The Lonely Idea

The Lonely Idea

Do ideas prefer company?! Are artistic ideas comparable to technical ideas? Perhaps it's just the goals that are different. Art strives for pleasing aesthetics (which paradoxically can sometimes be unpleasant to look at) while computer programs for example mainly try for labour saving output. But you can have a computer program so well written that it is a work of art. Whenever I encounter these, I think what a shame that virtually no one will see it, except for the next maintenance programmer. The lonely idea.

Limerick

Limerick

There was a young man from Clyde
who fell down an out house and died
His unfortunate brother
fell down another
Now they're interred side by side

This limerick was a favourite of a reverend. It's to be feared that he did not get the pun in the last line...

Lots of limericks in The Lure of the Limerick, by William Stuart Baring-Gould. It goes in and out of print, but it might be in your local library. Yes, even in this day of the Internet, there are still gems to be found at the library.

The Fifth International

The Fifth International

is the name given to a socialist model, still under elaboration. The Fourth was developed by Leon Trotsky. Some say the call for a fifth implies a Trotskyite basis, while others say the fifth is a rejection of the fourth and Trotskyism. As the late capitalist organ Punch would say, "You pays your money, you takes your choices". Of course, art continued to exist under the socialists and is still available for viewing. Naturally they wouldn't allow anything decadent or counter-revolutionary, although this didn't stop the subversives. Are you looking at things we don't want you to look at? Are you thinking what we don't want you to think? What about fractals, they ok? I got my mind right, boss!

Fractal Universe

Fractal Universe

Many galaxies await. Just like for Arthur C. Clarke's "Star Child". It's all there for you to see and cross once more of your own volition... Clarke hosted a special on fractals a few years ago which included commentary from many well known scientists and mathematicians, Benoit Mandelbrot and Stephen Hawking among them.