Sometimes faffing around on the internet is a good use of time

While recovering from my near stupid death experience (see previous page) I decided to catch up on Questionable Content's tweets (and do keep that level of geekiness between us would you? Thanks.)

They were rabbiting on about Lyttle Lytton, an internet-based competition to find the best worst short opening sentence to an unwritten novel. (Following in the footsteps of the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest, which looks for the best worst (usually) long opening sentence.)

Even if the idea doesn't immediately make you smile, then surely this explanation as posted as part of the entry to the 2009 winners list will: 

Again, what this contest is going for is a simulation of unintentional comedy — we should be laughing at your entry, not with it. This is hard to do on purpose. It's a lot easier when you're not trying. For instance, I just went to the suspiciously heterosexual Amazon bestseller list and pulled up the top book, which was something called Liberty and Tyranny by one Mark Levin. It begins:

 

• There is simply no scientific or mathematical formula that defines conservatism.

See, that would be a winning entry in this year's contest! It raises a number of questions: who exactly does the author think he's disabusing of the notion that a political belief system can be rendered as a "scientific or mathematical formula"? What distinction does he believe he's drawing between scientific formulas and mathematical ones? How deep into this imaginary argument is he that he thinks he needs to add the word "simply"?

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I foresee many hours of happy faffing ...

Sometimes faffing around on the internet is a good use of time

While recovering from my near stupid death experience (see previous page) I decided to catch up on Questionable Content's tweets (and do keep that level of geekiness between us would you? Thanks.)

They were rabbiting on about Lyttle Lytton, an internet-based competition to find the best worst short opening sentence to an unwritten novel. (Following in the footsteps of the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest, which looks for the best worst (usually) long opening sentence.)

Even if the idea doesn't immediately make you smile, then surely this explanation as posted as part of the entry to the 2009 winners list will: 

Again, what this contest is going for is a simulation of unintentional comedy — we should be laughing at your entry, not with it. This is hard to do on purpose. It's a lot easier when you're not trying. For instance, I just went to the suspiciously heterosexual Amazon bestseller list and pulled up the top book, which was something called Liberty and Tyranny by one Mark Levin. It begins:

 

• There is simply no scientific or mathematical formula that defines conservatism.

See, that would be a winning entry in this year's contest! It raises a number of questions: who exactly does the author think he's disabusing of the notion that a political belief system can be rendered as a "scientific or mathematical formula"? What distinction does he believe he's drawing between scientific formulas and mathematical ones? How deep into this imaginary argument is he that he thinks he needs to add the word "simply"?

-------
I foresee many hours of happy faffing ...

Birthdays!

In my desperate bid to be remotely thoughtful, happy birthday to fade_into_dark  and luthien82  for what I think is still today where both of you are. I am wishing you cakes, drinks with bubbles, lovely gifts and hugely fund days.

And happy birthday for today to tray_la_la ! I am wishing you a sudden and unexpected visit from the person you had a brief crush on when you were 13, just for something different. In all likelihood it will involve you calling for a tow-truck for his or her broken-down car, but with some amusing chit-chat and general bonhomie.

Birthdays!

In my desperate bid to be remotely thoughtful, happy birthday to fade_into_dark  and luthien82  for what I think is still today where both of you are. I am wishing you cakes, drinks with bubbles, lovely gifts and hugely fund days.

And happy birthday for today to tray_la_la ! I am wishing you a sudden and unexpected visit from the person you had a brief crush on when you were 13, just for something different. In all likelihood it will involve you calling for a tow-truck for his or her broken-down car, but with some amusing chit-chat and general bonhomie.