RE: Another Subjective View

["Drew Adams" <drew -at- synplicity -dot- com>]

The late French comedian Fernand Reynaud had a routine about a sign saying
"Here we sell beautiful oranges" (Ici on vend de belles oranges).

He "progressed" to no sign at all, through similar logic to that in the
Franklin story: obviously it's here that it takes place; obviously we're the
ones selling; obviously they're sold, not given away; anyone can see how
beautiful they are; obviously they're not apples.


> -----Original Message-----
> From: bounce-techwr-l-88891 -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
> [mailto:bounce-techwr-l-88891 -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com]On Behalf Of Bruce
> Byfield
> Sent: Monday, June 24, 2002 12:28 PM
> To: TECHWR-L
> Cc: TECHWR-L
> Subject: Re: Another Subjective View
>
...
> ... He composed it in these words,
> "John Thompson, Hatter, makes and sells Hats for ready Money," with a
> figure of a hat subjoined. But he thought he would submit it to his
> friends for their amendments. The first he showed it to, thought the
> word "hatter " tautologous, because followed by the words makes hats,
> which showed he was a hatter. It was struck out. The next observed, that
> the word "makes " might as well be omitted, because his customers would
> not care who made the hats; if good and to their mind, they would buy,
> by whomsoever made. He struck it out. A third said he thought the words
> "for ready money " were useless, as it was not the custom of the place
> to sell on credit. Every one, who purchased, expected to pay. They were
> parted with; and the inscription now stood, "John Thompson sells hats"
> "'Sells' hats?" says his next friend; "why, nobody will expect you to
> give them away. What then is the use of that word?" It was stricken out,
> and "hats " followed, the rather, as there was one painted on the board.
> So his inscription was reduced ultimately to "John Thompson," with the
> figure of a hat subjoined."
>
...


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  Your monthly sponsorship message here reaches more than
  5000 technical writers, providing 2,500,000+ monthly impressions.
  Contact Eric (ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com) for details and availability.
Save $600: Create great-looking Help files and software demos with
RoboHelp Deluxe. Get RoboHelp and RoboDemo - our new demo software - for one
low price. OR Save $100 on RoboHelp Office in June with our mail-in rebate.
Go to http://www.ehelp.com/techwr-l
---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as: archive -at- raycomm -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot-  Visit
http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.