Justin E.H. Smith:

Palindromes force you up to the boundary of meaninglessness, and so challenge you to find that acceptable level of near-nonsense that nonetheless seems to say something.

Robert McCrum:

In his new book, Through the Language Glass, Guy Deutscher explains why Russian water (a "she") becomes a "he" once you have dipped a teabag into her, and why, in German, a young lady has no sex, though a turnip has.

Jesse Bering:

It occurred to me while writing this article that the social category of straight men that like to socialize with lesbians is astonishingly vacant in our society.

Merlin Mann voice:

Is that really a good use of your time? What did you make today?

Michael Pollan:

The average amount of time spent on cooking, eating and cleaning up a meal is 31 minutes; the average daily non-professional time at a computer two hours, and in front of a television three hours.

You know, we have been drilled to believe that only in the workplace do Americans produce something. But when we cook we are producers too. It's sad that we are supposed to be just consumers.

Roger Ebert:

I like the internet, but I don't want to become its love slave.

Mark Fletcher:

I fear I spend too much time on the Internet as a crutch to avoid thinking about the crushing sameness of each and every day as well as the black hollowness of my soul.