dennis scharnberg

degree in journalism

“Silas Wegg, for example, was scrupulously dishonest. He found a sort of pride, or sense of purpose, in that.”

Will Bestwyck, Letters from Mr. Palindrome.

learning about nothing

Careerism is about being something, not doing something.

Christopher Jayne, A Critique of Sincerity.

new economic measures

Photographs steal.

Godfrey Tooke, Collected Aphorisms.

celluloid or acetate?

“Bertrand’s conclusions were drawn from his ludicrous assumptions by means of a pure, crystalline logic. Do not doubt me.”

Will Bestwyck, Letters from Mr. Palindrome.

ear of corn

“Oh, berry me knott on the loaned prayer-rie.” This puzzling message was scribbled on a Walmart receipt and left upon the desk, alongside a clutter of late Victorian trade cards and an old coin bearing the image of Marcus Aurelius.

Jason Starling, ed., Adventures in Narrative Parsimony.

latitude and longitude

“So smart,” she thought, warmly. “So very smart. So very, very, very smart.”

Diana Moone, Living Well.

filling a vacuum

“Our zeitgeist, Sergeant Denson, is simply evil. And doesn’t that guarantee that tomorrow’s will be worse?”

Lana Dowling, The Mystery of the Dull Parcels.

luminosity heretofore unknown

“Moving on, Desmond, is now the heroic thing to do.”

Ralston Dowd, The General Ghastliness.

reaping the wind

“If you were to rip the face off of Diane Sawyer, what do you suppose you would find? Perhaps some kind of grasshopper thing?”

Clinton Hobbes, Stalking for Beginners.

postulates for sale

“What thoughts are you having with your awesome new thinking ability? Tell us about it, Elvin.”

Ralston Dowd, The General Ghastliness.