I gave up on Lost during the second series. Actually, probably about half way through. I thought, 'these people are taking the piss'.

Brings a whole new meaning to the phrase.

Not /all/ people - but the ones that do are the ones that get in the news.

Me, too. Sometimes, I see a tiny green 'blob' in the middle of my left eye. Actually, it's off-centre now. I think my yellow spot has moved around it over the years.

Actually, it's taken me about 10 years to read about 50 pages of Finnegans Wake. Who knows - maybe I'll finish it one day?

What do apostrophes have to do with Finnegans Wake? Well, there isn't one in the title. It's not about a wake in honour of someone named Finnegan. Rather, it's a wake up call to those people JJ classes as 'Finnegans'. Or something.

For me, it would have to be this segment from The Three Amigos:

Jefe: I have put many beautiful pinatas in the storeroom, each of them filled with little suprises.

El Guapo: Many pinatas?

Jefe: Oh yes, many!

El Guapo: Would you say I have a plethora of pinatas?

Jefe: A what?

El Guapo: A *plethora*.

Jefe: Oh yes, you have a plethora.

El Guapo: Jefe, what is a plethora?

Jefe: Why, El Guapo?

El Guapo: Well, you told me I have a plethora. And I just would like to know if you know what a plethora is. I would not like to think that a person would tell someone he has a plethora, and then find out that that person has *no idea* what it means to have a plethora.

Jefe: Forgive me, El Guapo. I know that I, Jefe, do not have your superior intellect and education. But could it be that once again, you are angry at something else, and are looking to take it out on me?

I'm sure Google's now big enough to get into the news business for itself. This could be a good opportunity for them.

There's another possibility. Capitalism may make everyone richer, and some much richer, but then some people will feel relatively poor, and start to get upset. Socialism ought to keep everyone at the same level of wealth (my feeling is that it will be lower, since there is less incentive to work hard), but maybe with less to complain about.

All wild guesses, of course, since all of this is so hard to test. But I've never heard any convincing argument against any of this. All I have learned over the years is that socialists are good with words; and are often well meaning, but more usually are simply jealous. My belief is that capitalism reflects human nature most faithfully, and I think it's a mistake to meddle with human nature.

It's in this (useful, but long) one:
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm

Reminds me of a story I read a long time ago.