I'm not quite sure of your target here, but I have been wondering what a credulous person would accept as disproof, or a determined sceptic would accept as proof. Remember the 1984 lightning strike on York Minster, three days after the consecration of David Jenkins as Bishop of Durham? Everything can be explained away, if you so wish.
... and I suspect that James chose this because of the following extract from the Wikipedia entry:
"The Oxford English Dictionary entry on writing has literary references to this phrase in English, including the following verse from the poem The Run Upon The Bankers by Jonathan Swift:
A baited banker thus desponds, From his own hand foresees his fall, They have his soul, who have his bonds; 'Tis like the writing on the wall."
James: did I guess right? One of your depth charges?
Methinks 'twould be wise to heed the writing on the wall.
Why do Americans always say "the handwriting on the wall"? Infectious verbosity?
ReplyDeleteThe writing on the wall points us in the right direction.
ReplyDeleteToo bad it was not written with more warning time.
ReplyDeleteShe certainly looks scared.
ReplyDeleteI'm not quite sure of your target here, but I have been wondering what a credulous person would accept as disproof, or a determined sceptic would accept as proof. Remember the 1984 lightning strike on York Minster, three days after the consecration of David Jenkins as Bishop of Durham? Everything can be explained away, if you so wish.
ReplyDeleteAnd James, what do you think the Hebrew writing actually says?
ReplyDeleteJJ, I think "mene mene tekel upharsin" means something like "weighed, weighed and found wanting".
ReplyDeleteOop, found it on Wikipedia, I wasn't far wrong:
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_writing_on_the_wall
... and I suspect that James chose this because of the following extract from the Wikipedia entry:
ReplyDelete"The Oxford English Dictionary entry on writing has literary references to this phrase in English, including the following verse from the poem The Run Upon The Bankers by Jonathan Swift:
A baited banker thus desponds,
From his own hand foresees his fall,
They have his soul, who have his bonds;
'Tis like the writing on the wall."
James: did I guess right? One of your depth charges?
Spot on Sackerson.
ReplyDeleteMind you there's been some disquiet in Jewish circles about Wikipedia. Seems as though anti-semitism knows no bounds.
Sackers, there's no hiding anything from you, lol.
ReplyDeleteJeremy, will come back to this tomorrow morning - too good for a cursory comment.
Presumably, Dearieme.
ReplyDeleteAre you sure, Cherie?
Would he have heeded it, JMB?
She, Ellee?
Sackers - the York Jenkins connection may well be ominous in the interconnectedness of all things. :)
Jeremy - it is upside down Hebrew, no? Meant to speak of MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN?
If not - please put us straight.
Yes James I am sure. And you will find the right path even though you are uncertain at the moment.
ReplyDelete