Georgia O'Keeffe, Democracy and Coolness

Extraordinary quote of the day, and follow-up to "Look Out! Plunging and Plummeting!":
“Procter & Gamble yesterday posted a 33 percent jump in its first-quarter earnings....”
--Associated Press, today.

What makes this quote extraordinary is that none of the usual three hyperbolic “s” words are used: soar, spike or skyrocket. Seems like we have trouble getting through a day without hearing that something or another is plunging, plummeting (see stories on real estate prices) or soaring, spiking or skyrocketing (see stories on real estate prices 18 months ago).

Bumper sticker of the day:
“Commit random acts of coolness.”

Number of non-duplicate mailings about a single California assembly race we received last Monday:
Eight.

Average number about the same race received daily since October 20th:
Three.

Political quote of the day:
“Democracy is working because public attitudes remain the dominant influence--not ‘big money’ or ‘special interests.’ But it is not reassuring. The trouble is that public opinion is often ignorant, confused and contradictory, and so the policies it produces are often ignorant, confused and contradictory--which means they’re ineffective.”
--Robert J. Samuelson, "Newsweek," November 6, 2006

Political quote of the day no. 2:
“The difference between a democracy and a dictatorship is that in a democracy you vote first and take orders later; in a dictatorship you don't have to waste your time voting.”
--Charles Bukowski

Artist quote of the day:
“Low-toned dismal-colored painting.”
--Georgia O’Keeffe, describing impressionism. She also said this:

“Where I was born and where and how I have lived is unimportant. It is what I have done with where I have been that should be of interest.”