Physics is like sex. Sure, it may give some practical results, but that's
not why we do it. -- Richard Feynman
Sunday, July 31, 2022
Saturday, July 30, 2022
Fortune Quote #3656
Comets are like cats. They have tails, and they do precisely what they
want. -- David Levy
want. -- David Levy
Friday, July 29, 2022
Fortune Quote #3655
A writer often embarks on a substantival `that'-clause only to find that
it is carrying him further than he reckoned, and to feel that the reader
and he will be lost in a chartless sea unless they can get back to port and
make a fresh start. His way of effecting this is to repeat his initial
`that'. This relieves his own feeling of being lost. Whether it helps the
inattentive reader is doubtful; but it certainly exasperates the attentive
reader, who from the moment he saw `that' has been on the watch for the
verb it tells him to expect, and realizes suddenly, when another `that'
appears, that his chart is incorrect. -- H. W. Fowler, "Modern
English Usage"
it is carrying him further than he reckoned, and to feel that the reader
and he will be lost in a chartless sea unless they can get back to port and
make a fresh start. His way of effecting this is to repeat his initial
`that'. This relieves his own feeling of being lost. Whether it helps the
inattentive reader is doubtful; but it certainly exasperates the attentive
reader, who from the moment he saw `that' has been on the watch for the
verb it tells him to expect, and realizes suddenly, when another `that'
appears, that his chart is incorrect. -- H. W. Fowler, "Modern
English Usage"
Thursday, July 28, 2022
Fortune Quote #3654
What grammarians say should be has perhaps less influence on what shall be
than even the more modest of them realize; usage evolves itself litle
disturbed by their likes and dislikes. And yet the temptation to show how
better use might have been made of the material to hand is sometimes
irresistible. -- H. W. Fowler, "Modern English Usage"
than even the more modest of them realize; usage evolves itself litle
disturbed by their likes and dislikes. And yet the temptation to show how
better use might have been made of the material to hand is sometimes
irresistible. -- H. W. Fowler, "Modern English Usage"
Wednesday, July 27, 2022
Fortune Quote #3653
That is the dignity of America, the reason she exists, the condition of
her survival, yes, the ultimate test of her greatness: to respect every
human person, especially the weak and most defenseless ones, those as yet
unborn. -- Pope John Paul II
her survival, yes, the ultimate test of her greatness: to respect every
human person, especially the weak and most defenseless ones, those as yet
unborn. -- Pope John Paul II
Tuesday, July 26, 2022
Fortune Quote #3652
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son
of man be lifted up. -- Jesus Christ, John 3:14
of man be lifted up. -- Jesus Christ, John 3:14
Monday, July 25, 2022
Fortune Quote #3651
...Newton wrote that Galileo had discovered that the constant force of
gravity produces a motion proportional to the square of the time.... But
Galileo said nothing of the sort. His discussion of falling bodies rarely
alludes to forces, much less to a uniform gravitational force that causes
bodies to fall. By crediting to Galileo the answer to a question that
Galileo's paradigm did not permit to be asked, Newton's account hides the
effect of a small but revolutionary transformation in the questions that
scientists asked about motion as well as in the answers they felt able to
accept. -- Thomas Kuhn, "The Structure of Scientific Revolutions"
gravity produces a motion proportional to the square of the time.... But
Galileo said nothing of the sort. His discussion of falling bodies rarely
alludes to forces, much less to a uniform gravitational force that causes
bodies to fall. By crediting to Galileo the answer to a question that
Galileo's paradigm did not permit to be asked, Newton's account hides the
effect of a small but revolutionary transformation in the questions that
scientists asked about motion as well as in the answers they felt able to
accept. -- Thomas Kuhn, "The Structure of Scientific Revolutions"
Sunday, July 24, 2022
Fortune Quote #3650
Though an out-of-date theory can always be viewed as a special case of its
up-to-date successor, it must be transformed for the purpose. And the
transformation is one that can be undertaken only with the advantages of
hindsight, the explicit guidance of the more recent theory. --
Thomas Kuhn, "The Structure of Scientific Revolutions"
up-to-date successor, it must be transformed for the purpose. And the
transformation is one that can be undertaken only with the advantages of
hindsight, the explicit guidance of the more recent theory. --
Thomas Kuhn, "The Structure of Scientific Revolutions"
Saturday, July 23, 2022
Fortune Quote #3649
...the man who reads a science text can easily take the applications to be
the evidence for the theory, the reasons why it ought to be believed.
But... the applications given in texts are not there as evidence but
because learning them is part of learning the paradigm at the base of
current practice. If applications were set forth as evidence, then the
very failure of texts to suggest alternative interpretations or to discuss
problems for which scientists have failed to produce paradigm solutions
would convict their authors of extreme bias. There is not the slightest
reason for such an indictment. -- Thomas Kuhn, "The Structure of
Scientific Revolutions"
the evidence for the theory, the reasons why it ought to be believed.
But... the applications given in texts are not there as evidence but
because learning them is part of learning the paradigm at the base of
current practice. If applications were set forth as evidence, then the
very failure of texts to suggest alternative interpretations or to discuss
problems for which scientists have failed to produce paradigm solutions
would convict their authors of extreme bias. There is not the slightest
reason for such an indictment. -- Thomas Kuhn, "The Structure of
Scientific Revolutions"
Friday, July 22, 2022
Fortune Quote #3648
To acquire knowledge, one must study; but to acquire wisdom, one must
observe. -- Marilyn vos Savant
observe. -- Marilyn vos Savant
Thursday, July 21, 2022
Wednesday, July 20, 2022
Fortune Quote #3646
It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless
minority keen to set brush fires in people's minds. -- Samuel Adams
minority keen to set brush fires in people's minds. -- Samuel Adams
Tuesday, July 19, 2022
Fortune Quote #3645
I believe in getting into hot water; it keeps you clean. --
Gilbert Keith Chesterton
Gilbert Keith Chesterton
Monday, July 18, 2022
Fortune Quote #3644
An invasion of armies can be resisted, but not an idea whose time has
come. -- Victor Hugo
come. -- Victor Hugo
Sunday, July 17, 2022
Fortune Quote #3643
Never go out to meet trouble. If you will just sit still, nine cases out
of ten someone will intercept it before it reaches you. -- Calvin
Coolidge
of ten someone will intercept it before it reaches you. -- Calvin
Coolidge
Saturday, July 16, 2022
Fortune Quote #3642
Eternity is not something that begins after you're dead. It is going on
all the time. We are in it now. -- Charlotte Perkins Gilman
all the time. We are in it now. -- Charlotte Perkins Gilman
Friday, July 15, 2022
Fortune Quote #3641
If I had my choice I would kill every reporter in the world, but I am sure
we would be getting reports from Hell before breakfast. -- William
T. Sherman
we would be getting reports from Hell before breakfast. -- William
T. Sherman
Thursday, July 14, 2022
Fortune Quote #3640
At some point, additional taxes so discourage the activity being taxed,
such as working or investing, that they yield less revenue rather than
more. There are, after all, two rates that yield the same amount of
revenue: high tax rates on low production, or low rates on high
production. -- Jack Kemp
such as working or investing, that they yield less revenue rather than
more. There are, after all, two rates that yield the same amount of
revenue: high tax rates on low production, or low rates on high
production. -- Jack Kemp
Wednesday, July 13, 2022
Fortune Quote #3639
The history of taxation shows that taxes which are inherently excessive
are not paid. The high rates inevitably put pressure upon the taxpayer to
withdraw his capital from productive business and invest it in tax-exempt
securities or to find other lawful methods of avoiding the realization of
taxable income. -- Andrew Mellon
are not paid. The high rates inevitably put pressure upon the taxpayer to
withdraw his capital from productive business and invest it in tax-exempt
securities or to find other lawful methods of avoiding the realization of
taxable income. -- Andrew Mellon
Tuesday, July 12, 2022
Fortune Quote #3638
To take from one, because it is thought his own industry and that of his
father has acquired too much, in order to spare to others who (or whose
fathers) have not exercised equal industry and skill, is to violate
arbitrarily the first principle of association, "to guarantee to everyone a
free exercise of his industry and the fruits acquired by it." --
Thomas Jefferson
father has acquired too much, in order to spare to others who (or whose
fathers) have not exercised equal industry and skill, is to violate
arbitrarily the first principle of association, "to guarantee to everyone a
free exercise of his industry and the fruits acquired by it." --
Thomas Jefferson
Monday, July 11, 2022
Fortune Quote #3637
The first object of government [is] the protection of different and
unequal faculties of acquiring property. -- James Madison, "The
Federalist"
unequal faculties of acquiring property. -- James Madison, "The
Federalist"
Sunday, July 10, 2022
Fortune Quote #3636
[A Keynesian economist] is someone who sees something happen in practice
and wonders if it would work in theory. -- Ronald Reagan
and wonders if it would work in theory. -- Ronald Reagan
Saturday, July 9, 2022
Fortune Quote #3635
It's my job to solve the country's problems, and it's your job to make
sure no one finds out about it. -- Ronald Reagan, to the White
House Correspondents' Association
sure no one finds out about it. -- Ronald Reagan, to the White
House Correspondents' Association
Friday, July 8, 2022
Fortune Quote #3634
I'm sure everyone feels sorry for the individual who has fallen by the
wayside or who can't keep up in our competitive society, but my own
compassion goes beyond that to those millions of unsung men and women who
get up every morning, send the kids to school, go to work, try to keep up
the payments on their house, pay exorbitant taxes to make possible
compassion for the less fortunate, and as a result have to sacrifice many
of their own desires and dreams and hopes. Government owes them something
better than always finding a new way to make them share the fruit of their
toils with others. -- Ronald Reagan
wayside or who can't keep up in our competitive society, but my own
compassion goes beyond that to those millions of unsung men and women who
get up every morning, send the kids to school, go to work, try to keep up
the payments on their house, pay exorbitant taxes to make possible
compassion for the less fortunate, and as a result have to sacrifice many
of their own desires and dreams and hopes. Government owes them something
better than always finding a new way to make them share the fruit of their
toils with others. -- Ronald Reagan
Thursday, July 7, 2022
Fortune Quote #3633
Adam Smith and John Rawls each said that justice was the prime virtue of a
society, and yet they said it in such different senses that they meant
nearly opposite things. -- Thomas Sowell, "The Quest for Cosmic
Justice"
society, and yet they said it in such different senses that they meant
nearly opposite things. -- Thomas Sowell, "The Quest for Cosmic
Justice"
Wednesday, July 6, 2022
Fortune Quote #3632
Recognizing that many people "through no fault of their own" have windfall
losses, while those same people--and others--also have windfall gains, the
time is long overdue to recognize also that taxpayers through no fault of
their own have been forced to subsidize the moral adventures which exalt
self-anointed social philosophers. -- Thomas Sowell, "The Quest for
Cosmic Justice"
losses, while those same people--and others--also have windfall gains, the
time is long overdue to recognize also that taxpayers through no fault of
their own have been forced to subsidize the moral adventures which exalt
self-anointed social philosophers. -- Thomas Sowell, "The Quest for
Cosmic Justice"
Tuesday, July 5, 2022
Fortune Quote #3631
I, for one, resent it when a representative of the people refers to you
and me, the free men and women of this country, as "the masses". --
Ronald Reagan
and me, the free men and women of this country, as "the masses". --
Ronald Reagan
Monday, July 4, 2022
Fortune Quote #3630
This is the issue of this election: Whether we believe in our capacity for
self-government or whether we abandon the American revolution and confess
that a little intellectual elite in a far-distant capitol can plan our
lives for us better than we can plan them ourselves. -- Ronald
Reagan, 1964
self-government or whether we abandon the American revolution and confess
that a little intellectual elite in a far-distant capitol can plan our
lives for us better than we can plan them ourselves. -- Ronald
Reagan, 1964
Sunday, July 3, 2022
Fortune Quote #3629
Let us not be guilty of maudlin sympathy for the criminal who, roaming the
streets with switchblade knife and illegal firearms seeking a helpless
prey, suddenly becomes, upon apprehension, a poor, underprivileged person
who counts upon the compassion of our society and the laxness or weakness
of too many courts to forgive his offense. -- Dwight D. Eisenhower
streets with switchblade knife and illegal firearms seeking a helpless
prey, suddenly becomes, upon apprehension, a poor, underprivileged person
who counts upon the compassion of our society and the laxness or weakness
of too many courts to forgive his offense. -- Dwight D. Eisenhower
Saturday, July 2, 2022
Friday, July 1, 2022
Fortune Quote #3627
Once you can accept the universe as matter expanding into nothing that is
something, wearing stripes with plaid comes easy. -- Albert Einstein
something, wearing stripes with plaid comes easy. -- Albert Einstein
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