On 17/09/2007, Andrew Gray shimgray@gmail.com wrote:
omgno. we must have a perfect system. it must be ideologically sound and consistent. we must have a constitution for the community. and elect people. and vote on things. and have laws. "it works" isn't acceptable.
(Sorry, just channelling...)
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- Andrew Gray andrew.gray@dunelm.org.uk
Warning: Excessive following of rules may cause you to do ridiculous things.
Exempli gratia:
'A man was hanged who had cut his throat, but who had been brought back to life. They hanged him for suicide. The doctor had warned them that it was impossible to hang him as the throat would burst open and he would breathe through the aperture. They did not listen to his advice and hanged their man. The wound in the neck immediately opened and the man came back to life again although he was hanged. It took time to convoke the aldermen to decide the question of what was to be done. At length the aldermen assembled and bound up the neck below the wound until he died. Oh my Mary, what a crazy society and what a stupid civilization.' -- Nicholas Ogarev, a Russian exile living in England circa 1860
(Note that Mary refers not to the Virgin Mary, but to Mary Sutherland, Nicholas's mistress.)