transmission for bus drivers, now started up again, only this time soldiers twinkled about, firing their guns, in the battlefield on their toes. The dying fell with their arms curved gracefully over their heads, and the killers swooped delicately by, twirling their rifles. Not one soldier marched – all was grace and poise.

"I am sorry to say," said the Presiding Brain, "That transmission number two has not worked either. There are even more wars on the planet now than an hour ago, despite the fact that they are being fought to the tune of Swan Lake. With your permission, I would like to try the third suggestion on the list."

"You have our permission," said the delegates without a single smile among them.

The Presiding Brain ordered the transmission of the third fixation. This time it was a global desire to be a fluffy toy.

"A fluffy toy!" said the delegate from France "This is preposterous! Who suggested such a thing? !"

No delegate was willing to admit responsibility but one or two smirked.

"I am not sure if we should allow this transmission," said the Presiding Brain, "It hardly seems likely, in view of the failure of the bus driver transmission and the ballet dancer transmission, whether any good can came from everyone thinking they are fluffy toys?"

"I agree!" shouted the French delegate "This Council will be brought into disrepute if such a thing happens!"

"I disagree with the delegate from France," said the delegate from Belgium, "If there is a global fluffy toy fixation, people will be content to sit in the sun and smile. They will become mere ornaments, and war will cease. As you know, fluffy toys are not interested in burning rain forests, or hunting whales, neither are they interested in killing each other. They never have wars, or catch diseases, or feel hunger. The advantages would be enormous!"

"I think the delegate from Belgium has a point," said the delegate from Vietnam, "Fluffy toys are harmless. They do no damage to the environment, or to each other. They last a long time, if cared for, and they can bring a lot of happiness to children."

"Very well" said the Presiding Brain "We will proceed."

Five minutes later the world was changed yet again. Rioting ballet dancers put down their weapons and walked quietly to their homes, soldiers sat in the sun on the bomb-pitted fields and smiled, and farmers climbed back