FWIW: Words To Consider?

[Posted by reader_iam

To MoveOn, with regard to its "ad":

"When I was a child of seven years old, my friends, on a holiday, filled my pocket with coppers. I went directly to a shop where they sold toys for children; and, being charmed with the sound of a whistle, that I met by the way in the hands of another boy, I voluntarily offered and gave all my money for one. I then came home, and went whistling all over the house, much pleased with my whistle, but disturbing all the family. My brothers, and sisters, and cousins, understanding the bargain I had made, told me I had given four times as much for it as it was worth; put me in mind what good things I might have bought with the rest of the money; and laughed at me so much for my folly, that I cried with vexation; and the reflection gave me more chagrin than the whistle gave me pleasure. This however was afterwards of use to me, the impression continuing on my mind; so that often, when I was tempted to buy some unnecessary thing, I said to myself, "Don't give too much for the whistle;" and I saved my money."

To the U.S. Senate, with regard to its "resolution":

"Without freedom of thought, there can be no such thing as wisdom; and no such thing as public liberty without freedom of speech; which is the right of every man as far as by it he does not hurt or control the right of another; and this is the only check it ought to suffer and the only bounds it ought to know. . . . Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freedom of speech, a thing terrible to traitors."

To both, for--well, you figure it out:

"He that would make his own liberty secure, must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty, he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself."

"What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly."

In Light Of Recent Talk: Aug. 6 Meditation

[Posted by reader_iam]

Everyone is aware of the difficult and menacing situation in which human society--shrunk into one community with a common fate--now finds itself, but only a few act accordingly. Most people go on living their every-day life: half frightened, half indifferent, they behold the ghostly tragi-comedy which is being performed on the international stage before the eyes and ears of the world. But on that stage, on which the actors under the floodlights play their ordained parts, our fate of tomorrow, life or death of the nations, is being decided.
--Albert Einstein, in "The Menace of Mass Destruction"

"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."

"Come on, Dover, move yer bloomin' arse!"

[Posted by reader_iam]

Right up there in my list of favorite lines from musicals. But pretty early on (and I mean as a kid, in the '60s), I determined that she'd've been better off ending up with Freddy who, following the scene which produced the quote in question, is refused audience with Eliza because she doesn't want to be seen ever again and basically replies, "But why? I thought she was marvelous!"

Trivia quiz question: Why, specifically, was "My Fair Lady" chosen as the name for the musical version of George Bernard Shaw's play, "Pygmalion"?

And, man oh man, wasn't Audrey Hepburn just generally a marvel?--among other things, an excellent argument for not getting too caught up in details.