Prince Philip was known for coming out with quips and remarks that could be very funny or very offensive. Here are a few of his “best” ones:

• 1995 Scotland: He asked a driving instructor, “How do you keep the natives off the booze long enough to pass the test?”
• 2002 Queensland, Australia: He as an Aboriginal businessman, “Do you still throw spears at each other?”
• Future astronaut: When a 13-year-old boy mentioned that he wanted to go into space, Philip said, “You’re too fat to be an astronaut.”
• 2003 Nigeria: Meeting the President of Nigeria who was in traditional robes, Philip said, “You look like you’re ready for bed.”
• Princess Anne: Philip said, “If it doesn’t fart or eat hay, she isn’t interested.”
• Elton John: While performing at a Royal Variety Command Performance, in 2001, he was heard to say, “I wish he’d turn the microphone off.”
• Source: NY Post, 4/10/2021, pp 5

Many years ago I went on a tour of Plantation houses outside of New Orleans. I loved the large windows that you could raise and walk out onto the spacious porch; it must have been wonderful to have such an open feeling. I was disabused of my ideas however, for the tour guide pointed out that such windows were invented in order to avoid the tax on doors. You see, every permanent door in a house was taxed, so in order to save money the architects simply eliminated doors to the outside by replacing them with huge windows that one could raise and walk through. The same was true in the bedrooms for there were no closets; instead, armoires were used; no permanent door, no tax.

FDR was a master politician, as long as he was dealing with American politicians. Prior to his first meeting with Stalin, Churchill offered his experience from meetings with Stalin but FDR turned him down; he was confident that he could win over Stalin with the power of his personality. After the conference in Teheran, FDR said, “The Russians are perfectly friendly. They aren’t trying to gobble up all the rest of Europe or the world”. Many tens of millions paid the price for his hubris.

Even today, stories of World War II are fascinating. A positive story of those terrible years is like a small gem, something to be valued and shared. This story of an ex-Infantryman and three Italian children is one such gem. For decades Martin Adler remembered one incident in the war when he hesitated for a second while searching for the enemy. Thankfully, he found three children and a potential tragedy was turned into a positive life time memory. Mr. Adler always wondered what happened to those three children recently he found out during a virtual reunion. A nice story, fitting for the Christmas season. I hope you enjoy it. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/26/world/europe/Italy-World-War-II-American-soldier-reunion.html

“To fall in love with yourself is the first secret of happiness. I did so at the age of four and a half. Then if you’re not a good mixer you can always fall back on your own company.” Robert Morley

“To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance” Oscar Wilde

“He who is in love with himself has at least this advantage-he won’t encounter many rivals” G.C. Lichtenberg

“If we were not all so excessively interested in ourselves, life would be so uninteresting that none of us would be able to endure it” Arthur Schopenhauer

“The kiss originated when the first male reptile licked the first female reptile, implying in a subtle, complimentary way that she was as succulent as the small reptile he had for dinner the night before”-F. Scott Fitzgerald

“Nearly any man can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.”-Abraham Lincoln

“A man wants to be a woman’s first love, a woman wants to be a man’s last love”-Oscar Wilde (also attributed to Madam De La Rochefoucauld)

Our polite recognition of another’s resemblance to ourselves-Ambrose Bierce

There is much to be said in favor of modern journalism. By giving us the opinions of the uneducated, it keeps us in touch with the ignorance of the community-Oscar Wilde