the walrus

hexagonal london

In the mid-nineteenth century a Londoner called John Leighton published a scheme to divide London in a number of hexagonals, a plan aimed at preventing cab drivers from taking advantage of London's chaotic complexity to overcharge their passengers. This is as far as it got, obviously.

Visit Strange Maps for the full explanation and a larger image.

(Cross-posted on Marbury)

unhappy in our own way

From The End of the Affair, Graham Greene:

The sense of unhappiness is so much easier to convey than that of happiness. In misery we seem aware of our own existence, even though it may be in the form of a monstrous egotism: this pain of mine is individual, this nerve that winces belongs to me and to no other. But happiness annihilates us: we lose our identity.

the selfish people

From The Silver Dish, one of Saul Bellow's short stories:

It's usually the selfish people who are loved the most. They do what you deny yourself, and you love them for it.