dennis scharnberg

assessing body language

In a degenerate society, blackmail encounters a problem. Simply stated, the society reaches a point in degradation where nothing—no particular act—is revolting enough to offer blackmail value.

Desmond Urquhart, The Unsocial Sciences.

inducing more resentment

“But how did Palmer come to be the one who knows? How did that happen? Was he born that way? Born already knowing?”

Dickinson Holmes, The Book of Shoes.

come again soon

I hunted for edges

The pond gathered rain

Worlds are strange when wet

Ann Sensabaugh, The Faulty Haiku.

gemma lux speculum

“You’re a guy stuff happens to, Tommy. You have that knack. Or perhaps it has you?”

Sylvester Wickham, He Wishes To See You.

admirable trial attorneys

“And remember, young lady, that anything good in this life is strictly illusion. Only the bad things are real.”

Angela Unseld, ed., Letters from Uncle Hal.

defying economists’ expectations

There should be no limit placed on the contempt that one has for actors.

Logan Nygaard, A Treatise on Amusement.

how dare you

Such-and-such is the case. Always.

Godfrey Tooke, Collected Aphorisms.

like snow falling

Materiality is ridiculous.

Godfrey Tooke, Collected Aphorisms.

stand and stretch

Try as he might, Trevor could never account for all of his assumptions.

Jason Starling, ed., Adventures in Narrative Parsimony.

up to something

Philosophy: Explanations by explainers who might not exist.

Callista Ralph, Alphabet Soup.