WIST Quotations

Pratchett, Terry -- Discworld No. 14, Lords and Ladies (1992)

Dave — Sat, 28 Feb 2026 23:23:48 +0000

The shortest unit of time in the multiverse is the New York Second, defined as the period of time between the traffic lights turning green and the cab behind you honking.

Terry Pratchett (1948–2015) English author
Discworld No. 14, Lords and Ladies (1992)
(Source)

Pratchett, Terry -- Discworld No. 11, Reaper Man (1991)

Dave — Fri, 31 May 2019 19:09:31 +0000

Light thinks it travels faster than anything but it is wrong. No matter how fast light travels it finds the darkness has always got there first, and is waiting for it.

Terry Pratchett (1948–2015) English author
Discworld No. 11, Reaper Man (1991)
(Source)

Patton, George S. -- (Attributed)

Dave — Mon, 02 Nov 2015 15:04:59 +0000

A good solution applied with vigor now is better than a perfect solution applied ten minutes later.

George S. Patton (1885–1945) American soldier
(Attributed)

Publilius Syrus -- Sententiae [Moral Sayings], # 6

Dave — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 18:51:51 +0000

He doubly benefits the needy who gives quickly.

[Inopi beneficium bis dat, qui dat celeriter.]

Publilius Syrus (d. 42 BC) Assyrian slave, writer, philosopher [less correctly Publius Syrus]
Sententiae [Moral Sayings], # 6

Ward, Artemus -- Shakespeare Up-to-Date

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000

“Thrice is he armed that hath his quarrel just” —
And four times he who gets his fist in fust.

Artemus Ward (1834–1867) American humorist, editor, lecturer [pseud. of Charles Farrar Browne]
Shakespeare Up-to-Date

See Shakespeare. Also attributed to Josh Billings in Josh Billings: His Sayings (1865), and sometimes oddly credited to Romans 13:7.