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Yakk · 06-14-2004, 10:51 AM

A man didn’t understand how televisions work, and was convinced that there must be lots of little men inside the box. manipulating images at high speed. An engineer explained to him about high frequency modulations of the electromagnetic spectrum, about transmitters and receivers, about amplifiers and cathode ray tubes, about scan lines moving across and down a phosphorescent screen. The man listened to the engineer with careful attention, nodding his head at every step of the argument. At the end he pronounced himself satisfied. He really did now understand how televisions work. "But I expect there are just a few little men in there, aren’t there?"
-- Douglas Adams, a parable spoofing creationism that Adams often told, as retold by Richard Dawkins in "Lament for Douglas" (14 May 2001)

Anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job.
-- Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Isn't it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to believe that there are fairies at the bottom of it too?
-- Douglas Adams, from Last Chance To See

It is a mistake to think you can solve any major problems just with potatoes.
-- Douglas Adams

"To illustrate the vain conceit that the universe must be somehow pre-ordained for us, because we are so well-suited to live in it, he [Adams] mimed a wonderfully funny imitation of a puddle of water, fitting itself snugly into a depression in the ground, the depression uncannily being exactly the same shape as the puddle."
-- Richard Dawkins, in "Lament for Douglas" (14 May 2001)

Flying's easy. Just throw yourself at the ground and miss.
-- Douglas Adams

06-14-2004, 10:51 AM	#7 (permalink)
Yakk Wehret Den Anfängen! Location: Ontario, Canada	A man didn’t understand how televisions work, and was convinced that there must be lots of little men inside the box. manipulating images at high speed. An engineer explained to him about high frequency modulations of the electromagnetic spectrum, about transmitters and receivers, about amplifiers and cathode ray tubes, about scan lines moving across and down a phosphorescent screen. The man listened to the engineer with careful attention, nodding his head at every step of the argument. At the end he pronounced himself satisfied. He really did now understand how televisions work. "But I expect there are just a few little men in there, aren’t there?" -- Douglas Adams, a parable spoofing creationism that Adams often told, as retold by Richard Dawkins in "Lament for Douglas" (14 May 2001) Anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job. -- Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Isn't it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to believe that there are fairies at the bottom of it too? -- Douglas Adams, from Last Chance To See It is a mistake to think you can solve any major problems just with potatoes. -- Douglas Adams "To illustrate the vain conceit that the universe must be somehow pre-ordained for us, because we are so well-suited to live in it, he [Adams] mimed a wonderfully funny imitation of a puddle of water, fitting itself snugly into a depression in the ground, the depression uncannily being exactly the same shape as the puddle." -- Richard Dawkins, in "Lament for Douglas" (14 May 2001) Flying's easy. Just throw yourself at the ground and miss. -- Douglas Adams __________________ Last edited by JHVH : 10-29-4004 BC at 09:00 PM. Reason: Time for a rest.