to all of the following, among many others (you know who you are):
Frank Zappa: "Politics is the entertainment branch of industry". Few artists I've enjoyed have produced as much warped wonder in as many media.
Gore Vidal: "Apparently, "conspiracy stuff" is now shorthand for unspeakable truth." History needs to be upended and shaken until the gold falls from its pockets.
Hunter S. Thompson: "I have a theory that the truth is never told during the nine-to-five hours." When the US wakes up with the hangover of the gods, it will take coffee and aspirin, go the john, start reading Thomson and finally understand why it feels so bad.
William S. Burroughs: "After one look at this planet any visitor from outer space would say 'I want to see the manager.'" Blasphemy read backwards is a path to the soul.
PJ O'Rourke: "I like to think of my behavior in the sixties as a "learning experience." Then again, I like to think of anything stupid I've done as a "learning experience." It makes me feel less stupid." I have never laughed harder at anything I disagree with more.
George Carlin: "I have as much authority as the Pope, I just don't have as many people who believe it." Never, ever raise your hand if a comedian asks a question. I learned this lesson at a Carlin concert.
Abbie Hoffman: "The first duty of a revolutionary is to get away with it." Steal this Bookstole my heart. I own some stuff now, and have changed my views to a certain extent.
Saul Alinsky: "The organizer becomes a carrier for the contagion of curiousity, for a people asking “why” are beginning to rebel. " The Sun Tzu of the greater good. Rules for Radicals should be required reading in elementary school.
Abraham Lincoln: "Am I not destroying my enemies when I make friends of them?" He had a point there. The first, best tactic.
Jesus Christ: "For what shall it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and suffer the loss of his soul?" How true, 1%, how true.