At the time I now write of, Father Mapple was in the hardy winter of a healthy old age; that sort of old age which seems merging into a second flowering youth, for among all the fissures of his wrinkles, there shone certain mild gleams of a newly developing bloom–the spring verdure peeping forth even beneath February’s snow.
Moby Dick, the White Whale by Herman Melville
Roscosmos Soyuz-2 rocket launch of the Progress MS-19 mission yesterday (2/15/2022) from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan is worth watching if only to hear the roar of fire lifting 334 tons off the earth.
Skip ahead in the video to 58 minutes to see the moment they “light the candle“.
I could frequently distinguish the word YAHOO, which was repeated by each of them several times: and although it was impossible for me to conjecture what it meant, yet while the two horses were busy in conversation, I endeavoured to practise this word upon my tongue;
and as soon as they were silent, I boldly pronounced YAHOO in a loud voice, imitating at the same time, as near as I could, the neighing of a horse;
at which they were both visibly surprised; and the gray repeated the same word twice, as if he meant to teach me the right accent;
wherein I spoke after him as well as I could, and found myself perceivably to improve every time, though very far from any degree of perfection.
Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift
More than iron, more than lead, more than gold I need electricity. I need it more than I need lamb or pork or lettuce or cucumber. I need it for my dreams.
The Policeman’s Beard by Racter, the first book ever written by a computer (1984)
Fruit & Mushrooms – Own Rewards
“Tell me, Master, what is the best move in the world?”
There simply is no such thing as the best or even a good move apart from a particular situation in a game and the particular personality of one’s opponent.
The same holds for human existence. One should not search for an abstract meaning of life. Everyone has his own specific vocation or mission in life to carry out a concrete assignment which demands fulfillment.
Therein he cannot be replaced, nor can his life be repeated. Thus, everyone’s task is as unique as is his specific opportunity to implement it.
Man’s Search For Meaning by Victor Frankl
B: Home base to team leader, is the Fox in the Cage? Over!
C: Negative! The Chickens are in Lockdown and the Alert Level is Green!
B: Send Scorpion Two and Yodeling Moose to Deliver the Package!
C: Affirmative! Operation Stale Cookie is under way. The Banjo Lessons are en route!
B: Copy that! Have Nauseous Squirrel check the Bed for Spiders! Over!
C: Painting the Mule red now! Over!
B: Be sure to leave room for Dessert! Copy that?
C: Roger! Will they Apply Ointment to the Affected Area?
B: Negative! First we need to Shampoo the Monkey! Over!
A: You and Cliff have a really strange code.
B: Code?
For more of the same type of storylines, check out The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams.
While out bicycle riding today (in record heat, by the way) this vehicle stood out as an exceptional example of detailed design.
When I get older losing my hair, many years from now, will you still be sending me a valentine, birthday greetings, bottle of wine?
If I’d been out till quarter to three, would you lock the door? Will you still need me, will you still feed me, when I’m sixty-four?
Oooh, you’ll be older too. And if you say the word, I could stay with you. I could be handy mending a fuse when your lights have gone. You can knit a sweater by the fireside; Sunday mornings go for a ride
Doing the garden, digging the weeds, who could ask for more? Will you still need me, will you still feed me, when I’m sixty-four?
–Beatles