there  could  be  snakes  in  here

We people of the books agree on nothing - but all disagree with the pyre and the gag. All good books are holy - but criticism more.

Charlotte Salomon (1942), '#4835', detail from the incredible 'Life? or Theatre? ' A classic is a book that someone very powerful once said was good. ************************************************************************************** LOL. This is from a speech by the old pope, against gay marriage and queerdom and other good things: People dispute the idea that they have a nature, given to them by their bodily identity, that serves as a defining element of the human being. They deny their nature and decide that it is not something previously given to them, but something that they make for themselves . Thing is, stripped of sarcasm (and the assumption of an essentialist audience), this is actually an objective statement of pomo people's outlook! You could attribute this exact statement to a Stonewall spokesperson or Judith Butler without raising comment. This is funny. ******************************************************************...

" I'D OUTLAW ' REMEMBER '!" - Bennett's Dottie Stacpoole You go to a Bennett play, you expect  the inherent tragedy of progress, that's the deal. Before I saw People , I gave the following slightly cynical prediction of its plot: "Rich people larking about, paradoxically raging against the system, poignant ending regarding the inevitable decay of grandeur." This is not exactly right. The play is  his usual warm, satirical tragicomedy, but it's not nostalgic, instead looking like nihilism. (The humour left me a bit cold, too. It's panto calibre: bishop on a porn set, cackling old lady, slack-jawed tourists.) If anything, it's touting the inherent tragedy of conservation. So: A grand decaying house is to be sold - or given to the National Trust. But the public-minded people are more awful than the oily City shark. Everyone   hates 'people': "People spoil things." The hau...

' Despite it all, we still like you. ' – Abraham, on Tanzanians' general attitude toward white people. ****************************************************************** "Hello supervisor, can we have the vital operating budget we were allocated?" "Hello! No; it's not here." "Oh no! That sucks. Can I just pay it for them, then?" "Heavens no! That would breed aid dependency." "Oh. Well, maybe. Can I lend it to them until the budget comes through?" "Heavens no! That would breach the equality of volunteers! We have planned under the assumption that volunteers have no no money." "But that assumption isn't true - look, here's my lunch money." "Yes. So?" "... ... ...So in fact we're playing a game here? A game, with these people's lives: SimVSO. This whole strand of the project is to be undone over £4 of printing costs?" "Welcome to th...

Just fun and fertilisation? No: we come and we go and so on: I wanted to do it to say I had done it I wanted to try something new I wanted him to like me I wanted him to shut up about it I wanted to feel good about myself I wanted her to feel good about herself I wanted to let off steam I just wanted him, alright. so hot. It was New Year's. I wanted to get back at my husband I wanted to say thank you I needed the money I needed the job I wanted the guys to respect me I wanted some of her glamour to rub off I was bored I wanted the exercise I did not feel safe to say no. I wanted them because they wanted me I wanted her; she's so smart I wanted to say I'd missed him I wanted her; she's so funny I wanted to feel powerful I wanted to feel power I wanted to improve I wanted to be ready for my real first time It had been a while. I wanted to humiliate someone I wanted to punish myself I did it for a bet I was forced to do it ...

Whoah whoah whoah whoah whoah: **************************************************************** Unrequited friendship is rare; we find it very hard to like people who dislike us. (And the reasons it's so easy to love those who do not love us... are scary and we'll leave the question alone.) ****************************************************************** " Many scientists are neurologically stale individuals: wholly uninvigorating. They strive away on whimsical applications because "that's what science is". While I can see where they're coming from - it's very good fun to immerse yourself in an application (say, making a better engine using physical arguments) - these people are technologists rather than natural philosophers ." - James Reid As with all old institutions, the BBC has a lot of hangups, hangovers and strange crannies. (Think of the way that their ethics programme is still considered part of their "Reli...

death can't resist us; we batter down death's door, unconcerned about our lateness and the shit we track into death's carpets. death is a meek curate, tolerant and up all hours just in case. Pray spare death. Neither go gentle nor brash headlong into death's good night, the pavement. we might let death retire - revoke our entitlement - give over giving out - somehow leave death alone. [ PERMA LINK ]