Shave any good books recently?
Posted on 01/07/2006 1:44:19 PM PST by wagglebee
How novel.
It's a new way of fiction things.
Right. They did a nice job with the movie.
I think it goes under the brand name 'Soylent Green'.
That's food for thought.
Before me as I write lies an inch-square bit of brown leather — not, you would think, an inspiring subject for a tale. But perpend. This fragment of human skin, for such it is, has been since 1829 in the possession of three persons only: the original owner, my grandfather, and myself. Inconsiderable in size and unimpressive of aspect, it was nevertheless potent to influence the direction of my future studies. While yet a small boy, my grandfather would often shew me by request his singular relic and I never wearied of hearing how he came by it. As a matter of history, its first proprietor, the late Mr. William Burke of Edinburgh, in the circumstances hereafter to be related, was publicly anatomized, his carcase thereafter flayed, his hide tanned, and his skeleton by order of Court preserved in the Anatomical Museum of Edinburgh University, where it remains as a memorial of his infamy even to this day. Mr. Burke’s integument being cut up into sortable parcels to suit buyers’ tastes and exposed for sale by private bargain, my grandfather, who was then but a young man, invested in a modest shilling’s worth. Wealthier purchasers bought larger lots — I have heard that the late Professor Chiene had a tobacco pouch made of this unique material. Personally, despite my predilection for crime, I prefer indiarubber. My grandfather kept his portion coffined in a wooden snuff-box; it was shrouded in a yellow scrap of paper, bearing in his autograph the contemporary inscription: “Piece of Skin tan’d from the Body of Burke the Murderer.” (As I grew older I plumed myself on my superior orthography.) Thus in my blameless childhood did I first hear the horrid story of Burke and Hare.— Sir William Roughead, The West Port Murders.
Disagree.
If the results of research performed in unethical, even murderous, ways can be used to prevent or treat future human suffering, I think it is entirely legitimate to use it. Surely those who died would prefer that their suffering not be entirely in vain.
The story of the Bible is largely one of eventual good coming from temporary evil.
Maybe if we could refine DNA testing to identify the skin donors, we might be able to charge their descendents any late fines that might have accrued.
Shave any good books recently?
Mr. Costanza's not going to like that pic you know:).
I haven't shaved any books lately, been hairy busy though.
So what book would YOU like to be the cover of one day?
Cliff Notes on it? HILARIOUS!!! (And I agree.)
So what book would YOU like to be the cover of one day?
THE INVISIBLE MAN for me. You wouldn't need to see anything to read it.
Last line of Tie Me Kangaroo Down by Rolf Harris.
"So he tanned me hide when I died Clyde and left it hangin on the shed."
Selling books like these would put a lot of dollars into the necronomy I think.
I can see a future cable show...on the intersection between tatooing
and book binding...
(and am repulsed at the thought it could actually happen)
What better way to honor the victims of that evil than to use their deaths to save the lives of others? Simply throwing out the research would be worse, in my mind, because the people who were tortured and killed would have died for nothing.
I hope the scrapbooking people don't take it up anytime soon.
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