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  "text": "Second, after a painful gap without any king, and a furious struggle by various foreign powers to elect men favorable to them, the Seym chose a pathetic Polish incompetent, who had the good sense to die rather promptly.",
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  "author": {
    "name": "James A. Michener",
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    "title": "Poland",
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  "added_at": "2026-09-25T22:37:53",
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      "id": "d296f97e-a149-4fb8-bcb8-683b337dacec",
      "slug": "organizations-like-the",
      "url": "https://www.leafyquotes.com/james-a-michener/poland/organizations-like-the",
      "text": "...organizations like the church or General Motors promote a man up and up until he reaches a spot which he is obviously incapable of filling, and there they lay him to rest.",
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      "slug": "the-churchs-job",
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      "text": "[The church's] job is to provide permanent solace and spiritual leadership to the people as a whole, whatever their government at the moment, so long as it stays within the bounds of moral decency.",
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      "text": "Leonid Brezhnev needed a haircut, so he went down to the ground floor of the Kremlin and plopped into the chair. It was understood that at such times the barber was to say not a word, just cut hair. But this morning, after a few snips he said: \"Comrade Brezhnev what are you going to do about Poland?\" No reply. Some minutes later: \"Comrade Brezhnev, what about Poland?\" Again no reply. Then, pretty soon: \"Comrade Brezhnev, you've got to do something about Poland.\" At this Brezhnev jumps out of the chair and tears away the cloth: \"What's all this about Poland?\" and the barber says: \"It makes my job so much easier,\" and Brezhnev screams: \"What do you mean?\" and the barber says: \"Every time I mention Poland your hair stands straight up on end.\"",
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