Inexplicably, some public officials are offended by my writings, so we’ll start the new year by burying the hatchet and making a fresh start.

Here are quotations from greater minds than mine to inspire Hawaii newsmakers into 2014:

For President Barack Obama: "The only problem with politicians taking two-week vacations every year is it’s about 50 weeks too short." — Jarod Kintz

For Gov. Neil Abercrombie: "Success didn’t spoil me, I’ve always been insufferable." — Fran Lebowitz

For state Sen. David Ige: "Martyrdom is the only way a man can become famous without ability." — George Bernard Shaw

For Lt. Gov. Shan Tsutsui: "Anything not worth doing is worth not doing well." — Elias Schwartz

For state legislators who got 25 percent pay raises for 2014: "All I’ve ever wanted was an honest week’s pay for an honest day’s work." — Steve Martin

For Senate President Donna Mercado Kim: "There is nothing so annoying as to have people go right on talking when you’re interrupting." — Mark Twain

For Sen. Clayton Hee: "He is a self-made man and worships his creator." — John Bright

For House Speaker Joe Souki: "You must learn from the mistakes of others. You can’t possibly live long enough to make them all yourself." — Sam Levenson

For state Rep. Bob McDermott: "A fanatic is one who can’t change his mind and won’t change the subject." — Winston Churchill

For U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono: "I’m the master of low expectations." — George W. Bush

For U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz: "Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do." — Isaac Asimov

For U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa: "Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes." — Oscar Wilde

For U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard: "I’m not conceited. Conceit is a fault, and I have no faults." — David Lee Roth

For the flock of candidates seeking the 1st Congressional District seat: "The tragedy is that so many have ambition and so few have ability." — William Feather

For Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell: "Boo Boo, you’ve tried to stop my brilliant ideas with common sense a thousand times. Has it ever worked?" — Yogi Bear

For former Mayor Mufi Hannemann: "If at first you don’t succeed, try again. Then quit. There’s no use being a damn fool about it." — W.C. Fields

For City Council Chairman Ernie Martin: "He is not only dull himself, he is the cause of dullness in others." — Samuel Johnson

For resigned University of Hawaii President M.R.C. Greenwood: "That’s all I can stands and I can’t stands no more." — Popeye

For UH football coach Norm Chow: "Pressure is something you feel when you don’t know what the hell you’re doing." — Peyton Manning

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Reach David Shapiro at volcanicash@gmail.com or blog.volcanicash.net.