Johann Wolfgang von Goethe? John Anster? William Hutchison Murray? Apocryphal? Dear Quote Investigator: There is a wonderful quotation about the pivotal step of making a commitment to an enterprise: Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it; Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. These two lines are often attributed to the …
Monthly Archives: February 2016
There Have Only Been Two Geniuses in the World — Willie Mays and Willie Shakespeare
Tallulah Bankhead? Apocryphal? Dear Quote Investigator: The famous actress Tallulah Bankhead was an ardent baseball fan, and she was particularly impressed by the outstanding skills of the great athlete Willie Mays. Apparently, she stated that there have only been two authentic geniuses in history: Willie Mays and Willie Shakespeare I am not sure if this …
Riches Are Like Muck Which Stinks in a Heap But Spread Abroad Makes the Earth Fruitful
Richard Branson? Thornton Wilder? Francis Bacon? Mr. Bettenham? King James I of England? Henry Edmundson? Richard Flecknoe? Clint Murchison? Anonymous? Dear Quote Investigator: The famous British entrepreneur Richard Branson employed an extraordinary simile. He said that “money is like manure”, and elaborated on the thought as follows:[1]Website: Richard Branson blog at Virgin.com, Article title: Why …
It’s Not True That Life Is One Damn Thing After Another—It’s One Damn Thing Over and Over
Edna St. Vincent Millay? Apocryphal? Dear Quote Investigator: You have already examined the following mordant saying: Life is just one damned thing after another. Apparently, the prominent poet Edna St. Vincent Millay disagreed, and she offered her own alternative trenchant analysis of life. Here are three versions: It’s one damn thing over and over. It’s …
Human: A Non-Linear Servo-Mechanism Weighing Only 150 Pounds that Can Be Produced Cheaply by Unskilled Labor
Arthur C. Clarke? Albert Scott Crossfield? George T. Hauty? S. Fred Singer? Dear Quote Investigator: In the early days of the space-age researchers and administrators were considering replacing human pilots and astronauts with computers. The argument against this form of automation was presented with a single humorous sentence that emphasized the advantages of humans. Are …