February 22, 2003
ACCIDENT, n. An inevitable occurrence due to the action of immutable natural laws.
Humiliating to human pride as it may be, we must recognize that the advance and even the preservation of civilization are dependent upon a maximum of opportunity for accidents to happen.
- F.A. Hayek
"I am
monumentally thick" - Mr Stillwater.
I am going to SO regret posting this
I had a monumental idea this morning, but I didn't like it.
Samuel Goldwyn
February 23, 2003
MONUMENT, n. A structure intended to commemorate something which either needs no commemoration or cannot be commemorated.
The bones of Agammemnon are a show,
And ruined is his royal monument,
but Agammemnon's fame suffers no diminution in consequence. The monument custom has its _reductiones ad absurdum_ in monuments "to the unknown dead" -- that is to say, monuments to perpetuate the memory of those who have left no memory.
February 24, 2003
DEBAUCHEE, n. One who has so earnestly pursued pleasure that he has had the misfortune to overtake it.
February 25, 2003
BRIDE, n. A woman with a fine prospect of happiness behind her.
February 26, 2003
EDUCATION, n. That which discloses to the wise and disguises from the foolish their lack of understanding.
I have never let my schooling interfere with my education
--Mark Twain
February 27, 2003
PRAY, v. To ask that the laws of the universe be annulled in behalf of a single petitioner confessedly unworthy.
Larry,
"Pray..." etc.
Gasp, chortle...LOL bigtime.
Loved the KORAN, too, Larry. Back a ways...
Hi Kara, glad you liked them - he was pretty funny.
February 28, 2003
INFLUENCE, n. In politics, a visionary _quo_ given in exchange for a substantial _quid_.
People will sit up and take notice of you if you will sit up and take notice of what makes them sit up and take notice. -- Frank Romer
March 1, 2003
GARGOYLE, n. A rain-spout projecting from the eaves of mediaeval buildings, commonly fashioned into a grotesque caricature of some personal enemy of the architect or owner of the building. This was especially the case in churches and ecclesiastical structures generally, in which the gargoyles presented a perfect rogues' gallery of local heretics and controversialists. Sometimes when a new dean and chapter were installed the old gargoyles were removed and others substituted having a closer relation to the private animosities of the new incumbents.
March 2, 2003
FUTURE, n. That period of time in which our affairs prosper, our friends are true and our happiness is assured.
March 3, 2003
HAPPINESS, n. An agreeable sensation arising from contemplating the misery of another.
How iun the world have I missed this thread this whole past month??? Maybe it's because I have Bierce's online The Devil's Dictionary among My Favorites and can look it up any time, so never actually looked at this thread. Shame on me. BTW, a movie was made, not of his life so much as his death. Speculative, of course. I can't for the life of me remember the name of the movie but Gregory Peck had the title role of Bierce himself. It imagined Bierce meeting Pancho Villa etc. etc. Somebody with better skills than mine can probably find it.
Keep up the great work, Larry!
Thanks M.A. - I found three movies with a Bierce character, one a vampire movie (From Dusk Till Dawn 3: The Hangman's Daughter (2000)), another one called Ah! Silenciosa (1999), and the third was the one with Gregory Peck, Old Gringo (1989). I've noticed this movie before but never had any interest in watching it - now maybe I will! It has Jane Fonda and Jimmy Smits also, by the way.
