http://sophiks.com Philosophy, Humor, Quotations, Books Thu, 15 May 2008 18:02:47 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Forward The Heart of Magic is an extended exercise in reflective imagination— what I call a philosophical fantasy. The three books tell a long story spanning fifty years; a story of lovers, families, friends, villains, mysteries, and intricate riddles. Book One, The Tears of Night, describes the dimension worlds created by ... http://sophiks.com/2007/04/01/book-1-forward-and-chapter-1/ Introduction to the Series       The three books which comprise The Heart of Magic are a fusion of two of my life-long loves, science fiction/fantasy, and philosophy. The separate but connected stories take place over a fifty-year time-span, in a future several hundred years from now, and are set in the Tau ... http://sophiks.com/2007/04/01/introduction-to-the-series/ It's a very long flight to Yugoslavia and you land in a field of corn. They figure it cushions the landing...Now, at night, you can't do anything, because all of Belgrade is lit by a ten watt bulb, and you can't go anywhere, because Tito has the car. It was ... http://sophiks.com/2007/03/27/yugoslavia/ There have been many definitions of hell, but for the English the best definition is that it is a place where the Germans are the police, the Swedish are the comedians, the Italians are the defense force, Frenchmen dig the roads, the Belgians are the pop singers, the Spanish run ... http://sophiks.com/2007/03/27/xenophobia/ When all else fails, try Wales. Christopher Logue "To a Friend in Search of Rural Seclusion" There are still parts of Wales where the only concession to gaiety is a striped shroud. GWYN Thomas Punch, 1928 http://sophiks.com/2007/03/27/wales-and-the-welsh/ Join the army, see the world, meet interesting and exotic people, and kill them. Anon I don't know what will be the most important weapon in the next war, but I know what will be the most important weapon in the war after that - the bow and arrow. Anon quoted by ... http://sophiks.com/2007/03/27/warrevolution/ Water, water, every where, And all the boards did shrink; Water, water, every where, Nor any drop to drink. Samuel Taylor Coleridge "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" Water is H2O, hydrogen two parts, oxygen one, but there is also a third thing that makes it water and nobody knows what that is. D. H. ... http://sophiks.com/2007/03/27/water/ A group of politicians deciding to dump a president because his morals are bad is like the Mafia getting together to bump off the Godfather for not going to church on Sunday. Russell Baker If [president Nixon's secretary] Rosemary Woods had been Moses' secretary, there would be only eight commandments. Art Buchwald http://sophiks.com/2007/03/27/watergate/ The weak have one weapon: the errors of those who think they are strong. Georges Bidault I hate victims who respect their executioners. Jean-Paul Sarte http://sophiks.com/2007/03/27/weakness/ After a debauch of thunder-shower, the weather takes the pledge and signs it with a rainbow. Thomas Bailey Aldrich Heat, madam! It was so dreadful that I found there was nothing for it but to take off my flesh and sit on my bones. Sydney Smith A visitor to Dr. Schweitzer's hospital ... http://sophiks.com/2007/03/27/weather/