Wednesday, February 25, 2004

Quotes

I just finished Clifford A. Pickover's The Girl Who Gave Birth to Rabbits, the true story of an English woman who claimed to have had 19 rabbit babies. In explaining how English society in 1726 could believe such a thing, Pickover quoted some other wide-spread idiotic beliefs:

"If a woman is normally developed mentally, and well-bred, her sexual desire is small. If this were not so, the whole world would become a brothel and marriage and family impossible."
Joseph G. Richardson, M.D. (Professor of Hygiene at the University of Pennsylvania) 1909

"Even though they grow weary and wear themselves out with child-bearing, it does not matter; let them go on bearing children till they die, that is what they are there for."
Martin Luthor, Works 20.84

"It has been proven that the pig is the only homosexual animal. As this perversion is most prevalent in pork-eating nations, it is obvious that it gets into your genes through the meat."
Tasleem Ahmed, Muslim missionary to Galaway Ireland.

Does that mean that if I eat a lot of dog food, I'll be hung like a horse? (uh, I mean even more so.)

No comments: