OnBlueUnderCanvas » quotes

Germain Greer

Lauren — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 01:07:20 +0000

A couple days ago I caught bits of a National Geographic show about religious cults in the US. It’s such a weird feeling to watch someone else talk with such certainty about an idea that you think is absolutely ludicrous. When the interviewer asked some of the teenage kids if they might have been brainwashed, they erupted into fits of laughter. “Brain-washed?” said one girl, “As in our brains have been washed of our previously unclean thoughts, yes!”

Right now, I’m looking at a quote-of-the-day blackboad at Charmers Cafe. Today’s quote, written in orange chalk is: “Human beings have an inalienable right to invent themselves; when that right is pre-empted it is called brain-washing.” – Germaine Greer

Chuang Tzu

Lauren — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 01:04:53 +0000

A fish-trap is for catching fish; once you’ve caught the fish, you can forget about the trap. A rabbit-snare is for catching rabbits; once you’ve caught the rabbit, you can forget about the snare. Words are for catching ideas; once you’ve caught the idea, you can forget about the words. Where can I find a person who knows how to forget about words so I can have a few words with him? – Chuang Tzu

WIRED: Letter to the Editor

Lauren — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 16:46:34 +0000

This post has nothing to do with me really, other than the fact that I read it in the ‘letters to the editor’ section of WIRED magazine, and I believe it is the most excellent rant about spam email. It made me laugh, hope you like it.

Irate Letter of the Month
Note that came to us for no particular reason whatsoever but that we like anyway and reprint here verbatim:
A letter for publication. Please let me know promptly if there is some sort of problem publishing this in your next issue. I’m old, unwell, and won’t be around forever.
Dear Editor,
Today I received an electric mail from “Erection Problems” telling me that I had the apparently unique chance to make my “squib” a “real space rocket” and raise me up to “the seventh sky of the sexual satisfaction.”
WHAT THE HELL?!
Of all the impertinent things to offer a man.
We can put an alleged man on an alleged moon, but we can’t seem to protect ordinary, law-abiding chaps from great big stinking servings of crass opportunism and depraved filth whilst they try to eat their mid-morning muffin.
Who is responsible for this, and can they be punished immediately? Please advise.
Yours sincerely,
Oscar Brittle
Killara, Australia