EveryBook

It should be EveryBook's (or, if you prefer, every book's) ambition - in so far as a book can be said to have an 'ambition' - not only to be read but to be re-read, and re-read again and again until it falls to pieces.*

Similarly, it's ambition should also be for it's readers to disobey the copyright notice and to be scanned, copied and disseminated as widely as possible.†

NOTES:

* For example, when I lived in South Wales, I once heard of a man who always got a Bible for Christmas.The reason being that by the time Christmas came around each year, he had worn out the one he had got the previous Christmas though over use.

† I once wrote a book which, when it was out of print, was sought out by somebody who then wrote to me saying how much he enjoyed it and how he had photocopied it in it's entirety. I didn't mind a bit. Had it still been in print, I still don't think that I would have minded - even though I would have missed out on a 27p royalty.

Separated at Birth

It is sometimes said that two people who look very much alike must have been twins 'separated at birth'. Here are two such individuals:

The French philosopher Jacques Deridda ...

... and from the film 'This Island Earth', Mr Exeter (played by actor Jeff Morrow in heavy makeup):

Or, should that be the other way around!?

Having a Laugh on the London Underground

A lot of people like trains. While there are many avid trainspotters, I never considered myself to be one. Instead, I have always been a London Underground buff. So when my daughter sent me this link recently, I was immediately enthralled. Some people have - or perhaps someone (a veritable Underground Banksy) has - been altering the maps and other signs on the London Underground in quite amusing ways - as you can see above. I found some tumblr and Facebook pages for 'Stickers on the Central Line' and Google searches for this phrase yields numerous results.

This appears to have been going on since my birthday last year (27th April 2011) although, sadly, it wasn't my idea and I have nothing to do with it. I consider whoever is doing it to be contributing positively to underground travel and long may they continue to do it - and evade detection.

Space Shuttle Atlantis - Lines through the sky

Launch:

... and re-entry:

John Henry Newman

I came across the following from John Henry Newman (1801-1890) sometime ago. It forms part of a larger series of meditations on Christian doctrine that can be found at 'newmanreader.org'.


"God has created me to do Him some definite service; He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another. I have my mission—I never may know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next. Somehow I am necessary for His purposes, as necessary in my place as an Archangel in his—if, indeed, I fail, He can raise another, as He could make the stones children of Abraham. Yet I have a part in this great work; I am a link in a chain, a bond of connexion between persons. He has not created me for naught. I shall do good, I shall do His work; I shall be an angel of peace, a preacher of truth in my own place, while not intending it, if I do but keep His commandments and serve Him in my calling."

In what world are we?

In the world of the blind, it is said, the one eyed man is king.
But in the world of the insane, the sane man is the outcast.