This issue of Q9 was published on September 17, 2001
Quotes, Thoughts & Inspiration
Practical, yet refreshing, in a lot more words today
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I am trying to resume the sending of quotes,
thoughts & inspiration this week.
The quotes selected may not necessarily be
chosen to apply to events in NY, DC and PA,
but will always be chosen for the usual
constructive reasons that I send out quotes
in the first place.
In addition to today's quotes, I have written
an editorial, "Bottom's Up". It is a bit long,
so I have uploaded it to my web site:
http://www.just-think-it.com/bottomup.htm
Floyd
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(1)
The operation of the century.
- Saddam Hussein
No just cause can be advanced by terrorism.
- Kofi Annan
This Canadian thinks it is time to speak up for the Americans
as the most generous and possibly the least appreciated people
on all the earth.
- Gordon Sinclair, a Canadian television commentator, 1973
[Full text in today's AAAmaZine]
The shortsightedness of Israeli perspectives cannot be used
as an excuse to ignore the failure of many Arab countries
to develop a democratic political culture and thus minimize
the scope for fanatical terrorist groups to emerge. It is
a complete nonsequitur [nonsense] to argue that the wrongs
of the Israelis in tacitly approving the extension of Jewish
settlements into Palestinian areas (and they are wrong) is
the fault of the Americans.
- George Kerevan, "The Scotsman"
Revenge is a dish that should be eaten cold.
- English proverb
(2)
We sleep safe in our beds because rough men stand ready in
the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm.
- George Orwell
How far that little candle throws his beams!
So shines a good deed in a naughty world.
- William Shakespeare
Of all the media people I have listened to in the past six
days, I have to say I am the most profoundly impressed by
Peter Jennings. Among other things: he kept his composure
the best at the worst possible moment(s); he editorialized
the least and in the gentlest way when he did comment/
summarize; he used his fleet of reports/producers/etc. the
best; he did the least amount of "I have 3 people here today
and they are going to give conflicting opinions and it is
going to degenerate into an argument". And he logged
herculean hours. Then I saw what he did on Saturday morning,
with children and their parents, and that just put him over
the top. Here's to Sir Peter.
- Floyd Maxwell (1957-)
The Taliban and bin Laden are not Afghanistan. They're
not even the government of Afghanistan. The Taliban are
a cult of ignorant psychotics who took over Afghanistan
in 1997. Bin Laden is a political criminal with a plan.
When you think Taliban, think Nazis. When you think bin
Laden, think Hitler. And when you think "the people of
Afghanistan" think "the Jews in the concentration camps".
It's not only that the Afghan people had nothing to do
with this atrocity. They were the first victims of the
perpetrators. They would exult if someone would come in
there, take out the Taliban and clear out the rats' nest
of international thugs holed up in their country.
- an Afghan-American
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2001/09/14/afghanistan/
(3)
The New York Software Industry Association has dedicated its
Web site to creating a database of companies that would like
to donate office space to colleagues who lost their workspace
in Tuesday's attack.
http://www.nysia.org/
We've all got the stuff to make it happen, over time.
- Jack Welch
(4)
Now, more than ever, the Internet must be wielded along with
other media to cast bright lights on all who would destroy
freedom in the world. Information is the torch of truth and
its free flow is the bloodstream of democracy. The price of
such free flow may be information we do NOT like or believe,
but the antidote to misinformation is more information, not
less.
- Vinton Cerf, one of the founders of the Internet
We have much to do and much to ask of the American people.
You will be asked for your patience, for this conflict will
not be short. You will be asked for resolve, for the
conflict will not be easy. You will be asked for your
strength, because the course to victory may be long.
- President Bush, Sat, 09/15/01
(5)
For mere vengeance I would do nothing. This nation is too
great to look for mere revenge. But for the security of the
future I would do everything.
- James Abram Garfield (1831-1881),
after Lincoln's assassination
I am annoyed with those who criticized him for not returning
to Washington right away. I know George is strong. I know
that he has a fantastic national security team around him.
I know that, in reaching out to the Congress as we're seeing
now, and reaching out to our friends and allies and others
around the world, he's doing the right thing.
- George Bush Sr.
Karl Rove, the president's senior adviser, tells me: "When
the president said `I don't want some tinhorn terrorists
keeping me out of Washington,' the Secret Service informed
him that the threat contained language that was evidence
that the terrorists had knowledge of his procedures and
whereabouts. In light of the specific and credible threat,
it was decided to get airborne with a fighter escort."
- William Safire, "The New York Times"
I ask again: What was it you hoped to teach us? It occurs
to me that maybe you just wanted us to know the depths of
your hatred. If that's the case, consider the message
received. And take this message in exchange: You don't
know my people. You don't know what we're capable of.
You don't know what you just started.
- Leonard Pitts Jr., "The Miami Herald"
One of the most alarming things I see when companies cite
their new security measures is that they say things like
"We do a very complete and thorough job making sure when
our gates are open that we have secure facilities" (a VP
of MLBaseball security). They use superlatives: "most",
"best", "complete". This is utter nonsense, and a lie.
They SHOULD be saying "more", "better", "more complete".
It is IMPOSSIBLE to be completely secure. It is IMPOSSIBLE
to think of everything. And it is IMPOSSIBLE for perfect
measures TODAY to be perfect TOMORROW. This arrogance
can only be explained by considering the legal angle
-- these firms are trying to cover themselves. But I
think they are so far wrong in what they are saying that
they are lying...it is such a distortion, in such an
important area. "er", not "est", should be the most we
hope and work for. This would also be more in keeping
with "kaizen" (continuous improvement), a Japanese word
that sums up my personal philosophy. Further to that,
why don't public facilities install "How can we improve
our security" suggestion boxes? 50,000 fans are 50,000
sets of eyes -- that can see potential weaknesses a
thousand times better than a few VPs. In a single year
(some years back) Toyota employees submitted over one
MILLION suggestions on how to improve things. If your
place of work doesn't have a suggestion box, put up your
own -- a box full of suggestions is less likely to be
ignored than no box at all. And if you catch people using
superlatives regarding security, be sure to correct them.
- Floyd Maxwell (1957-)
Let's roll.
- Todd Beamer (?-2001),
before he and others apparently thwarted
the fourth set of terrorists
(6)
I was on my back, facing this massive cloud that was approaching,
it must have been 600 feet off, everything was already dark.
I normally wear a pendant around my neck, inscribed with an
Arabic prayer for safety; similar to the cross. A hesidic
Jewish man came up to me and held the pendant in his hand,
and looked at it. He read the Arabic out loud for a second.
What he said next, I will never forget. With a deep Brooklyn
accent he said "Brother, if you don't mind, there is a cloud
of glass coming at us, grab my hand, lets get the [heck] out
of here." He helped me stand up, and we ran for what seemed
like forever without looking back. He was the last person I
would ever have thought, who would help me. If it weren't
for him, I probably would have been engulfed in shattered
glass and debris.
- an unidentified Muslim
It isn't talking about the event that makes us upset.
It is the event itself that makes us upset.
- something for parents to convey to their children
(7)
My country is the world and my religion is to do good.
- Thomas Paine, "The Rights of Man"
If the culprits are Muslim, they have twisted the teachings
of Islam. Whoever performed, or is behind, the terrorist
attacks in the United States of America does not represent
Islam. God is not behind assassins.
- Muhammad Ali
(8)
In the early days of trading we'll be trying to make sense
of it all, but three to six months out, I'm confident that
fiscal and monetary stimulus will have the market higher.
Nobody has called me with any desire to take money out of
the market, but people have asked me to put money in.
- David Sowerby, Chief Market Strategist,
Loomis Sayles & Co
I will not settle for a token act. Our response must be
sweeping, sustained and effective.
- President Bush, Sat, 09/15/01
I won't be selling anything. If prices go down, there are
some things I might buy.
- Warren Buffet, on what he will do when the NYSE re-opens
This is the best place in the world to invest. We have the
strongest economy. Where else would you go with your money?
- Jack Welch, on continuing to invest in US companies
(9)
Our nation must be mindful that there are thousands of
Arab-Americans who live in New York City, who love their
flag just as much as the three of us do, and we must be
mindful that as we seek to win the war that we treat
Arab-Americans and Muslims with the respect they deserve.
- President Bush, speaking on the phone to Pataki/Giuliani
Man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects
revenge, aggression and retaliation. The foundation of such
a method is love.
- Martin Luther King, Jr (1929-1968)
Ask not what your country can do for you;
ask what you can do for your country.
- John F. Kennedy (1917-1963)
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