December 4 Quotations

Quotes of the day from previous years:

2003

I'm completely in favor of the separation of Church and State. My idea is that these two institutions screw us up enough on their own, so both of them together is certain death. ~ George Carlin

selected by IP 68.227.198.159

2004

Who, if I cried out, would hear me among the angels'
hierarchies? and even if one of them suddenly
pressed me against his heart, I would perish
in the embrace of his stronger existence.
For beauty is nothing but the beginning of terror
which we are barely able to endure and are awed
because it serenely disdains to annihilate us.
Each single angel is terrifying.
~ Rainer Maria Rilke ~

selected by Kalki

2005

Make your ego porous. Will is of little importance, complaining is nothing, fame is nothing. Openness, patience, receptivity, solitude is everything. ~ Rainer Maria Rilke (born 4 December 1875)

proposed by UDScott

2006

No sadder proof can be given by a man of his own littleness than disbelief in great men. ~ Thomas Carlyle (date of birth)

proposed by Kalki

2007

You don't get very far in life without having to be brave an awful lot. Because we all have our frightening moments and difficult trials and we don't have much of a choice but to get through them, and it takes a lot of bravery to do that. The most important thing about bravery is this — It's not about not being scared — it's about being scared and doing it anyway — that's bravery. ~ Ysabella Brave

proposed by Kalki

2008

Is there any religion whose followers can be pointed to as distinctly more amiable and trustworthy than those of any other? If so, this should be enough. I find the nicest and best people generally profess no religion at all, but are ready to like the best men of all religions. ~ Samuel Butler

proposed by InvisibleSun

2009

Suggestions

That there should one Man die ignorant who had capacity for Knowledge, this I call a tragedy. ~ Thomas Carlyle (date of birth)

3 ~ UDScott 23:09, 28 November 2005 (UTC)
3 ~ Kalki 00:08, 2 December 2005 (UTC)
3 InvisibleSun 08:53, 3 December 2006 (UTC)
3 Zarbon 15:36, 26 April 2008 (UTC)
2 Ningauble 21:12, 3 December 2008 (UTC)

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What we become depends on what we read after all of the professors have finished with us. The greatest university of all is a collection of books. ~ Thomas Carlyle (date of birth)

3 ~ UDScott 23:09, 28 November 2005 (UTC)
3 ~ Kalki 00:08, 2 December 2005 (UTC)
3 InvisibleSun 08:53, 3 December 2006 (UTC)
2 Zarbon 15:36, 26 April 2008 (UTC)
3 Ningauble 21:12, 3 December 2008 (UTC)

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There is more stupidity than hydrogen in the universe, and it has a longer shelf life. ~ Frank Zappa (date of death)

2 ~ UDScott 23:09, 28 November 2005 (UTC)
2 InvisibleSun 08:53, 3 December 2006 (UTC)
2 Kalki 22:55, 3 December 2007 (UTC)
2 Zarbon 15:36, 26 April 2008 (UTC)
Note: The quote on the Frank Zappa page is now: "I say there is more stupidity than hydrogen, and that is the basic building block of the universe." - InvisibleSun 21:01, 3 December 2008 (UTC)

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Every new idea has something of the pain and peril of childbirth about it; ideas are just as mortal and just as immortal as organised beings are. ~ Samuel Butler (born December 4, 1835)

3 InvisibleSun 08:53, 3 December 2006 (UTC)
3 Kalki 22:55, 3 December 2007 (UTC)
1 Zarbon 15:36, 26 April 2008 (UTC)

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The great characters of fiction live as truly as the memories of dead men. For the life after death it is not necessary that a man or woman should have lived. ~ Samuel Butler

3 InvisibleSun 08:53, 3 December 2006 (UTC)
3 Kalki 22:55, 3 December 2007 (UTC)
1 and I seriously don't agree with the second half of this. It's fine to believe that a work of fiction is as grandiose as that which lived, but to say that a life is worth nothing after its death is just plain wrong, for a life truly never dies if it is kept alive in the minds of many. Zarbon 15:36, 26 April 2008 (UTC)

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If people were to demand cash payment in irrefragable certainty for everything that they have taken hitherto as paper money on the credit of the bank of public opinion, is there money enough behind it all to stand so great a drain even on so great a reserve? ~ Samuel Butler

4 InvisibleSun 08:53, 3 December 2006 (UTC)
2 Kalki 22:55, 3 December 2007 (UTC) This is good, and I like it, but I much prefer the Butler quote above as a QOTD, and might rank it a 4 eventually.
1 Zarbon 15:36, 26 April 2008 (UTC)

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You need to laugh more. Life is filled with too many problems, to not laugh every day. ... We need to have a sense of humor going into this because it's too tough without it. ~ Ysabella Brave (born 4 December 1979)

3 Kalki 22:55, 3 December 2007 (UTC)
1 Zarbon 15:36, 26 April 2008 (UTC)
2 InvisibleSun 21:01, 3 December 2008 (UTC)

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It's like not only does he shit on our heads, we're supposed to say thanks for the hat. ~ from The Sopranos Brendan Filone Anthony DeSando (born December 4)

3 because I like the message behind the quote. I'm curious if the word "shit" is considered profanity. I don't agree with curses appearing on quote of the day, but is that specific word excessive, I'd like Kalki's thoughts since we both seem to disagree with profanity for the most part. Zarbon 16:41, 24 April 2008 (UTC)
0 Kalki 01:05, 29 November 2008 (UTC) this is fine by me as a quote within the article, but a bit too extreme for QOTD.
1 InvisibleSun 21:01, 3 December 2008 (UTC)

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Kids, you think you can protect 'em, well you can't. ~ from The Sopranos Brendan Filone Anthony DeSando (born December 4)

4 because children seem to do things that places them in danger and no matter how hard one may try, a child finds a way. Zarbon 16:41, 24 April 2008 (UTC)
1 Kalki 01:05, 29 November 2008 (UTC)
1 InvisibleSun 21:01, 3 December 2008 (UTC)

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There are more fools than knaves in the world, else the knaves would not have enough to live upon. ~ Samuel Butler

3 Zarbon 22:24, 27 October 2008 (UTC)
2 Kalki 01:05, 29 November 2008 (UTC)
0. This is the 17th century Samuel Butler, whose DOB has now been corrected as February 8, 1612. - InvisibleSun 21:01, 3 December 2008 (UTC)

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Neither have they hearts to stay,
Nor wit enough to run away.
~ Samuel Butler

2 Zarbon 22:24, 27 October 2008 (UTC)
2 Kalki 01:05, 29 November 2008 (UTC)
0. This is the 17th century Samuel Butler, whose DOB has now been corrected as February 8, 1612. - InvisibleSun 21:01, 3 December 2008 (UTC)

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I have no fear nor shrinking; I have seen death so often that it is not strange or fearful to me. ~ Edith Cavell

3 Zarbon 23:19, 27 October 2008 (UTC)
2 Kalki 01:05, 29 November 2008 (UTC)
2 InvisibleSun 21:01, 3 December 2008 (UTC)

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I thank God for this ten weeks' quiet before the end... Life has always been hurried and full of difficulty... This time of rest has been a great mercy. ~ Edith Cavell

2 Zarbon 23:19, 27 October 2008 (UTC)
2 Kalki 01:05, 29 November 2008 (UTC)
2 InvisibleSun 21:01, 3 December 2008 (UTC)

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Standing as I do in view of God and eternity, I realize that patriotism is not enough. I must have no hatred or bitterness towards any one. ~ Edith Cavell

3 Kalki 16:51, 3 December 2008 (UTC) ~~4 Kalki 01:05, 29 November 2008 (UTC)~~
1 Zarbon 22:05, 29 November 2008 (UTC)
3 InvisibleSun 21:01, 3 December 2008 (UTC)

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