The most important scientific revolutions all include, as their only common feature, the dethronement of human arrogance from one pedestal after another of previous convictions about our centrality in the cosmos. 

-Stephen Jay Gould, paleontologist, biologist, author (1941-2002)

...which way

A straw vote only shows which way the hot air blows. 

-O. Henry, short-story writer (1862-1910)

...true test of

A decent provision for the poor is the true test of civilization. 

-Samuel Johnson, lexicographer (1709-1784)

Pinnacle of success

You have reached the pinnacle of success as soon as you become uninterested in money, compliments, or publicity. 

-Thomas Wolfe, novelist (1900-1938)

Mask - and truth

Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth. 

-Oscar Wilde, writer (1854-1900)

...rarely err if

One will rarely err if extreme actions be ascribed to vanity, ordinary actions to habit, and mean actions to fear. 

-Friedrich Nietzsche, philosopher (1844-1900)

...right regrets

Maybe all one can do is hope to end up with the right regrets. 

-Arthur Miller, playwright and essayist (1915-2005)

...anonymous

All one's life as a young woman one is on show, a focus of attention, people notice you. You set yourself up to be noticed and admired. And then, not expecting it, you become middle-aged and anonymous. No one notices you. You achieve a wonderful freedom. It's a positive thing. You can move about unnoticed and invisible. 

-Doris Lessing, novelist, poet, playwright, Nobel laureate (1919-2013)

get and then enjoy

There are two things to aim at in life; first to get what you want, and after that to enjoy it. Only the wisest of mankind achieve the second. 

-Logan Pearsall Smith, essayist (1865-1946)

Roots in all directions...

A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees.

- Amelia Earhart

Attitude determines...

"Your attitude determines your direction."

~ Unknown

...any human being can

To be nobody but myself -- in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else -- means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight, and never stop fighting. 

-E.E. Cummings, poet (1894-1962)

who see greatness in you

"Surround yourself with those who see greatness in you, even when you don't see it in yourself."

~ Casey Neistat

refuse to follow bad...

Will people ever be wise enough to refuse to follow bad leaders or to take away the freedom of other people? 

-Eleanor Roosevelt, diplomat, author, and lecturer (1884-1962)

...need to wait?

They'll tell you you're too loud, that you need to wait your turn and ask the right people for permission. Do it anyway. 

-Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, US Congress member (b. Oct 13, 1989)

...Reality is

...you can

"Believe you can and you're halfway there."

~ Theodore Roosevelt

...for a better

"Kindness is the foundation for a better, more understanding world."

~ Unknown

Stand out of light

When Alexander the Great visited Diogenes and asked whether he could do anything for the famed teacher, Diogenes replied: "Only stand out of my light." Perhaps some day we shall know how to heighten creativity. Until then, one of the best things we can do for creative men and women is to stand out of their light. 

-John W. Gardner, author and educator (1912-2002)

...NO COUNTRIES

Imagine there's no Countries,
It isn't hard to do.
Nothing to kill or die for,
And no religion, too.
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace. 

-John Lennon, musician (1940-1980)

small cast BiG

When small men begin to cast big shadows, it means that the sun is about to set. 

-Lin Yutang, writer and translator (1895-1976)

Legend Ratan N TATA

Om Shanthi

thinking on...

Writing is thinking on paper. 

-William Zinsser, writer and editor (1922-2015)

often the best...

"New beginnings are often the best disguised opportunities."

~ Susan Gale

Happy Indian Air Force Day

08 October

...the tyrant

It's said that "power corrupts", but actually it's more true that power attracts the corruptible. The sane are usually attracted by other things than power. When they do act, they think of it as service, which has limits. The tyrant, though, seeks mastery, for which he is insatiable, implacable. 

-David Brin, scientist and science fiction author (b. 6 Oct 1950)

7 Blunders...

Seven blunders of the world that lead to violence: 

• wealth without work
• pleasure without conscience
• knowledge without character
• commerce without morality
• science without humanity
•  worship without sacrifice
• politics without principle.

-Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948)

Serves the best

He serves his party best who serves the country best. 

-Rutherford B. Hayes, 19th US president (1822-1893)

Memories Vs. Dreams

We all have our time machines. Some take us back, they're called memories. Some take us forward, they're called dreams. 

-Jeremy Irons, actor (b. 19 Sep 1948)

..fugitives

In a world of fugitives, the person taking the opposite direction will appear to run away. 

-T.S. Eliot, poet (1888-1965)

make life easier

Customers don't care about features. They care about how your product will make their life easier or solve their pain points. 
- Rajiv Talreja 

...of the mind

No fathers or mothers think their own children ugly; and this self-deceit is yet stronger with respect to the offspring of the mind. 

-Miguel de Cervantes, novelist (1547-1616)