de pilo pendet [translation]

Mongo: If you will pardon the pun...

Bernice: Uh-oh.

Mongo: ...I have made an earth-shattering, ground-breaking discovery!

Bernice: Do I have to watch you pull a rabbit out of your hat?

Mongo: I finally have figured out how to avoid getting caught unprepared in a major earthquake.

Bernice: Move to Kansas?

Mongo: Every earthquake I've ever experienced has been on a weekday. I think the increased human activity on weekdays probably contributes to it, possibly due to psychic emanations.

Bernice: Oh, do please continue.

Mongo: Monday, January 17th, 1994: Northridge. Wednesday, October 18th, 1989: Loma Prieta. June 28th, 1992: Landers. All on weekdays! This is no coincidence, this is a universal pattern that, once acknowledged, can be woven into our earthquake preparedness.

Bernice: I think Landers was actually on a Sunday. You always tell the story about how you were sleeping when it happened in late morning, and if it had been a weekday quake, you wouldn't have been sleeping in late morning, no?

Mongo: ...

Bernice: Also, I'm not sure that's a sufficient sample. Three earthquakes? I could get even numbers after three tosses of dice, but that doesn't mean that every toss is going to be even.

Mongo: Think of all the lives that will be saved! Ground-breaking, I say! Ow! That hurt! Quit it! Stop! Ow!

Last updated by eric Mon May 22 20:51 2006 | thought | link