English#

I wonder how difficult it would be to find a phrase that alliterates in multiple languages. I wonder how difficult it would be to coax a herring into a plastic bag at thirty thousand feet.

Spanish#

Pregunto cuándo difícil lo supuesto hallar un frase con aliteración en múltiple linguas. Pregunto cuándo difícil lo supuesto engatusar un arenque en un saco plástico a treinta mil pies.

Me pregunto cuánto difícil sería hallar una expresión con aliteracíon en lenguas múltiples. Me pregunto cuánto difícil sería engatusar a un arenque que entre en una bolsa plástica a la altitud de treinta mil pies.

French#

Je se demande pourquoi combien difficulté il serait trouver la phrase avec allitération en les langues multiples. Je se demande pourquoi combien difficulté il serait cajoler un hareng dans un sac plastiqué a trente mil piedes.

Je me demande quelle difficulté ça presenterai pour trouver une expression avec allitération en langues multiples. Je me demande quelle difficulté ça presenterai pour cajole un hareng pour etre dans un sac plastique a trente mille pieds.

The Art of Rhetoric, by Aristotle, is an encyclopedia for the deliverer of various kinds of oratory. The translator explains that this was interesting because Plato, Aristotle's teacher, was very much against the idea of teaching rhetoric, or rhetoric as a subject worthy of study. The translator then explains that to combat this prejudice of his peers, and probably his own prejudice, Aristotle makes the discussion much more 'philosophical' then previous writers and probably more so than necessary.#

Due to its encyclopedic format, it is hard to sum up the important lessons of Rhetoric, but I will highlight some things I found interesting in the particular entries.#

His definition is of rhetoric:#

It is, then, established that rhetoric is not concerned with any single delimited kind of subject but is like dialectic and that it is a useful art. It is also clear that its function is not persuasion. It is rather the detection of the persuasive aspects of each matter and this is in line with all other skills. (It is not the function of medicine to produce health but to bring the patient to the degree of well-being that is possible; for those that cannot attain to health can nevertheless be well looked after.) It is further clear that it is for the same art to detect what is persuasive and what is apparently persuasive, just as it belongs to dialectic to perceive both the real and the apparent syllogism, since sophistry resides not in the capacity but the choice of its use. The difference, however, is that in rhetoric there will be the orator by understanding and the orator by choice, whereas a man may be a sophist by choice but he will be a dialectician not by preference but by capacity. [p 69-70; 1355b]

At one point Aristotle gives a curious definition of democracy: "Democracy is that constitution in which offices are assigned by lot." (p. 102; 1365b)#

Talking about to whom crimes are committed, Aristotle writes this nugget: "[Both] enemies and friends; the latter are wronged more easily, the former more agreeably." (p. 123; 1373a)#

Tom Palmer links to essential reading for any traveller.#

Man Pays $100 for 125,000 Bottles of Wine#

The Great Berkman Center Kitten Scandal#

Russell Roberts imagines the Federal Car Administration to illustrate the problem the FDA.#

In the recent flurry of posts here at the Cafe on the possibility of reduced role for the FDA and an expanded role for consumers and doctors in deciding what to put in our bodies, the most common complaint I receive is that we're simply too busy to make these decisions for ourselves. After all, who wants to become an expert on drugs interactions and safety issues? Surely it's better to rely on the experts at the FDA.

Imagine the same argument being made about cars.

Cars are very complicated. Few drivers have any idea how they really work. Few drivers want to master or are able to master the subtleties of engine performance, horsepower and mileage claims. Surely, it would be reckless and undesirable for drivers to make their own decisions on these complex issues.

Gina Smith brings a quote from Moliere: "Writing is like prostitution. First you do it for love, and then for a few other close friends, and then for money."#

Joey deVilla posts true humour: "To quote Clippy: 'It looks like you're about to take your clothes off. Would you like some help?'"#