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Today — 19 May 2025Main stream

Juster, Norton -- The Phantom Tollbooth, ch. 16 “A Very Dirty Bird” [The Mathemagician] (1961)

By: Dave
19 May 2025 at 17:28

You’ll find that the only thing you can do easily is be wrong, and that’s hardly worth the effort.


Norton Juster (1929-2021) American academic, architect, writer
The Phantom Tollbooth, ch. 16 “A Very Dirty Bird” [The Mathemagician] (1961)

Byron, George Gordon, Lord -- Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage, Canto 4, st. 179 (1818)

By: Dave
19 May 2025 at 16:03

Roll on, thou deep and dark blue Ocean — roll!
Ten thousand fleets sweep over thee in vain;
Man marks the earth with ruin — his control
Stops with the shore.


George Gordon, Lord Byron (1788-1824) English poet
Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage, Canto 4, st. 179 (1818)

Martin, Judith -- “Miss Manners,” syndicated column (1986-01-19)

By: Dave
19 May 2025 at 13:24

Since the invention of the mirror, everyone knows what he or she looks like and does not find it helpful or enjoyable to have oddities or deficiencies — according to someone else’s standards and tastes — pointed out. And every adult assumes the right of making his or her own decisions about eating, drinking, mating and reproducing, and finds being monitored and instructed — again according to someone else’s preferences — distasteful.


Judith Martin (b. 1938) American author, journalist, etiquette expert [a.k.a. Miss Manners]
“Miss Manners,” syndicated column (1986-01-19)
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