Quote of the Day: Relatively Speaking

 

‘Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.’ – Albert Einstein

‘The secret of getting ahead is getting started.’ – Mark Twain

‘The secret is to wake up.’ – Terry Pratchett, The Wee Free Men.

Balance requires momentum. Momentum requires starting. Starting requires … waking up.

… I say, are there brakes on this thing?

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  1. She Member
    She
    @She

    Andrew Miller: … I say, are there brakes on this thing?

    Brakes?

    ***

    This is the Quote of the Day. Our sign-up sheet for April is here and there are several days still available.  We welcome new participants and new members to Ricochet to share their favorite quotations.

    Another ongoing project to encourage new voices is our Group Writing Project. April’s theme is ‘April’s Showers Bring….” If you’re looking to share your own thoughts rather than those of others, please sign up for Group Writing too!

    • #1
  2. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    Andrew Miller: … I say, are there brakes on this thing?

    Nope.

    • #2
  3. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    She (View Comment):

    Andrew Miller: … I say, are there brakes on this thing?

    Brakes?

    No.

    • #3
  4. Gary McVey Contributor
    Gary McVey
    @GaryMcVey

    Percival (View Comment):

    She (View Comment):

    Andrew Miller: … I say, are there brakes on this thing?

    Brakes?

    No.

    Normally, this is a PIT situation that would call for Judge Mental. But if he’s temporarily detained eating breakfast or doing calisthenics, we send in The Man and The Challenge.

     

    • #4
  5. Andrew Miller Member
    Andrew Miller
    @AndrewMiller

    Gary McVey (View Comment):

    Percival (View Comment):

    She (View Comment):

    Andrew Miller: … I say, are there brakes on this thing?

    Brakes?

    No.

    Normally, this is a […] situation that would call for Judge Mental. But if he’s temporarily detained eating breakfast or doing calisthenics, we send in The Man and The Challenge.

    “So, just why do you want to install a flux capacitor on a motorcycle, again? And why’s it got to be able to go at the speed of light?”

    • #5
  6. Doctor Robert Member
    Doctor Robert
    @DoctorRobert

    Andrew Miller:

    ‘Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.’ – Albert Einstein

    ‘The secret of getting ahead is getting started.’ – Mark Twain

    ‘The secret is to wake up.’ – Terry Pratchett, The Wee Free Men.

    Balance requires momentum. Momentum requires starting. Starting requires … waking up.

    … I say, are there brakes on this thing?

    As much as I like the post, the aphorisms from Einstein and Twain seem contrived.  Andrew, do you have primary references for them?

    • #6
  7. Andrew Miller Member
    Andrew Miller
    @AndrewMiller

    Doctor Robert (View Comment):

    Andrew Miller:

    ‘Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.’ – Albert Einstein

    ‘The secret of getting ahead is getting started.’ – Mark Twain

    ‘The secret is to wake up.’ – Terry Pratchett, The Wee Free Men.

    Balance requires momentum. Momentum requires starting. Starting requires … waking up.

    … I say, are there brakes on this thing?

    As much as I like the post, the aphorisms from Einstein and Twain seem contrived. Andrew, do you have primary references for them?

    Alas, not. Those two may very possibly fall under the ‘print the legend’ dispensation — though I’m not sure if the Einstein one might be on firmer footing. 

    • #7
  8. Andrew Miller Member
    Andrew Miller
    @AndrewMiller

    Andrew Miller (View Comment):

    Doctor Robert (View Comment):

    Andrew Miller:

    […]

    As much as I like the post, the aphorisms from Einstein and Twain seem contrived. Andrew, do you have primary references for them?

    Alas, not. Those two may very possibly fall under the ‘print the legend’ dispensation — though I’m not sure if the Einstein one might be on firmer footing.

    The Einstein one is reported here to be a translation from something he wrote in a letter to his son (Life Is Like Riding a Bicycle. To Keep Your Balance You Must Keep Moving – Quote Investigator).

    The Twain one, according to the same website, appears harder to find a solid reference for (The Secret of Getting Ahead Is Getting Started – Quote Investigator).

    • #8
  9. Stad Coolidge
    Stad
    @Stad

    Andrew Miller: ‘Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.’ – Albert Einstein

    “Life is like a s___ sandwich.  The more bread you got, the less s___ you eat.”

    Stad, stolen from someone . . .

    Oh, and “s___” stands for salami.  (snickers)

    • #9
  10. Judge Mental Member
    Judge Mental
    @JudgeMental

    Doctor Robert (View Comment):

    Andrew Miller:

    ‘Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.’ – Albert Einstein

    ‘The secret of getting ahead is getting started.’ – Mark Twain

    ‘The secret is to wake up.’ – Terry Pratchett, The Wee Free Men.

    Balance requires momentum. Momentum requires starting. Starting requires … waking up.

    … I say, are there brakes on this thing?

    As much as I like the post, the aphorisms from Einstein and Twain seem contrived. Andrew, do you have primary references for them?

    “There’s always some fool on the Internet trying to ruin everyone’s fun.” – Abraham Lincoln

    • #10
  11. She Member
    She
    @She

    Judge Mental (View Comment):

    Doctor Robert (View Comment):

    Andrew Miller:

    ‘Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.’ – Albert Einstein

    ‘The secret of getting ahead is getting started.’ – Mark Twain

    ‘The secret is to wake up.’ – Terry Pratchett, The Wee Free Men.

    Balance requires momentum. Momentum requires starting. Starting requires … waking up.

    … I say, are there brakes on this thing?

    As much as I like the post, the aphorisms from Einstein and Twain seem contrived. Andrew, do you have primary references for them?

    “There’s always some fool on the Internet trying to ruin everyone’s fun.” – Abraham Lincoln

    I thought it was George Orwell who said that…right after the that thing he said about how “people sleep peacefully in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.” 

    Oh, wait….

    This is the one I was looking for:

    • #11
  12. The Reticulator Member
    The Reticulator
    @TheReticulator

    Andrew Miller:

    ‘Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.’ – Albert Einstein

    … I say, are there brakes on this thing?

    Reminds me of bicycle carriers I’ve had that require removal of the front wheel, which meant loosening the brake.  I wish I had a count of the number of times I put the front wheel back on but forgot to re-fasten the front brake.  It sometimes led to excitement.  

    Would you really want to remove excitement from life? 

    Besides, there alternative ways to stop. One bicycle book I had back in the early 70s told how to do a controlled crash, destroying your front wheel in the process, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.  I never had such an exciting life that I had to try it.

     

    • #12
  13. Andrew Miller Member
    Andrew Miller
    @AndrewMiller

    The Reticulator (View Comment):

    Andrew Miller:

    ‘Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.’ – Albert Einstein

    … I say, are there brakes on this thing?

    Reminds me of bicycle carriers I’ve had that require removal of the front wheel, which meant loosening the brake. I wish I had a count of the number of times I put the front wheel back on but forgot to re-fasten the front brake. It sometimes led to excitement.

    Would you really want to remove excitement from life?

    Besides, there alternative ways to stop. One bicycle book I had back in the early 70s told how to do a controlled crash, destroying your front wheel in the process, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. I never had such an exciting life that I had to try it.

     

    No, not really — just a little humour to lighten zer journey, you understand. 

    • #13
  14. Doctor Robert Member
    Doctor Robert
    @DoctorRobert

    Andrew Miller (View Comment):

    Andrew Miller (View Comment):

    Doctor Robert (View Comment):

    Andrew Miller:

    […]

    As much as I like the post, the aphorisms from Einstein and Twain seem contrived. Andrew, do you have primary references for them?

    Alas, not. Those two may very possibly fall under the ‘print the legend’ dispensation — though I’m not sure if the Einstein one might be on firmer footing.

    The Einstein one is reported here to be a translation from something he wrote in a letter to his son (Life Is Like Riding a Bicycle. To Keep Your Balance You Must Keep Moving – Quote Investigator).

    The Twain one, according to the same website, appears harder to find a solid reference for (The Secret of Getting Ahead Is Getting Started – Quote Investigator).

    Andrew, thank you for a most thorough and satisfying reply.

    As Abraham Lincoln (might have) said, there’s two kinds of people, and one of them responds politely to quasi-snark.  Nicely done.

    • #14
  15. Andrew Miller Member
    Andrew Miller
    @AndrewMiller

    Doctor Robert (View Comment):
    Andrew, thank you for a most thorough and satisfying reply.

    My pleasure. (Caused me to think a bit more about verifying things, which is no bad thing.)

    • #15
  16. Judge Mental Member
    Judge Mental
    @JudgeMental

    Doctor Robert (View Comment):

    Andrew Miller (View Comment):

    Andrew Miller (View Comment):

    Doctor Robert (View Comment):

    Andrew Miller:

    […]

    As much as I like the post, the aphorisms from Einstein and Twain seem contrived. Andrew, do you have primary references for them?

    Alas, not. Those two may very possibly fall under the ‘print the legend’ dispensation — though I’m not sure if the Einstein one might be on firmer footing.

    The Einstein one is reported here to be a translation from something he wrote in a letter to his son (Life Is Like Riding a Bicycle. To Keep Your Balance You Must Keep Moving – Quote Investigator).

    The Twain one, according to the same website, appears harder to find a solid reference for (The Secret of Getting Ahead Is Getting Started – Quote Investigator).

    Andrew, thank you for a most thorough and satisfying reply.

    As Abraham Lincoln (might have) said, there’s two kinds of people, and one of them responds politely to quasi-snark. Nicely done.

    “Was that a shot?  I think that was a shot.” – Archie Bunker

    “If someone takes a shot at you, give ’em a good smack.” – Jesus

    • #16
  17. HankRhody Freelance Philosopher Contributor
    HankRhody Freelance Philosopher
    @HankRhody

    Andrew Miller (View Comment):
    “So, just why do you want to install a flux capacitor on a motorcycle, again?

    I… I don’t understand the question. Why on Earth wouldn’t you?

    • #17
  18. HankRhody Freelance Philosopher Contributor
    HankRhody Freelance Philosopher
    @HankRhody

    Stad (View Comment):
    Oh, and “s___” stands for salami.  (snickers)

    I am intrigued by your Snickers salami. Is this available at my local grocer or do you make it yourself?

    • #18
  19. HankRhody Freelance Philosopher Contributor
    HankRhody Freelance Philosopher
    @HankRhody

    The Reticulator (View Comment):
    Besides, there alternative ways to stop. One bicycle book I had back in the early 70s told how to do a controlled crash, destroying your front wheel in the process, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.  I never had such an exciting life that I had to try it.

    What’s the trick of it? I mean, I’ve destroyed my bicycle’s fork in a crash that left me unharmed, but that was entirely by happenstance.

    • #19
  20. Gary McVey Contributor
    Gary McVey
    @GaryMcVey

    HankRhody Freelance Philosopher (View Comment):

    The Reticulator (View Comment):
    Besides, there alternative ways to stop. One bicycle book I had back in the early 70s told how to do a controlled crash, destroying your front wheel in the process, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. I never had such an exciting life that I had to try it.

    What’s the trick of it? I mean, I’ve destroyed my bicycle’s fork in a crash that left me unharmed, but that was entirely by happenstance.

    (To the tune of Muleskinner’s Blues)

    “And if you don’t like your whe-e-l,

    Then you can break, break

    The fork fork, the fork fork yourself

    Ah hah,

    ah ha, ha ha ha ha”…

    • #20
  21. Andrew Miller Member
    Andrew Miller
    @AndrewMiller

    HankRhody Freelance Philosopher (View Comment):

    Andrew Miller (View Comment):
    “So, just why do you want to install a flux capacitor on a motorcycle, again?

    I… I don’t understand the question. Why on Earth wouldn’t you?

    No sidecar? After all, where would my picnic lunch go? And the makings for a cup of tea? You’ve got to have a nice cup of tea when you’re time-travelling. That’s practically in the rules. (Although, if you’re riding a souped-up Harley with a flux capacitor, maybe the “rules” are ‘more sort of guidelines, really’.) I think I read that, er … somewhere.

    • #21
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