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October 26 - Wikiquote

(Redirected from 26 October)

Quotes of the day from previous years:

2004
I'm not against God. I'm against the misuse of God. ~ Marilyn Manson
2005
I know that it will hurt, I know that it will break your heart, the way things are, and the way they've been. Don't spread the discontent, don't spread the lies, don't make the same mistakes with your own life. ~ "Break Your Heart" by Natalie Merchant (born 26 October 1963)
2006
The youth are not always right, but the society which ignores them and beats, is always wrong. ~ François Mitterrand (born 26 October 1916) on les événements of May 1968.
  • proposed by Fys
2007
Contempt loves the silence
it thrives in the dark
with fine winding tendrils
that strangle the heart.
~ Natalie Merchant ~
2008
After bread, education is the first need of the people. ~ Georges Danton (born 26 October 1759)
2009
Cherish your visions and your dreams as they are the children of your soul, the blueprints of your ultimate achievements. ~ Napoleon Hill
2010
Strategy is a system of expedients; it is more than a mere scholarly discipline. It is the translation of knowledge to practical life, the improvement of the original leading thought in accordance with continually changing situations. ~ Helmuth von Moltke the Elder
2011
Do not wait; the time will never be "just right." Start where you stand, and work with whatever tools you may have at your command, and better tools will be found as you go along. ~ Napoleon Hill
2012
2013
The greatest achievements of men, were at first, nothing but dreams of the minds of men who knew that dreams are the seedlings of all achievements. A burning desire, to be and to do, is the starting point, from which the dreamer must take off.
~ Napoleon Hill ~
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
The anger, the hurt, the — the sense of outrage that the Israeli people are feeling after the brutally inflicted devastation by Hamas is completely understandable.
Israel has the right and, I would add, responsibility to respond to the slaughter of their people. And we will ensure Israel has what it needs to defend itself against these terrorists. That’s a guarantee.
We also have to remember that Hamas does not represent the vast majority of the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip or anywhere else.
Hamas is hiding behind Palestinian civilians, and it’s despicable and, not surprisingly, cowardly as well.
This also puts an added burden on Israel while they go after Hamas.
But that does not lessen the need for — to operate and align with the laws of war for Israeli — it has to do everything in its power — Israel has to do everything in its power, as difficult as it is, to protect innocent civilians.
~ Joe Biden ~
2024
2025
Rank or add further suggestions…

The Quote of the Day (QOTD) is a prominent feature of the Wikiquote Main Page. Thank you for submitting, reviewing, and ranking suggestions!

Ranking system
4 : Excellent – should definitely be used. (This is the utmost ranking and should be used by any editor for only one quote at a time for each date.)
3 : Very Good – strong desire to see it used.
2 : Good – some desire to see it used.
1 : Acceptable – but with no particular desire to see it used.
0 : Not acceptable – not appropriate for use as a quote of the day.
An averaging of the rankings provided to each suggestion produces it’s general ranking in considerations for selection of Quote of the Day. The selections made are usually chosen from the top ranked options existing on the page, but the provision of highly ranked late additions, especially in regard to special events (most commonly in regard to the deaths of famous people, or other major social or physical occurrences), always remain an option for final selections.
Thank you for participating!

Andrew Wiles gently smiles,
Does his thing, and voila!
Q.E.D., we agree,
And we all shout hurrah!
As he confirms what Fermat
Jotted down in that margin,
Which could've used some enlargin'.
~ Tom Lehrer in That's Mathematics (Fermat's Last Theorem proof published that day)

Who will draw the calvary in
risk his very own precious skin
to make our Angelinia a free and peaceful land again?
~ Natalie Merchant ~ (date of birth)

Labels are for cans, not people. ~ Anthony Rapp

  • 2 Zarbon 04:42, 5 July 2008 (UTC)
  • 0 Kalki 08:48, 18 October 2009 (UTC) I would rank this highly, but can find no source that would indicate this originates with Rapp.* 3 Kalki 22:33, 16 October 2008 (UTC)
  • 4 Wikisaver62 14:31, 25 October 2008 (UTC)
  • 0 because it is unsourced. - InvisibleSun 23:07, 25 October 2008 (UTC)
  • 4 Lollipop 12:08, 6 May 2012 (UTC) this is amazing —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 125.237.67.46 (talk) 00:09, 6 May 2012 ("Lollipop" is not a registered account name)

No battle plan ever survives contact with the enemy. ~ Helmuth von Moltke the Elder

  • 2 Zarbon 04:42, 5 July 2008 (UTC)
  • 3 Kalki 22:33, 16 October 2008 (UTC) with a very strong lean toward 4, but would correct this from the paraphrase to:
No plan of operations extends with any certainty beyond the first contact with the main hostile force.
OR extend it further to:
The tactical result of an engagement forms the base for new strategic decisions because victory or defeat in a battle changes the situation to such a degree that no human acumen is able to see beyond the first battle. In this sense one should understand Napoleon's saying: "I have never had a plan of operations."
Therefore no plan of operations extends with any certainty beyond the first contact with the main hostile force.
Though the original suggestion was originally unsourced, and seems to be a long used and common paraphrase, the original statement has now been sourced, and is included as part of my rankings, above. ~ Kalki 14:58, 18 October 2009 (UTC)

A competent staff officer should work diligently, accomplish much, remain in the background, and be more than he seems. ~ Helmuth von Moltke the Elder

  • 2 Zarbon 04:42, 5 July 2008 (UTC)
  • 0 Kalki 08:48, 18 October 2009 (UTC) I can locate no published source for this.* 3 Kalki 22:33, 16 October 2008 (UTC)
  • 1 Wikisaver62 14:31, 25 October 2008 (UTC)
  • 0 because it is unsourced. InvisibleSun 23:07, 25 October 2008 (UTC)

To talk to others who are unseen and far away is an experience which, before the telephone, occurred only in mythology. Gods, devils, and angels talked from the sky across the world, but not mere mortals. ~ Ithiel de Sola Pool

  • 2 Zarbon 04:42, 5 July 2008 (UTC)
  • 2 Kalki 22:33, 16 October 2008 (UTC)
  • 0 Wikisaver62 14:31, 25 October 2008 (UTC)
  • 0 because it is unsourced. - InvisibleSun 23:07, 25 October 2008 (UTC)

What has begun in this evening will not stay for a long time, and because you represent the forces of the world of labour, you, forces of the youth, your victory is inevitable. ~ François Mitterrand

  • 2 Zarbon 04:42, 5 July 2008 (UTC)
  • 2 Kalki 22:33, 16 October 2008 (UTC)
  • 2 Wikisaver62 14:31, 25 October 2008 (UTC)
  • 0 because it is inadequately sourced. InvisibleSun 23:07, 25 October 2008 (UTC)
speak to me
don't mislead me, the calm I feel means a storm is swelling
there's no telling where it starts or how it ends
~ Natalie Merchant ~
Every adversity has the seed of an equivalent or greater benefit.
~ Napoleon Hill ~
Cherish your visions and your dreams as they are the children of your soul, the blueprints of your ultimate achievements.
~ Napoleon Hill ~
Truly, thoughts are things, and their scope of operation is the world, itself.
~ Napoleon Hill ~
The greatest achievements of men, were at first, nothing but dreams of the minds of men who knew that dreams are the seedlings of all achievements. A burning desire, to be and to do, is the starting point, from which the dreamer must take off.
~ Napoleon Hill ~
Ophelia was a bride of god
a novice Carmelite
in sister cells the cloister bells
tolled on her wedding night
~ Natalie Merchant ~
Ophelia was a circus queen
the female cannonball
projected through five flaming hoops
to wild and shocked applause...
~ Natalie Merchant ~
Ophelia's mind went wandering
you'd wonder where she'd gone
through secret doors
down corridors
she'd wander them alone
~ Natalie Merchant ~
where is the halo
that should glow 'round your face
and where are the wings that
should grow from your shoulder blades?
~ Natalie Merchant ~
these sobering sights I've seen
in the City of Angels
have all been one rude awakening
that was due to me
in this city of fallen angels
~ Natalie Merchant ~
doctors have come from distant cities
just to see me
stand over my bed
disbelieving what they're seeing
they say I must be one of the wonders
of god's own creation
and as far as they can see they can offer
no explanation
~ Natalie Merchant ~
you'll know it's true, that you are blessed and lucky
it's true, that you are touched by something
that will grow and bloom in you
~ Natalie Merchant ~
people see me
I'm a challenge to your balance
I'm over your heads
how I confound you and astound you
~ Natalie Merchant ~

When there are no ceilings, the sky's the limit. Hillary Clinton, born this day.