Tracing Quotations
Sydney J. Harris? Beulah Schacht? Sol Margoles? Evan Esar? Anonymous? Dear Quote Investigator: A nearly paradoxical piece of advice states that the best time to relax is when you feel unable to relax because of time pressures. Would you please explore this adage. Quote Investigator: Here is a family of closely related statements with dates: …
Continue reading “The Time To Relax Is When You Don’t Have Time For It”
John Buchan? Elizabeth Murray? Graham Greene? Dorothy Parker? Thomas Carter? H. L. Mencken? Sime Silverman? Karl Braun? Gene Byrnes? Anonymous? Dear Quote Investigator: When you face a series of obstacles and successfully persevere you might employ the following saying. Here are three versions: It’s a great life if you don’t weaken. It’s a grand life …
Lawrence Welk? Max Lucado? G. P. Malalasekera? James Crook? Islwyn Jeneins? Richard Wagner? Anonymous? Dear Quote Investigator: A genuine leader must be willing to ignore a popularly help opinion when it is flawed and act in the best interest of all. This thought has been conveyed via a clever analogy: When you wish to lead …
Continue reading “If You Want To Lead the Orchestra You Must Turn Your Back To the Crowd”
Alan Turing? Sara Turing? Stuart Russell? Apocryphal? Dear Quote Investigator: A pioneering mathematician and computer researcher in the 1950s believed that an intelligent computer system could be built, and “it would not take long to outstrip our feeble powers”. Would you please tell me the name of this person and help me to find a …
Irving John Good? Arthur C. Clarke? Philip J. Davis? Reuben Hersh? Vernor Vinge? Raymond Kurzweil? Apocryphal? Dear Quote Investigator: A prominent computer researcher in the 1950s or 1960s predicted that humanity would create a superintelligent machine sometime during the twentieth century. The researcher believed that this machine would be humanity’s last invention. Would you please …
Roy Zuvers? Stephen Tonnison? Paul Parkhurst? Anonymous? Dear Quote Investigator: Computers are known for performing blazingly fast calculations with excruciating precision. Computers are also known for inescapable bugs. A humorous statement combines these attributes: Computers make very fast, very accurate mistakes. Would you please explore the provenance of this remark? Quote Investigator: The earliest match …
Continue reading “Computers Make Very Fast, Very Accurate Mistakes”
Dale Carnegie? Lee de Forest? Dorothy Carnegie? Apocryphal? Dear Quote Investigator: Dale Carnegie was a popular author of self-improvement books. He once argued against premature discouragement by asserting that most remarkable achievements had been attained by people who continued to try even when no hope seemed possible. Would you please help me to find a …
Christopher Reeve? Apocryphal? Dear Quote Investigator: Actor Christopher Reeve achieved enormous fame when he played the title character in the 1978 movie “Superman”. He suffered a tragic accident during an equestrian competition in 1995 which injured his spine and paralyzed part of his body. His life experiences caused him to change his perception of heroism. …
David Cronenberg? Apocryphal? Dear Quote Investigator: The prominent Canadian director David Cronenberg is best known for filming graphic horror movies. He vehemently disagrees with any restrictions on the material he depicts in his works. Apparently, he once compared a censor to a psychotic because he believed both confused illusion and reality. Would you please help …
Continue reading “Censors Tend To Do What Only Psychotics Do; They Confuse Reality With Illusion”
George W. White? Confucius? Chinese Saying? Jean Chretien? Earl Ubell? Anonymous? Dear Quote Investigator: The payoff for some actions only occurs after a lengthy delay. For example, a newly planted fruit tree requires years of growth before it can generate a bumper harvest. Also, a shade tree may require decades of maturation before it produces …