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Phrases or quotations that don't mean what they literally say.
February 4th, 2015 at 5:00:07 PM permalink | |
Nareed Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 346 Posts: 12545 | I came across this one in an alternate history novel about the US Civil War. Robert E. Lee says "It's good that war is so terrible, else we would grow fond of it." Ok. Literally, if war wasn't so terrible, what harm would there be in growing fond of it? Think playing laser tag or paintball. It's not terrible at all. What the phrase really means is "It's good we deem war to be so terrible, else we would grow fond of it." Of course irony carries a contrary meaning. So this quote attributed to Mark Twain (but probably not made by him): "The coldest winter I ever experienced was a summer in San Francisco" makes perfect sense. Anyone else? Donald Trump is a one-term LOSER |
February 4th, 2015 at 5:06:23 PM permalink | |
terapined Member since: Aug 6, 2014 Threads: 73 Posts: 11822 | A gazillion yogi's out there. He was the master. here's a couple off the top of my head. "Nobody goes there anymore, its too crowded." "Baseball is ninety percent mental and the other half is physical." Sometimes we live no particular way but our own - Grateful Dead "Eyes of the World" |
February 4th, 2015 at 5:09:52 PM permalink | |
rxwine Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 189 Posts: 18776 | "Head over heels in love." At least I always question it. I mean, your head is normally over your heels anyway. Heels over head is more like love. People are stupid goofy when in love. At least young lovers often are. I seem to remember there is another explanation as well which probably makes sense. You believe in an invisible god, and dismiss people who say they are trans? Really? |
February 4th, 2015 at 5:26:56 PM permalink | |
Nareed Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 346 Posts: 12545 |
Good one. There's a song by the Go Gos named "Head over Heels." I like it, but the phrase never makes sense to me either. Like this: Head over heels But if I go, can't stop myself Out of control Head over heels No time to think It's like the whole world's Out of sync. Donald Trump is a one-term LOSER |
February 4th, 2015 at 7:21:30 PM permalink | |
Evenbob Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 146 Posts: 25013 | The lack of money is the root of all evil. Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated. Mark Twain for both. If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose. |
February 4th, 2015 at 10:22:53 PM permalink | |
Fleastiff Member since: Oct 27, 2012 Threads: 62 Posts: 7831 | Mark Twain would never have lacked for money. He and two other prospectors filed what later became known as The Comstock Lode. Each of three thought the others would do the initial proving up work and when ten days went by with no activity on the site, the other miners filed on the claim and prevailed. |
February 5th, 2015 at 12:02:41 AM permalink | |
Evenbob Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 146 Posts: 25013 |
Twain was an idiot in business. As I said, he could have got in on the ground floor of Bell Telephone but couldn't see a practical use for the contraption. Are you kidding me? He thought it would be limited to women making doctors appointments and ordering a bag of groceries from the market. Great authors are often huge business failures. If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose. |
February 5th, 2015 at 12:13:18 AM permalink | |
rxwine Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 189 Posts: 18776 | Well, I'd look like a genius if I knew which one of the IPOs was going to blow up years later and which ones were going to go kaput. You believe in an invisible god, and dismiss people who say they are trans? Really? |
February 5th, 2015 at 12:25:01 AM permalink | |
Evenbob Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 146 Posts: 25013 |
How much imagination does it take to realize that being able to speak with someone 200 miles away would have tremendous advantages? Twain couldn't see it. If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose. |
February 5th, 2015 at 2:27:39 AM permalink | |
AZDuffman Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 135 Posts: 18222 |
Actually lots of people didn't see it. When the phone came out you could already send the telegraph for important things, why would you need to call that far to yack about nothing? History is filled with missed things that later became obvious. USA companies invented the VCR but wondered why people would tape shows? GM and Ford both figured minivan sales would not work because van buyers thought it was too small. How many others? The President is a fink. |