Tracing Quotations
George Washington? Augustus Bedford? Peleg D. Harrison? Jane A. Stewart? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: U.S. flags are displayed on holidays such as Flag Day, Memorial Day, and Independence Day. One of the founding fathers has received credit for the following symbolism explanation: We take the stars from heaven, the red from our mother country, …
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Paul Erdős? Alfréd Rényi? Jane Philcox? Suzy Schultz? Scott Westerfeld? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: Three outstanding mathematicians have been credited with the following humorous remark about their profession: A mathematician is a machine for turning coffee into theorems. This statement is usually attributed to the brilliant and prolific Hungarian mathematician Paul Erdős. Yet, it …
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Victor Hugo? Lorenzo O’Rourke? Agnès Pierron? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: A literary titan commented on the stylized representations employed in theatrical productions. I do not recall the precise phrasing, but this was the gist: The stage does not embody realism. It employs cardboard trees, glass diamonds, gold tinsel, and painted faces. The sun rises …
Warren Buffett? Howard Buffett? Nancy Miller? Henry F. Kletzing? Robert Quillen? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: A positive reputation is fragile. Here are three versions of a popular saying: (A) It takes years to build up a good reputation which may be destroyed in five minutes.(B) It takes 20 years to build a reputation and …
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Helen Keller? Anne Sullivan? Nella Braddy Henney? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: When Helen Keller was 19 months old, she lost her sight and her hearing due to an illness. Keller experienced a breakthrough in communication at the age of seven when Anne Sullivan became her teacher and companion. Apparently, Keller gave a remarkable description …
Arthur C. Clarke? Isaac Asimov? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: Machine learning techniques have dramatically increased in power during the twenty-first century. Some contemporary thinkers fear the emergence of artificial intelligence systems which will supersede humankind. Yet, a prominent science fiction author of the previous century espoused a surprising position. The author felt no apprehension …
William Shakespeare? William Arthur Ward? Rex Beach? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: A miscellaneous collection of lines offering advice has implausibly been attributed to the acclaimed English playwright William Shakespeare. Here are three of the lines: Before you speak, listen.Before you write, think.Before you spend, earn. The Shakespeare ascription is clearly dubious. The lines above …
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Judy Garland? Anne Edwards? Barron Polan? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: The following romantic lines present a declaration of love. They are part of a larger poem: For it was not into my ear you whispered,but into my heart.It was not my lips you kissed,but my soul. These words have been attributed to Judy Garland, …
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Philipp von Jolly? Max Planck? George Gamow? Neil de Grasse Tyson? Richard Feynman? Ian Stewart? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: According to legend, a talented student asked a prominent physicist about the future of his field, and the response was thoroughly discouraging: Almost everything is already discovered, and all that remains is to fill a …
Victor Borge? Mary S. Taylor? Roy L. Smith? Jay Freeman? Walter Winchell? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: The bonds between people can be enhanced when they laugh together. The following saying reflects this viewpoint: Laughter is the shortest distance between two people. This statement has been attributed to the Danish-American comedian and pianist Victor Borge. …
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