"I am firmly of the opinion that the Macintosh is Catholic and that DOS is Protestant.

Indeed, the Macintosh is counterreformist and has been influenced by the methodical path of the Jesuits . . .

It is catechistic: the essence of revelation is dealt with via simple formulae and sumptuous icons.

Everyone has a right to salvation. DOS is Protestant, or even Calvinistic. It allows free interpretation of

scripture, demands difficult personal decisions, imposes a subtle hermeneutics upon the user,

and takes for granted the idea that all can reach salvation."

umberto eco

i'd be curious to know his opinions on the aesthetic of computers now -- especially his thoughts on e-book readers and tablets. 

It was a confusion of ideas between him and one of the lions he was hunting in Kenya that had caused A. B. Spottsworth to make the obituary column. He thought the lion was dead, and the lion thought it wasn't.

the return of jeeves, p. g. wodehouse.

"Vae! Puto deus fio."

("Well what do you know. I think I'm becoming a god."

translation mine)

the roman emperor vespasian, on his death bed. vespasian was putting down revolts in judea the late 60s aD when another general, vitellius, marched on rome and was defeated. the senate named vespasian emperor to avert civil war. as emperor, he patroned the arts like few others, built the colosseum, and caused much scandal when it was reported that he took off his own boots. needless to say, he was rather dubious about the deification of emperors.

taken on Pensacola Beach. and we think our oil is important.

hats off to JGib10.

Well folks, you say "potato," I say "you go straight to hell!" This is tip of the hat/wag of the finger!

steven colbert

colbert report, april 7 2010

Agathocles, tyrant of Syracuse from 317-289 BC:

The historian Justin says that Agathocles was born in poverty but very early in life parlayed his remarkable beauty into a career as a prostitute, first for men, and later, after puberty, for women, then made a living by robbery before becoming a soldier.

[...]

Having banished or murdered some 10,000 citizens, and thus made himself master of Syracuse, he created a strong army and fleet and subdued the greater part of Sicily.

[...]

His last years were plagued by ill-health and the turbulence of his grandson Archagathus, at whose instigation he is said to have been poisoned (by his eromenos, Menon of Ægista, who poisoned the tooth-cleaning quill)

from the wikipedia article. i believe the correct response would be hoots of mocking and not-even-slightly derisive laughter. at least, that was my response.

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, says my soul, therefore I will hope in him.

The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.

Let him sit alone in silence when it is laid on him; let him put his mouth in the dust-- there may yet be hope; let him give his cheek to the one who strikes, and let him be filled with insults.

For the Lord will not cast off forever, but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love; for he does not willingly afflict or grieve the children of men.

Lamentations 3:22-33

We Are A Letter For An Entity Unlikely To Respond.

Dear Cat's Eye Nebula,

Now Eva-Marie laughs! You are rivaled. We have met your exuberant colors where we are.

All the best,

Josh and Paula

via the Notorious G.I.B.