"When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross."

-- Sinclair Lewis, American novelist and playwright  (February 7, 1885 — January 10, 1951)

"Part of the inhumanity of the computer is that, once it is competently programmed and working smoothly, it is completely honest."

-- Isaac Asimov, scientist and science fiction writer (January 2, 1920 - April 6, 1992)

"Whenever morality is based on theology, whenever right is made dependent on divine authority, the most immoral, unjust, infamous things can be justified and established."

-- Ludwig Feuerbach, philosopher (1804-1872)

"The average pencil is seven inches long, with just a half-inch eraser - in case you thought optimism was dead."

-- Robert Brault, software developer, writer (1972- )

"The nice thing about standards is that there are so many of them to choose from."

-- Andrew S. Tannenbaum, computer science professor (1944- )

"The trade of governing has always been monopolized by the most ignorant and the most rascally individuals of mankind."

-- Thomas Paine, philosopher and writer (1737-1809)

"News is what people want to keep hidden; everything else is publicity."

-- Bill Moyers, journalist (1934- )

"If the world were merely seductive, that would be easy. It it were merely challenging, that would be no problem. But I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day."

-- E.B. White, writer (1899-1985)

"Ignorance, allied with power, is the most ferocious enemy justice can have."

-- James Baldwin, writer (1924-1987)

"Civilizations in decline are consistently characterised by a tendency towards standardization and uniformity."

-- Arnold Toynbee, historian (1889-1975)

"It takes a certain maturity of mind to accept that nature works as steadily in rust as in rose petals."

-- Esther Warner Dendel, writer and artist (1910-2002)

"There is no coming to consciousness without pain."

-- Carl Jung, psychiatrist (1875-1961)

"I hope our wisdom will grow with our power, and teach us that the less we use our power the greater it will be."

-- Thomas Jefferson, third US president, architect and author (1743-1826)

"Flattery is like chewing gum. Enjoy it but don't swallow it."

-- Hank Ketcham, comic artist (1920-2001)