Famously Said Random quote

Clever jabs

277 quotes from 161 people

Most readBy personPage 13 of 19

I define UNIX as 30 definitions of regular expressions living under one roof.
Donald Knuthborn 1938Digital Typography, ch. 33, p. 649 (1999)
- Computers
To be completely cured of newspapers, spend a year reading the previous week’s newspapers.
Nassim Nicholas Talebborn 1960The Bed of Procrustes: Philosophical and Practical Aphorisms (2010), p. 21
- Journalism
Libertarianism. A simple-minded right-wing ideology ideally suited to those unable or unwilling to see past their own sociopathic self-regard.
Iain Banks1954–2013Transition (2009), Chapter 13 (p. 326)
- Politics
Here in two flat sentences are the best things I can say about our field on American television: Dr. Who is sometimes aired. Sometimes Battlestar Galactica is not.
Gene Wolfe1931–2019Guest of Honor speech at Aussiecon Two (August 1985), as published in Castle of Days (1992)
- Television
The Prime Minister must realise that in this country there is a taunt, on everyone’s lips, that if Rommel had been in the British Army, he would still have been a sergeant.
Aneurin Bevan1897–1960Speech in the House of Commons (2 July 1942)
- War & Peace
I, who said forty years ago that we should have had Socialism already but for the Socialists, am quite willing to drop the name if dropping it will help me to get the thing.
George Bernard Shaw1856–1950The Intelligent Woman’s Guide to Socialism and Capitalism (1928)
- Politics
We have long referred to him as “The Donald.” He is the only person in America to whom we have added an article before his name. It wasn’t because he had attributes we admired.
Mitt Romneyborn 1947Remarks on Donald Trump and the 2016 race
It’s an abominable place. If there was an Old Testamental God, he would do his job and wipe the place out. The only bad thing is that some really good restaurants would go up as well.
Terry Gilliamborn 1940About Hollywood. As quoted in the New York Times article Terry Gilliam’s Feel-Good Endings (14 August 2005)
- Movies
And reality has a well-known liberal bias.
Stephen Colbertborn 1964White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner (April 2006)
- Politics
Worth seeing? yes; but not worth going to see.
Samuel Johnson1709–1784Life of Samuel Johnson (1791), Vol III (12 October 1779)
The mark of a basic shit is that he has to be right.
William S. Burroughs1914–1997The Place Of Dead Roads‎ (1983), p. 155
- Character
A sincere diplomat is like dry water or wooden iron.
Joseph Stalin1878–1953“The Elections in St. Petersburg”, article in Sotsial-Demokrat No. 30 (January 1913)
- Politics
Stories of imagination tend to upset those without one.
Terry Pratchett1948–2015Foreword to The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Fantasy (1998) by David Pringle, and The Definitive Illustrated Guide to Fantasy (2003) by David Pringle
- Writing
There are a lot of bad Republicans; there are no good Democrats.
Ann Coulterborn 1961Interview with Brian Lamb at Booknotes (August 11, 2002).
- Politics
I have only one thing to say to the tax increasers: Go ahead, make my day.
Ronald Reagan1911–2004Speech threatening to veto legislation raising taxes (13 March 1985)
- Politics