Utopic

Spent the evening reading Utopia by Sir Thomas More. The word utopia in English means a perfect or ideal place. If you take the Latin word "Utopia" and translate it into English it literally means "no place". Thought that was kind of interesting.

Some of my favorite exerts...

..."What he fears is that his eyes will be deceived by a counterfeit. But if you consider the matter, why should a counterfeit give any less pleasure when your eyes cannot distinguish it from a gem? Both should be of equal value to you, as they would be, in fact, to a blind man."

[His thoughts on counterfeit jewelery]

..."Health itself, when distinguished by pain, gives pleasure, without any external excitement at all."

..."In choosing marriage partners, they solemnly and seriously follow a custom which seemed to us foolish and absurd in the extreme. Whether she is a widow or a virgin, the bride-to-be is shown naked to the groom by a responsible and respectable matron; and, similarly, some respectable man presents the groom naked to his future bride."

[On the subject of marriage in More's factitious land of Utopia]

Bill Cosby bought lobster for all the students at UMass. I wonder what is done with the leftovers. It would be a shame to kill all those lobsters just to throw them out. Especially when they are served full figured.

Speak easy,

Neil