Jazz is known all over the world as an American musical art form and that's it. No America, no jazz. I've seen people try to connect it to other countries, for instance to Africa, but it doesn't have a damn thing to do with Africa.

A virtue to be serviceable must, like gold, be alloyed with some commoner, but more durable alloy.

Samuel Butler

All this was inspired by the principle--which is quite true in itself--that in the big lie there is always a certain force of credibility; because the broad masses of a nation are always more easily corrupted in the deeper strata of their emotional nature than consciously or voluntarily; and thus in the primitive simplicity of their minds they more readily fall victims to the big lie than the small lie, since they themselves often tell small lies in little matters but would be ashamed to resort to large-scale falsehoods. It would never come into their heads to fabricate colossal untruths, and they would not believe that others could have the impudence to distort the truth so infamously. Even though the facts which prove this to be so may be brought clearly to their minds, they will still doubt and waver and will continue to think that there may be some other explanation. For the grossly impudent lie always leaves traces behind it, even after it has been nailed down, a fact which is known to all expert liars in this world and to all who conspire together in the art of lying. These people know only too well how to use falsehood for the basest purposes.

Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf, chapte

The common eye sees only the outside of things, and judges by that, but the seeing eye pierces through and reads the heart and the soul.

Mark Twain

I wrote those poems for myself, as a way of being a soldier here in this country. I didn't know the poems would travel. I didn't go to Lebanon until two years ago, but people told me that many Arabs had memorized these poems and translated them into Arabic.

June Jordan

Sandwich every bit of criticism between two layers of praise.

Mary Kay Ash

Christians are rare people on earth.

Martin Luther

This will never be a civilized country until we expend more money for books than we do for chewing gum.

Elbert Hubbard

I'm not sure anybody's ready to see me in a drama. And loving movies so much, I've seen a lot of comics try to make that transition too fast, and it can be detrimental. And I don't think I've had as much success as I need in the comedy genre to open up those opportunities.

Seann William Scott

What I've learned in my life, it's a very interesting social study for me, to go back and forth between being the guy at home and being the guy on the road and being the guy in studio and being the guy in the interview. The environment around you has so much to do with your character, and when I'm home, my character really changes quite a bit.

John Mayer

It is better to be the widow of a hero than the wife of a coward.

Dolores Ibarruri

I think it's interesting to have a cool character not look so cool, you know?

Norman Reedus

I find that movies tend to fix the aesthetics of a story in people's minds.

Yann Martel