Tag Archives: man

12-CENT

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Science

“Ignorance has been our king. Since the death of empire, he sits unchallenged on the throne of Man. His dynasty is age-old. His right to rule is now considered legitimate. Past sages have affirmed it. They did nothing to unseat him.

“Tomorrow, a new prince shall rule. Men of understanding, men of science shall stand behind his throne, and the universe will come to know his might. His name is Truth. His empire shall encompass the Earth. And the mastery of Man over the Earth shall be renewed. A century from now, men will fly through the air in mechanical birds. Metal carriages will race along roads of man-made stone. There will be buildings of thirty stories, ships that go under the sea, machines to perform all works.

“And how will this come to pass?”

He paused and lowered his voice. “In the same way all change comes to pass, I fear. And I am sorry it is so. It will come to pass by violence and upheaval, by flame and by fury, for no change comes calmly over the world.”

A Canticle For Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller, Jr. (1959)

23-BARF

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Freshness

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

21-JECT

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Houyhnhnm

Language Expressed Passions
Two horses intrigued by a human.
J. J. Grandville 1803-1847

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

25-DENT

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A man can’t cross a hundred thousand light years, mostly in other people’s baggage compartments, without beginning to fray a little, and Arthur had frayed a lot.

Hitchhiker’s Guide by Douglas Adams

30-PROD

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Production

My Tasks ToDo tracking list has 28 items. Starting at the top row, it’s nice to know, without having to decide, what’s to be worked on next.

Monet’s Garden

All 28 tasks in the sequence can be done in one day, but completing the entire list, even at nine minutes per item, would be 252 minutes, or 4.2 hours out of the 16 available to me.

23-REET

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Seasons

Agenda for Your Life

  • In your teens, play all you can.
  • In your 20s, take all the risks you can.
  • 30s, learn all you can.
  • 40s, earn all you can.
  • 50s, lead all you can.
  • 60s, leave with all the style you can.
  • Thereafter, or in the hereafter, enjoy all you can.

–Neuharth

22-TUNE

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Acoustics

Thomas Dolby – She Blinded Me With Science (YouTube )

A pretty name as one would wish to read, must perch harmonious on my tuneful quill.

There’s music in the sighing of a reed; there’s music in the gushing of a rill; there’s music in all things, if men had ears: their Earth is but an echo of the spheres.

Don Juan by Lord Byron