On Fri, 27 Feb 2004, 11:43am -0800, I <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> > H. L. Mencken wrote
> > (approximately) "For every complex problem there is a solution that is
> > clear, simple and wrong."
Peter Shenkin <[log in to unmask]> replied:
> I don't think Mencken ever said that; reference please.
According to http://home.att.net/~quotations/mencken.html,
http://www.age-of-the-sage.org/H_L_Mencken_quotations.html, and
http://proverb.taiwanonline.org/display.php?author=H.L.+Mencken&row=0 the
quote is "For every complex problem, there is a solution that is simple,
neat, and wrong."
According to http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/h/h_l_mencken.html it's
"For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and
wrong."
None of these sources have a reference to a Mencken work, or even a date.
It's possible this quote is another urban legend.
--
Van Snyder | What fraction of Americans believe
[log in to unmask] | Wrestling is real and NASA is fake?
Any alleged opinions are my own and have not been approved or disapproved
by JPL, CalTech, NASA, Sean O'Keefe, George Bush, the Pope, or anybody else.
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