"The histories of mankind are histories only of the higher classes."

Thomas Malthus
(02/17/1766 – 12/23/1834)
English economist (image courtesy of Bridgeman Art Library)

"One could drive a prairie schooner through any part of his argument and never scrape against a fact."

David F. Houston
(02/17/1866 – 09/02/1940)
US Secretary of Treasury , on William Jennings Bryan

"If you want to achieve excellence, you can get there today. As of this second, quit doing less-than-excellent work."

Thomas John Watson, Jr.
(02/17/1874 – 06/19/1956)
US businessman (IBM president)

"One of the many things nobody ever tells you about middle age is that it's such a nice change from being young."

Dorothy Canfield Fisher
(02/17/1879 – 11/09/1958)
US writer

"A good sermon should be like a woman's skirt: short enough to arouse interest but long enough to cover the essentials."

Ronald Knox
(02/17/1888 – 08/24/1957)
English writer, theologian

"Of course, you start with dreams of being a star. You want recognition, public recognition. And why not? You're doing public work."

Sir Alan Bates
(02/17/1934 – 12/27/2003)
English actor

"To live in Australia permanently is rather like going to a party and dancing all night with one's mother."

Barry Humphries
(02/17/1934 – )
Australian writer, actor

"If Rosa Parks had taken a poll before she sat down in the bus in Montgomery, she'd still be standing."

Mary Frances Berry
(02/17/1938 – )
US writer

"I wanted Raging Bull. I wanted Casino. I got Rocky and Bullwinkle. But that's OK, because I still get to tell people I've worked with Robert DeNiro."

Rene Russo
(02/17/1954 – )
US actor

"The only power an actor has is the ability to say: 'No.'"

Lou Diamond Phillips
(02/17/1962 – )
Filipino actor

"Just play. Have fun. Enjoy the game."

Michael Jordan
(02/17/1963 – )
US basketball player

"Doing love scenes is always awkward. I mean, it's just not a normal thing to go to work and lay in bed with your co-worker."

Denise Richards
(02/17/1971– )
US actor (was married to Charlie Sheen—also awkward, one would think)

"A guy walks up to me and asks 'What's Punk?'. So I kick over a garbage can and say 'That's punk!'. So he kicks over the garbage can and says 'That's punk?', and I say 'No, that's trendy!'"

Billie Joe Armstrong
(02/17/1972 – )
US singer, guitarist, songwriter (Green Day)

"I went to Wal-Mart for the first time. I always thought they sold wallpaper."

Paris Hilton
(02/27/1981 – )
US heiress (great-granddaughter of Conrad Hilton)