Each month during 2025 we’re offering two tiny changes which may help improve your life. This month …
Welcome to this month’s collection of quotes.
One passes through the world knowing few, if any, of the important things about even the people with whom one has been from time to time in the closest intimacy.
[Anthony Powell, The Kindly Ones]
And it is according to his faith; his faith in the power of numbers, in the stability of order, in the assurance and perfection of law; and deviation and irregularity stand revealed as results of the perfection of order and the assurance of law; or – to go to the essence and reality of which order and law are but the apparent and sensible exponents – of the presence in his providence, faithfulness, and power, of HIM who calleth all these stars out by name, and leadeth them on in order.
[Scientific American; 11 June 1847]
Clubbing is, and always was, shit … If I wanted to feel some sweaty man’s bollocks pushed into the curve of my equally sweaty back whilst being deafened by indecipherable garbagio, I’d hop on the Central Line.
[Harriet Richardson; https://substack.com/@harrietrichardson/p-166601507]
If he ejaculates semen it’s because his body is full of toxins and he has had too many sexual partners. Men are not supposed to have semen, its unclean! Vegan men with few sex partners ejaculate fresh water.
[unknown]
Capitalism is based on ridiculous notion that you can enjoy limitless growth in a closed finite system. In biology, such behaviour of cells is called cancer.
[unknown]
Don’t waste time worrying about things you can’t control. You can’t fight every battle. Choose which ones are worth fighting and let the others go.
[unknown]
The purpose of propaganda is to make one set of people forget that other sets of people are human.
[Aldous Huxley]
Polyamory might actually be friendship operating within a patriarchal framework that continues to essentialize sex and romantic relationships.
[unknown]
A computer can never be spiteful or horny; therefore a computer must never make art.
[unknown]
We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid.
[Benjamin Franklin]
Tolerance will reach such a level that intelligent people will be banned from thinking so as not to offend the imbeciles.
[Fyodor Dostoevsky]
Here are the answers to this month’s six quiz questions. If in doubt, all should be able to be easily verified online.
Literature
Answers were correct when questions were compiled in late 2024.
A Modern Hiawatha
George A Strong
When he killed the Mudjokivis,
Of the skin he made him mittens,
Made them with the fur side inside,
Made them with the skin side outside.
He, to get the warm side inside,
Put the inside skin side outside;
He, to get the cold side outside,
Put the warm side fur side inside.
That’s why he put the fur side inside,
Why he put the skin side outside,
Why he turned them inside outside.
Find this poem online at Poetry Nook
This year our Ten Things column each month is alternating between composers and artists a century at a time from pre-1500 to 20th century. As always, there’s no guarantee you will have heard of them all!
Ten Composers Born in 19th Century
Knowledge isn’t free. You have to pay attention.
Richard Feynman
As well as everything else, each month I offer you something to think about and get the brain working. This month …
Actors pretend to work.
Each month we’re posing six pub quiz style questions, with a different subject each month. As always, they’re designed to be difficult, but it is unlikely everyone will know all the answers – so have a bit of fun.
Literature
Answers will be posted in 2 weeks time.
Our look at some of the significant happenings 100 years ago this month.
3. The Second International Conference on the Standardization of Medicine was held in Geneva, with the goal of standardizing drug formulae worldwide.
7. Born. Laura Ashley, Welsh designer (d.1985)
13. Born. Mel Tormé, jazz singer, in Chicago (d.1999)
16. Born. Charles Haughey, Taoiseach of Ireland; in Castlebar (d.2006)