I got this as a free app from itunes, it's like having an Eno version of the magic 8 ball at my fingertips.
Oblique Strategies (subtitled over one hundred worthwhile dilemmas) is a set of published cards created by Brian Eno and Peter Schmidt first published in 1975, and now in its fifth edition....more Each card contains a phrase or cryptic remark which can be used to break a deadlock or dilemma situation.
Examples:
State the problem in words as clearly as possible. Only one element of each kind. What would your closest friend do? What to increase? What to reduce? Are there sections? Consider transitions. Try faking it! Honour the error as a hidden intention.
From the introduction to the 2001 edition:
These cards evolved from separate observations of the principles underlying what we were doing. Sometimes they were recognised in retrospect (intellect catching up with intuition), sometimes they were identified as they were happening, sometimes they were formulated. They can be used as a pack, or by drawing a single card from the shuffled pack when a dilemma occurs in a working situation. In this case the card is trusted even if its appropriateness is quite unclear...
"I was there, yeah, at the mind blowing, jaw dropping, historic U2360 extravaganza at the Rose Bowl, yet even with great seats I still wondered what the show looked like from all the other possible views. Now I can find out."
"...with their second (or third) album, Swell Season ushers in 12 expected, but equally beautiful, melodic, happy songs. Yeah, We're talking about Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová -- yeah, the people from Once."
"Its a perfect icon for U2's massive 360° tour, this symbol looks like a jet, or a rocket, or a starship all of which are incorporated into the design of the 360° spaceship like stage. In the future when we've all forgotten U2 and their 2010 tour will this button become some sort of a Rorshock test--it's a image of Saturn? No it's a logo for Chicken Foot! Oh no I've got it! It's it a toothpick with..."
"In 2009 U2 fans at every show will be reminding the world of the plight of Burma's democratically elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi. A Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Aung San Suu Kyi has been described as Asia's Nelson Mandela. Her party, the National League for Democracy, won elections in 1990 but the ruling military junta refused to hand over power. Since that day most of her time has been spent u..."
"this artist is leading the fashion treads with his wearable art checkout his new website just up friday more to come from him i just bought 8 pair of his shoes,pickyourshoes.com & sneakerhead, his shoes are sold other places but i don't want to wait i collect them THIS'S ART.EVEN THE SHOE BOXES, (HINT, HIS AMG55 HAS THE SAME PAINT JOB). I have been following him now for 10 yrs he comes out with t..."
"So there we are, listening to U2 and New Years Day thinking that the present and the past comes together, for a brief moment...all is quiet for just a moment.
The rose is symbol of forever to me.. I made it in fine silver recycled from photographic film and plated it in 24K gold on the back side is the same rose but not plated so you can wear it either side facing out.
I put it on a strong b..."
"Do you remember the U2 iPod? I plugged into that thing for 5 months, and I'm still not sure that I listened to every song. The thing I did discover about the U2 sound is that it's actually gospel music on steroids, not a bad thing at all."