A short history of what man covets most - STUFF

As if awakening from a bad dream, the humans began to realise that the machine had created Cheney, right down to his trouser cuffs. The disabled began to realise that far from owning the machine, the machine actually owned them. They were beginning to wonder if, having plundered the oil, the Great Getting Machine would share it with them - or turn on them in their turn.

By now, it was beginning to dawn on most humans that the time had come to reclaim ownership of the planet of their birth, even if that meant disposing of all of their empty suits, ties, worthless tokens and bearded entities. It was time for the nurses to take back the asylum.

So the dawn broke on one very hot morning, and …

In the beginning

She-who-must-be-obeyed tossed in her hammock in the velvet infinity. To her left - nothing. To her right - nothing. There was only infinity, which was everywhere at once and nowhere in particular.

There was no good or evil, no flesh or nerves, no joy or sorrow. No company. No nothing. Only self, and no other.

Then she invented irony and humour, injustice and love, and tasted them - and it was good.

So she spread her awesome hand to the firmament and said -

"Let there be STUFF!"