A Blog of the Ridiculous and Sublime, by Mark Sackler
“When angry count to ten before you speak. If very angry, count to one hundred.”–Thomas Jefferson
“If you live to one hundred, you’ve got it made. Very few people die past that age.”–George Burns
Wow. It only took me six years and two months to count to 100. Just think, in dog years, this blog is middle-aged.
“I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.”–Douglas Adams
One deadline you absolutely can’t miss is Towel Day. Keep your towel handy and don’t panic.
“When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro.”–Hunter S. Thompson
And when their names get weird–or funny–they go in the first round of the NFL draft. Just ask Barkevious Mingo, Jadeveon Clowney, and Ha-Ha Clinton Dix. They were all first rounders, and all top performers in the annual poll of funniest names in the NFL draft. Oh, yeah. Don’t forget: the 6th annual edition of that venerated tradition will appear on Monday of next week. Same time, same channel.
“Life would be tragic if it weren’t funny.”–Stephen Hawking
Hawking–his sense of humor was his secret to survival
Boy, can I ever relate to that philosophy. It’s what underlies this blog. It’s what keeps me going. It has kept my marriage alive for 40 years–so far. Forget all his cosmic stuff–that quote is the best part of his legacy.
“There are no right answers to wrong questions.”–Ursula K. Le Guin
Photo© Marian Wood Kolisch
I only ever read a single Ursula Le Guin book. But it was the only one I ever really needed. The Lathe of Heaven remains–now and forever–my favorite Science Fiction novel of all time. It is must reading for anyone seriously interested in how things interact in our complex world, and what that might mean for our future. Systems thinking, unintended consequences, and “think globally, act locally,” resound as themes throughout. Read it.
“Let’s be naughty and save Santa the trip.”–Gary Allan
Santa would never dare mess with my lawyer. And I had naughty nailed decades ago. Naughty or nice, enjoy the holiday season. In a few days, we return to reality.
“We view ourselves as separate from the cosmos, and separate from each other. The truth is, we are a continuum. One line of code in an enormously complex computational system.”–Gray Scott
Let’s just hope that code isn’t corrupt. I have my doubts.
“I tell you, we are here on earth to fart around, and don’t let anyone tell you different.”–Kurt Vonnegut
I always knew Kurt Vonnegut was a class guy. As for the kid in the cartoon? I think that’s an 8-year-old Benny Hill.
“Have you ever noticed you never get laid on Thanksgiving? I think it’s because all the coats are on the bed.”–George Carlin
Or in my house, because all our dogs are on the bed. Drive safely and enjoy your turkey.
“If you’re not failing every now and again, it’s a sign you’re not doing anything very innovative.”–Woody Allen
On the other hand, if you’re failing all the time, it’s a sign you’ll probably get re-elected. And they say banker’s hours are easy.
I'm not the most interesting man in the world, but I might have the most cluttered mind.
The Millennium Conjectures™ 