What knocks me out about Thos. Edison...

"Be courageous. I have seen many depressions in business. Always America has emerged from these stronger & more prosperous. Be brave as your fathers [and mothers] before you. Have faith! Go forward!"

Thomas Alva Edison, who was born 165 years ago today, 11 Feb. 1847.

So, what knocks me out about this guy was that he appears to have seldom, if ever, given up. And he was nothing if not quotable:

"Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time."

"I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is another step forward."

"Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up."

Haven given up all too, too often, I think I admire him in the same way so many in our nation of fatties admire the slender, the way so many who are misdirected, misemployed or underemployed or flat unemployed are fascinated with those who are devoted to a task, who are fully engaged in their mission; the way the ignored follow the lives of the celebrated, drawn to their photos and examples as are june bugs to a front porch bulb lighting up a summer night.