Occasional Brilliance

I was having a electronic conversation with the Toledo Free Press Editor-in-Chief Michael Miller yesterday about his most recent effort for the paper (an exceptional piece, BTW) and my own two lesser efforts of the last week.  Michael, being the gentleman that he is (and recognizing that praise is often the only wage of such efforts), was very complimentary of my work, citing amongst other things, a level of consistent achievement.  I responded that I would trade much of such consistency for occasional flashes of brilliance.

Alas, such things are rare indeed ....  which got me thinking about what to write this weekend after having already offered a piece on the coming anniversary of 9/11 in the TFP.  And while I hope that all are able to take a bit of time this weekend to remember both the tragedy of the event and the heroism that came about as a result of it, I was left with the need to put something up this weekend.

I came to the realization that perhaps putting some of those brilliant efforts up this weekend was just the balm that my aching spirit needed.  I therefore offer what at least I consider to be some fine efforts in turning a phrase.  Knowing that like my efforts for the TFP I will be overshadowed, I will never the less put a few of my own quotations up in the 'Quotes of the Week' section (in some way making this a honest writing effort).


One of the lessons of history is that nothing is often a good thing to do and always a clever thing to say.
- Will Durant

When men are pure, laws are useless; when men are corrupt, laws are broken.
- Benjamin Disraeli

 More than any other time in history, mankind faces a crossroads.  One path leads to despair and utter hopelessness.  The other, to total extinction.  Let us pray we have the wisdom to choose correctly.
- Woody Allen

The enemy is anybody who's going to get you killed, no matter which side he's on.
- Joseph Heller

The two most common elements in the universe are Hydrogen and stupidity.
- Harlan Ellison

He who builds a better mousetrap these days runs into material shortages, patent-infringement suits, work stoppages, collusive bidding, discount discrimination, and taxes.
- H E Martz

Nature is trying very hard to make us succeed, but nature does not depend on us.  We are not the only experiment.
- R Buckminster Fuller

In times like these, it helps to recall that there have always been times like these.
- Paul Harvey

The nice part about being a pessimist is that you are constantly being either proven right or pleasantly surprised.
- George F Will

If you put the Federal government in charge of the Sahara Desert, in five years there'd be a shortage of sand.
- Milton Friedman

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.  Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.
- Margaret Mead

The United States is a nation of laws: badly written and randomly enforced.
- Frank Zappa

This country has come to feel the same when Congress is in session as when the baby gets hold of the hammer.
- Will Rogers

A liberal is a man too broadminded to take his own side in a quarrel.
- Robert Frost

The essence of Government is power; and power, lodged as it must be in human hands, will ever be liable to abuse.
- James Madison

Genius may have its limitations, but stupidity is not thus handicapped.
- Elbert Hubbard

Those who welcome death have only tried it from the ears up.
- Wilson Mizner

Ninety percent of everything is crap.
- Theodore Sturgeon