h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

... yet beware:


There are a sort of men whose visages
Do cream and mantle like a standing pond,
And do a wilful stillness entertain,
With purpose to be dress'd in an opinion
Of wisdom, gravity, profound conceit,
As who should say 'I am Sir Oracle,
And when I ope my lips let no dog bark!'

O my Antonio, I do know of these
That therefore only are reputed wise
For saying nothing; when, I am very sure,
If they should speak, would almost damn those ears,
Which, hearing them, would call their brothers fools.

Hello Toy Box! Nice to hear from you again! Professor yet?

It is the greatest serendipity that I saw your post; ~jwf~ was takling about Alabaster so I decided to try it again for old times' sake. That had the result of showing me my personal introduction on my PS, which I haven't looked at for ages. I'd forgotten that I had this piece on infallibility, so I had a look, and there was your message.

The Shakesperian quote is wonderful. Silence as profundity (or at least pleasantness) was practised with great success by Harpo Marx and the late Queen Mother. Wish I could bring myself to do it, but the logorrhoea always bursts through.

Hello there! Not professor yet; I tried but they didn't want me, at least on a permanent position.

Logorrhoea is fine; if all parties try out the silent method it may become embarrassing too. Unless, of course, you do other entertaining stuff like Harpo Marx

Well, yes, in theory a silent community is not likely to prosper . . . but a silent community is as rare as a celibate one