

It is repeated on numerous websites, but I cannot find it in any of his books or other publications

—This unsigned comment is by 150.203.124.40 (talkcontribs) 04:51, 30 January 2012 (UTC).[reply]


I haven't found anywhere that he says exactly this, but he said similar things lots of times:
  • The old technology, as the content of the new, quickly becomes tidied up into an art form, such as is now happening to film since it has become the content of TV.
  • Each technological extension involves an act of collective cannibalism. The previous environment with all its private and social values, is swallowed by the new environment and reprocessed for whatever values are digestible. Thus, Nature was succeeded by the mechanical environment and became what we call the “content” of the new industrial environment. That is, Nature became a vessel of aesthetic and spiritual values. Again and again the old environment is upgraded into an art form while the new conditions are regarded as corrupt and degrading.
  • The next medium, whatever it is—it may be the extension of consciousness—will include television as its content, not as its environment, and will transform television into an art form; but this process whereby every new technology creates an environment that translates the old or preceding technology into an art form, or into something noticeable, affords to many fascinating examples I can only mention a few.
  • The content of any technology is inevitably the older technology. The new environment goes around the old environment, and turns the old one into an art form.
    • "The Medium is the Massage" (Lecture, 1966) in Understanding Me: Lectures and Interviews, 76–97,91
  • A new environment does not reveal itself until it has been superseded. The old technologies become today's art forms, so that what appears as today is always yesterday.
    • Quoted in Jonathan Barnett, "Architecture in the Electronic Age", Architectural Record, March 1967, 151–152. Reprinted in The McLuhan explosion: a casebook on Marshall McLuhan and Understanding media, 160–164
  • Because we are benumbed by any new technology--which in turn creates a totally new environment--we tend to make the old environment more visible; we do so by turning it into an art form and by attaching ourselves to the objects and atmosphere that characterized it, just as we've done with jazz, and as we're now doing with the garbage of the mechanical environment via pop art.
KHirsch 18:50, 1 February 2012 (UTC)[reply]

does wikiquote have an audio feature?[edit]

If not, may I start one?

Wikiquote pages do not currently feature audio recordings of quotations. If you would like to start a project to create these, please post a proposal on the Village Pump. Thanks. --User:Tryst (talk to me!) 18:36, 26 June 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Can't find attribution of this Voltaire quote[edit]

"To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize."

There are over 47K Google hits for this quote, 19K attributing it to Voltaire, but since it does not appear on the Voltaire page, I have my doubts. --Myboybutch (talk) 13:09, 18 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]

I can't find it or anything similar in English on Google Books. But, since Voltaire was French, I am hesitant to say anything more. Since no source seems to be ever given and the quote seems to have popped up in the last few months, I think it is highly suspect. If I have time, I'll try to round up some Voltaire scholars to see what they think. —KHirsch (talk) 03:57, 21 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
A controversial writer named Kevin Alfred Strom said something very similar in 1993: "To determine the true rulers of any society, all you must do is ask yourself this question: Who is it that I am not permitted to criticize?" In later articles, Strom rephrased himself somewhat: "If you want to identify the real rulers of any society, simply ask yourself this question: Who is it that I cannot criticize?" Maybe Strom was paraphrasing Voltaire, but I doubt it. Google search shows no reference at all to the alleged Voltaire quote in English before 2001, and very little before the last few years. Perhaps someone liked Strom's idea, but found him an unacceptable person to quote, or simply mixed things up.—The preceding unsigned comment was added by 24.145.4.67 (talk) 22:42, 6 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]

"Without libraries, what do we have? We have no past and no future." Misattributed to Ray Bradbury or confirmed?[edit]

I checked the Ray Bradbury page and cannot confirm this quote that's going around Facebook: "Without libraries, what do we have? We have no past and no future." Misattributed to Ray Bradbury or confirmed? Where in his writings does this quote appear? --Jenesis76 (talk) 16:19, 6 August 2012 (UTC)Jenesis76[reply]

A more common variant of this, with "what have we" rather than "what do we have", is listed at Talk:Ray Bradbury to be researched. We have not found the origin of the attribution. ~ Ningauble (talk) 18:50, 6 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]

"The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits."[edit]

I have seen this attributed to A. Einstein in many places, yet not on Wikiquote's page about Einstein, or anywhere else on this website. Could anyone help out on this?

Before putting it on Wikiquote, we would want a good source that it is indeed by Einstein. While many quote sites attribute it to him, such sites cannot be regarded as reliable.--Collingwood (talk) 07:26, 12 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]

The Chosen Quote[edit]

There is a quote that I am looking for from the Chosen. It was at the end of the movie and was something about a father and son conflict and the father meeting his son half way. Can anyone help?

Thanks
  • "Reuven Malter: There is a story in the Talmud about a king who had a son who went astray. The son was told, Return to your father. The son replied that he could not. The king then sent a messenger to the son with the message... Come back to me as far as you can, and I will meet you the rest of the way."--Collingwood (talk) 07:30, 12 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]

quote ownership.[edit]

The world has seen an increase in " The use of stupidity as a gift " by L Tovar. Is this questionable?

Quote: "This is the way I think the world will end – with general giggling by all the witty heads, who think it is a joke."[edit]

The following links:

http://www.desmogblog.com/ian-plimer-watch-monbiot-forces-denier-back-his-hole http://www.spiked-online.com/index.php/site/reviewofbooks_article/5388 http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,3604,279969,00.html

As well as pp. 40—41 of Stephen Baxter's "Manifold Space" feature attributions of the quote to a Kierkegaard.

The person, with this surname, to whom this quote supposedly belongs is refereed to as a he in "Manifold Space," as well as a philosopher in the first linked article and, implicitly, in Baxter's book. As such, I suspect that the Kierkegaard in question is Søren Aabye Kierkegaard, however the quote is absent from his page, here.

Can anyone confirm that this quote belongs to him? If not, should an "Unsourced" section be created on his page under which this quote would appear? --TheGreatDetractor (talk) 16:27, 29 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]

The quote is from Either/Or, Part I by Soren Kierkegaard. A fuller version reads

“A fire broke out backstage in a theatre. The clown came out to warn the public; they thought it was a joke and applauded. He repeated it; the acclaim was even greater. I think that's just how the world will come to an end: to general applause from wits who believe it's a joke”

Supposedly Confucius quote?[edit]

I've seen the quote "Choose a job you love and you'll never work a day in your life" and want to include it as a classroom decoration, but despite being attributed everywhere to Confucius I can't find an actual source in any of the classic bilingual texts. Does anyone know the original author or a different rewording in any of the classical works? --HighlandPaddy218.189.203.162 03:10, 31 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]

A quote on bravery[edit]

"A coward dies a thousand deaths,a brave man dies but once."--174.62.203.39 15:45, 8 October 2012 (UTC)Mark Stevens (irishiam22@yahoo.com)8OCT12[reply]

It is a common English proverb, originating from Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, Act II, scene ii:
  • Cowards die many times before their deaths;
    The valiant never taste of death but once.
~ Ningauble (talk) 19:43, 8 October 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Thomas Jefferson Quote?[edit]

"I would travel more, but I never found a reason to leave Virginia." I always thought this quote was written by Thomas Jefferson, however, I cannot find any reference to confirm the author as Thomas Jefferson. Thank you, Blair Bickford..blairbickford@verizon.net --Blairbickford (talk) 23:00, 18 December 2012 (UTC)[reply]

History[edit]

Who said: "If you don't learn from history you are bound to repeat it"---¬¬¬¬

George Santayana said "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it".--Collingwood (talk) 19:02, 18 January 2013 (UTC)[reply]

“Fly, my pretties, fly!” Wizard of Oz[edit]

Does the Wicked Witch of the West say something like “Fly, my pretties, fly!” to the winged monkeys? If so, what's the exact quote and where does it appear? Is it in The Wizard of Oz movie or the novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz or somewhere else? If you can determine it, could you add this quote?

Whether she says this or not, this seems to be wildly quoted. Darth and Droids comics strip 382 quotes “Fly, my pretties”, and the title of that strip is The Wonderful Jedi of Oz. Cheshire Crossing comics issue 1 page 17 has the Witch say “Fly, my monkies, fly!” The Simpsons/Season 5 has “Fly, my pretties! Fly!” complete with flying monkies and the wikiquote page linking to a disambig page for The Wizard of Oz on en.wikipedia. And there even seems to be a band called Fly My Pretties.

A quick look in Wikisource's copy of the novel didn't lead me to this quote.

B jonas (talk) 17:08, 27 January 2013 (UTC)[reply]

I cross-posted this to Talk:The Wizard of Oz where I've got some replies. – b_jonas 22:13, 31 January 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Beckett / Dance[edit]

In the Dance topic, there's a quote in the unsourced section, attributed to Samuel Beckett, "Dance first. Think afterwards. It's the natural order."

This is actually a paraphrase of an exchange in Waiting for Godot, which goes as follows:

ESTRAGON: Perhaps he could dance first and think afterwards, if it isn't too much to ask him.
VLADIMIR: [to Pozzo] Would that be possible?
POZZO: By all means, nothing simpler. It's the natural order.

From reading the style guide, it's not clear how this should be addressed. It's widely found on the Internet, so it would be nice to provide the correct attribution, but I'm not sure how to format this. —This unsigned comment is by Rosspnelson (talkcontribs) 14:41, 10 July 2012.

Dialogue is typically formatted like so:

Estragon: Perhaps he could dance first and think afterwards, if it isn't too much to ask him.
Vladimir: [to Pozzo] Would that be possible?
Pozzo: By all means, nothing simpler. It's the natural order.
  • Often misquoted as: "Dance first. Think afterwards. It's the natural order."

(I added an indented note to include the pithy misquotation, since it's good to document such rearrangements.) Dialogue formatting is discussed under "Films" and "Television" in Wikiquote:Guide to layout, which is still only a draft guide. (We don't seem to have a "Plays" section yet.) In fact, any time the source text involves multiple "speakers", dialogue format can be used. If the multiple speakers are identified explicitly within the prose, one can just quote the entire passage, removing less important parts with ellipses if necessary. (See the Dean Koontz quote beginning with "But there are two things that different kinds of people believe" for an example.) ~ Jeff Q (talk) 08:29, 20 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Quote by Dale Carnegie[edit]

I saw the quote "Today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday" attributed to Dale Carnegie from his book published in 1948. But this exact line was voiced in the film "That's Right--You're Wrong", released in 1939. Does this mean the quote was falsely attributed? Or maybe that Carnegie said it first, but the wrong book was listed as the source?--174.54.217.43 19:01, 18 March 2013 (UTC)[reply]

churchills famous quotes[edit]

i am looking for his famous saying as regards the battle:

" it is not the beginning of the end, neither is it the end of the beginning, it is.................etc.

—The preceding unsigned comment was added by 46.194.142.99 (talkcontribs) 11:32, 19 March 2013 (UTC)
  • Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.
    • Winston Churchill (on the Battle of Egypt), speech at the Mansion House, London, 10 November 1942, in The End of the Beginning (1943)
    • Source: The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations (1999), p. 215
See the Winston Churchill article for more details. ~ Daniel Tomé (talk) 12:21, 19 March 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Bold Formatting of Quotations[edit]

Frequently, some quotations (or excerpts of quotations) are formatted in bold text. What does this indicate? --Jurisfiction (talk) 18:41, 30 March 2013 (UTC)[reply]

It typically means that one or more Wikiquotians feel that the bolded portion of the quote is especially pithy and/or notable. That's not a formal formatting guideline or official practice, just a custom that's been around since the early days of Wikiquote. ~ Jeff Q (talk) 08:05, 20 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Hudson Taylor[edit]

Hudson taylor did he have a list of the popes in order for the future and the last one before coming of the lord? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 70.197.181.227 (talkcontribs) 15:07, 6 April 2013 (UTC)

I don't quite understand your question. If it's not about quotations, you might take a look at Wikipedia's article on Hudson Taylor, although a quick glance suggests that, as a Protestant evangelist, he may not have had anything to do with popes or the Catholic Church. ~ Jeff Q (talk) 08:00, 20 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Quote help[edit]

Was this quote " No problem can be solved with the same consciousness that created it. We must learn to see the world anew," created by Einstein. I can't find the source. Please help. --anon —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 70.51.218.212 (talkcontribs) 14:56, 8 April 2013 (UTC)

Have a look here, starting at "Problems cannot be solved by the level of awareness that created them." That was something Einstein supposedly said in 1954, but all the sources for such a statement are modern (i.e. posthumous attributions). Regards, DanielTom (talk) 15:36, 8 April 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Who was quoted saying "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always gotten"?[edit]

Who was quoted saying "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always gotten"? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 184.89.83.95 (talkcontribs) 16:47, 26 April 2013 (UTC)

The earliest published occurrence I found in Google Book Search is this:
  • "Another useful directive came from Jessie Potter, director, DHS, who noted: "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always gotten."
    • Author unidentified, article title unidentified, The Journal of Physical Education and Program, Vol. 79–80 (1981), ISSN 0735-0139, page B-10
It sounds like an old adage, so there may be earlier sources. I'm still working to get more info on this instance. ~ Jeff Q (talk) 07:55, 20 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Citation details for a Marshall McLuhan quote[edit]

Hello,

Could you please help with the citation details for the following quote:

“Politics will eventually be replaced by imagery. The politician will be only too happy to abdicate in favor of his image, because the image will be much more powerful than he could ever be.”

I believe this is Marshall McLuhan and thought it was from The Medium is the Massage (1971), but can't find it. Any help greatly appreciated. Thank you,

--anon —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 124.149.80.16 (talk) 04:24, 13 May 2012

The best I could come up with after about 15 minutes of research was a journal article by Robert K. Logan, "Figure/Ground: Cracking the McLuhan Code", offered online by E-Compós, a Brazilian scientific e-journal. Anyway, Logan gives this McLuhan quote on page 10, but doesn't include a clear citation for it. If I've penetrated Logan's peculiar partial-citation pratice, this quote might be contained in Marshall McLuhan: Understanding Me – Lectures and Interviews (McLuhan, Staines, Staines; 2003). Unfortunately, Google Book Research has a pretty poor subset of its contents and does not reveal which (if any) page this quote is on. I'll have to leave it to further research. ~ Jeff Q (talk) 05:06, 28 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]
Per The New Penguin Dictionary of Modern Quotations (2003), the quote "Politics will eventually be replaced by imagery..." was originally a "remark at American Booksellers Association luncheon, Washington DC, June 1969, quoted in the Vancouver Sun 7 June 1969." ~ DanielTom (talk) 17:18, 10 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

What this quote referring to ?[edit]

"On Sept.2 Our Bank will open at 9.am and never close again" — —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 115.111.134.66 (talkcontribs) 07:58, 10 June 2013‎ (UTC)

ATM. ~ DanielTom (talk) 09:09, 10 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]
Specifically, according to the "In Their Words", an quote inset on page 84 of the December 2005 issue of Popular Mechanics, this is a quote from a 1969 advertisement for the Long Island branch of Chemical Bank, referring to their newfangled gadget, the "Automated Teller Machine" (as DanielTom succinctly stated). ~ Jeff Q (talk) 06:35, 20 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]
Hmm.... This might be included in the Advertising slogans article if it's not too obscure. ~ Ningauble (talk) 16:27, 20 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]
Wow! I just looked at Advertising slogans, and that's a phenomenal improvement over its cluttered, unsourced state years ago. Kudos to all who worked on it, especially BD2412! I'm amused that my secondary source for this particular quote seems rather inadequate by comparison. I think we should find a better source than a mere "aside" assertion in a magazine. ~ Jeff Q (talk) 07:27, 23 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]

value of cherry boy statue[edit]

--Jpsmithgall (talk) 20:06, 28 June 2013 (UTC)value of cherry boy statue[reply]

Wikiquote does not use "quotation" in the sense of to quote a price. ~ Ningauble (talk) 18:09, 29 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Help finding FULL and Complete words of the adage that start with You Can Lead A Horse To Water...[edit]

PLEASE - I want the ENTIRE/COMPLETE text of the adage/poem that starts with: You can lead a horse to water—The preceding unsigned comment was added by 24.165.142.91 (talk)

"You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink." (Is that what you were looking for?) ~ DanielTom (talk) 16:19, 22 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

"The past isn't over. It isn't even past."[edit]

I've often seen this famous quote attributed to William Faulkner, but Google Books doesn't seem to have any instance of it until 1990, attributed to Faulkner by Dan Wakefield in this book The Story of Your Life: Writing a Spiritual Autobiography (Beacon Press, ISBN 0807027103). Considering Faulkner died in 1962, I'm wondering if this is a misattribution. In any case, does anyone have any idea who may actually have coined this phrase? ~ Jeff Q (talk) 21:41, 27 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

It is Faulkner's. I did some research, and found the following explanation:
«William Faulkner scholars like to paraphrase his statement about the past that has become an aphorism—the past is not over, it is not even past. The actual quotation is much more interesting. Faulkner was responding to a question from a University of Virginia student about why Faulkner wrote long sentences. Faulkner responded:
Also, to me, no man is himself, he is the sum of his past. There is no such thing really as was, because the past is. It is a part of every man, every woman, and every moment. All of his and her ancestry, background, is all a part of himself and herself at any moment. And so a man, a character in a story at any moment in action, is not just himself as he is then, he is all that made him; and the long sentence is an attempt to get his past and possibly his future into the instant in which he does something...»
However, the original quote is actually from Faulkner's Requiem for a Nun (1950), where, in the third scene of the first act, one of the characters (Gowen Stevens) says: "The past is never dead. It's not even past." (See here.) Cheers ~ DanielTom (talk) 22:22, 27 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks a bunch, Daniel! I really should have tried a bit harder to spot the correct version already quoted in William Faulkner; I must be getting sloppy. I very much appreciate your detailed research, which has also led to the possibility I might actually read this Faulkner novel/play. (My mother would be simultaneously surprised and pleased.)
By the way, I added a reference-style footnote including the misquote so that it will be found by any search (internal or external), with a link back to the actual quote. I was going to just insert it under the original quote, but the current quoting/sourcing style (abbreviated locations with book-title sections) made me think it might be too intrusive. I'll keep an eye out for anyone changing it to a more appropriate style, or update it myself if/when I figure out what that may be. ~ Jeff Q (talk) 01:01, 3 August 2013 (UTC)[reply]

"Privatize everything" quote...José Saramago?[edit]

I would like to know the author of this quote.

"Privatize everything, privatize the sea and the sky, privatize justice and the law, privatize the passing cloud, privatize the dream, especially if it's during the day and open eyed. And finally, for the embellishment of so many privatizations, privatize the States, surrender once and for all their exploitation to private companies through international share offering. There lies the salvation of the world... and while you're at it, privatize your whore mothers."

I am led to believe the author was José Saramago yet I was unable to locate it on Wikiquote. --86.184.35.84 18:48, 7 August 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Yes, it is Saramago's, from "Cadernos de Lanzarote". The original in Portuguese is as follows:
Privatize-se tudo, privatize-se o mar e o céu, privatize-se a água e o ar, privatize-se a justiça e a lei, privatize-se a nuvem que passa, privatize-se o sonho, sobretudo se for diurno e de olhos abertos. E finalmente, para florão e remate de tanto privatizar, privatizem-se os Estados, entregue-se por uma vez a exploração deles a empresas privadas, mediante concurso internacional. Aí se encontra a salvação do mundo... e, já agora, privatize-se também a puta que os pariu a todos.
I will add it to our José Saramago page later. Thanks ~ DanielTom (talk) 18:53, 7 August 2013 (UTC)[reply]


No problem. Thanks for such a quick response. --86.184.35.84 19:23, 7 August 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Also...do you know which of the 5 diaries it is from? --86.183.56.121 13:10, 9 August 2013 (UTC)[reply]

It's from Diary III. (p. 148.) ~ DanielTom (talk) 13:28, 9 August 2013 (UTC)[reply]