Question: Contacting authors of quotation book series - Stupidest Things Ever Said

[Garson O'Toole]

I have been asked to investigate a quotation attributed to the
politician Hugh Downer, and I have traced it to a collection published
in 1999. Here is the quote:

Cite: 1999, The Stupidest Things Ever Said by Politicians by Ross
Petras and Kathryn Petras, Simon and Schuster, New York.

I don't see why the legislature should be in the business of
artificial intelligence, real intelligence or any intelligence at all.

Louisiana House Speaker Hunt Downer (D, Houma) commenting on a budget
request for computer software

http://books.google.com/books?id=HzFuWu5wQ_oC&q=artificial#v=snippet&q=artificial&f=false

It would be nice to have a more exact citation, e.g., a pointer into
something analogous to the Hansard or the Congressional Record for
Louisiana or perhaps a newspaper report. But I have not located an
online legislative database for Louisiana, nor have I found a relevant
newspaper article.

Sending a letter to the authors via Simon and Schuster is a
possibility, but it seems slow and cumbersome. Ross or Kathryn Petras
have created a series of books and a calendar tied together with the
phrase "Stupidest Things Ever Said". Do any list members know Ross or
Kathryn Petras? Any suggestions for the most efficient way to contact
these authors? Other ideas?

If this is an inappropriate query for the ADS list, or if there is a
superior venue please let me know off list.
Thanks for any help you can provide,
Garson O'Toole

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