Category Archives: Quote

Hunter S Thompson on Experts

TweetPerfect. One of the few consistent traits shared by “experts” in any field is that they will almost never bet money on anything else that might turn up in public or whatever they call their convictions. That is why they … Continue reading

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A Mark Twain Passage in Honor of the Anniversary of Christopher Hitchens’ Death

TweetFrom “Letters from the Earth,” which you should read, asshole. Letter VII Noah and his family were saved — if that could be called an advantage. I throw in the if for the reason that there has never been an … Continue reading

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Quote from Homage to Catalonia by George Orwell

TweetIt must have been three days after the Barcelona fighting ended that we returned to the front. After the fighting–more particularly after the slanging-match in the newspapers–it was difficult to think about this war in quite the same naively idealistic manner as before. … Continue reading

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A Favorite Chesterton Quote

TweetNicely threads the needle, as he often does. This is from “What I Saw in America” Travel ought to combine amusement with instruction; but most travellers are so much amused that they refuse to be instructed. I do not blame … Continue reading

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Quote from G.K. Chesterton’s “The Napoleon of Notting Hill”

TweetThis would apply rather nicely to people predicting the future of China today. All these clever men were prophesying with every variety of ingenuity what would happen soon, and they all did it in the same way, by taking something … Continue reading

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Quote from “War as I knew It”

TweetHoughton Mifflin Edition, page 328, middle of page: “Originally the gyrations taught the horses were of military importance. That is, the courbette, or half-rear, was for the purpose of letting the horse come down at the same time that the … Continue reading

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Prologue to Steinbeck’s “Sweet Thursday”

TweetOne of the best opening sections ever. Some good writing advice in here. One night Mack lay back on his bed in the Palace Flop house and he said, “I ain’t never been satisfied with that book Cannery Row. I … Continue reading

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Quote from Oxford Book of Ballads (1910)

TweetI was at a wedding in Massachusetts a while back, and a local old library was having a book sale. I happened to have pick this book up, and have been enjoying it thoroughly. I’m in a section of the … Continue reading

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Mission Accomplished

TweetI’ll be back on science blogs soon. Meantime, here’s a great quote for our time: “The Result in War is Never Absolute. Lastly, even the final decision of a whole War is not always to be regarded as absolute. The … Continue reading

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“Death in the Afternoon”

TweetA great quote from Hemingway: “This too remember. If a man writes clearly enough anyone can see if he fakes. If he mystifies to avoid a straight statement, which is very different from breaking so-called rules of syntax or grammar … Continue reading

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