Calibration

The human brain is said somewhat hyperbolically to be 'infinitely plastic'. By 'plastic' of course, the hyperbolists refer to the capacity of the human primary neural network, that slapdash wetware complex known as the brain, to continually reinvent itself.

The brain repurposes, represents, reformats, reconfigures over time. The person we are each day is dependent on this; indeed, we are never ever quite the same self despite the sense of continuity of self that we assert.

There is an important point here. The only way we know how we change is to do something to fix a baseline of previous experience. We need to do a 'calibration curve' for the changing brain. And that requires us to journal, to blog, to self-record. That's why I'm writing all this.

Fragmentary

You might have noticed that August's posts are misbehaving. They are all over the place, and you will find me posting my usual fragment of Atlantean-Day thought soon, more than two weeks after the event and yet dated 9th August.

Yes, it is a season of fists and fellow food fulness, the gifts of the entertaining sun. My mind turns out into the living space around me, and back in upon itself. Like a man looking through the chambers of a nautilus only to find himself amongst the orbitals of an onion, I am seeing too many things and not enough.

Augusts are ever so. I have sealed and unsealed records, blog posts, golden apples and silver ones — and they were all date-stamped in Augusts past. For August is the season of breaking up the plenitude of the land and distributing it in odd ways to all the people. It is harvest, and hear I am sitting bemused in the storehouse again.

Readership

Some person or persons unknown decided to spend a significant amount of time on this humble non-blog yesterday. I am certainly grateful to have such avid readers.

Yet I am mindful of my responsibilities. I do try to write as well as I can, but the quality may very a lot from day to day. Some days, I'm less coherent or witty or stylish or helpful than on other days. Some days, I'm frankly not very (or any) good at all.

This is not a very focussed place. The point was never to target a segment of population or to drive the readership up by spamming keywords. It's just a repository for stuff, a non-blog, a dump, so to speak. Some of it is like toxic waste — I have had to get things off my mind, and this is where those things have ended up.

So, for those of you with the patience to bear with all that: thank you very much. May you be inspired or at least entertained!

Still not a Blog

Still. Distill. Not a blog, no no. I remember the days when I was told blogs were evil. The very next year, the local Priesthood of the Book declared an inter-school blogging competition. So, not evil.

But this is still not a blog, no no. This is a sequential scrapbook. Of random thoughts. Of mice and beets, of cheese and dates; of history, myth, and potato chips; of distant encounters and disasters. Not a blog at all.

The last time I said so, I also said that there would be nothing here by January. Then people scolded me, as if I had said a small island should be sunk into the sea. So I left it floating here. But not, so not, so not a blog.

In other news, the mills of God continue to grind. The time of the Pharaoh's officers draws to an end, as Exodus 15 says.

This Is Not A Blog

I long ago stopped thinking of what you're reading as a blog. Yes, it's a chronological record of my thoughts; no, it's not a weblog. If it were a novel, an archive, a diary, it would suck.

It's a resource, I think, in the sense that those old books I used to read were resources — books with titles like 1000 Amazing Facts or 366 Science Experiments. It's reached the point of trivia and lunacy at which you could find almost anything you wanted in here and it wouldn't necessarily represent a stable opinion from my brain.

Perhaps I should just split it up. I write stuff about the Bible, and my agnostic/atheist/retrohumanist friends think it's a waste of space. I write stuff about Atlantis, and everyone thinks that's peculiar. I write stuff about my past, and everyone thinks that's boring. I write stuff about education and get hundreds of hits a day. Haha.

Somewhere in here is my annual thread of posts on epistemology and academic writing. Somewhere pretty deeply buried, mostly. It's also one of the more popular sources for people looking for a path out of the 'Theory of Knowledge Maze'.

It's all like that, fragments. It's like the mixed jellybeans that come without a key, so that you don't know when you're going to get a flavour you don't like.

I think there probably won't be a blog here anymore, sometime within the next month or three.

1500

It just so happens that this post is the 1500th I've made since I started blogging five years ago. It's been a quick five years. In fact, it was less than a year ago that I made my 1000th (sort of) post, and four and a half years (or so) since I made my 100th post. Here's a nice big space. Think of it as a metaphor for whatever you want to read into it or write into it. Enjoy.














Space: the Final Frontier.

A Note About This Blog

What is this blog about anyway?

Well, if I were a bird, I'd be a corvid by nature. I'm curious. I like finding things out. I like using what I find, if that's possible.

Of late, my environment changed to produce an endless supply of associates who were interested in epistemology (or who had no choice but to act as if they were). So I dug into my hoard of material on this, and produced a few nice shiny bits.

That's what I am. If you're looking for something interesting, there's probably something about it on this blog. If there isn't anything about it on this blog, I might be interested enough to post something about it. See below for a list of topics, or stop right now and have greater peace of mind. Heh.

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Currently, the list of tags/labels I've used in this blog is too long to form a nice tag cloud or list in the sidebar. So here it is, without hyperlinking:

1 Thessalonians (1), 1886 (6), 1960s (2), 1970s (2), 1980s (4), 1990s (2), 2 Timothy (1), 2000s (1), Abraham (2), Accountability (2), Acronyms (2), ACS (1), Acting (1), Actuarial Science (1), Adjectives (2), Administration (4), Adolescence (3), Adulthood (1), Adventure (1), Advertising (1), Aesthetics (3), Age (2), Agriculture (3), Akunin (1), Albion (1), Alchemy (5), Alcohol (2), Alexander (2), Alexandria (1), Alfred Duggan (1), Alistair Cooke (1), Alliteration (1), Altruism (2), Alumni (1), Ambidexterity (1), Ambiguity (1), Ambition (1), America (3), American Politics (10), Analysis (12), Anand (3), Anatomy (7), Ancestors (3), Anchors (1), Ancient of Days (7), Andrew Lloyd Webber (2), Angelology (1), Angels (3), Animals (7), Animism (1), Annie Lennox (2), Anniversary (1), Announcements (1), Anomie (1), Anonymity (2), Answers (2), Anthems (1), Anthony Hope (1), Anthony Price (1), Anthropomorphism (1), Apocalypse (6), Appraisal (11), Appropriateness (1), Archaeology (3), Archangel (1), Archilochus (1), Archiving (2), Argument (2), Aristotle (1), Arms Race (1), Army Life (2), Arsenal (5), Art (3), Arts (1), Assessment (2), Astrology (1), Astronomy (2), Asymmetry (1), Atheism (2), Atomism (3), Attainment (1), Auden (1), August (1), Australia (1), Authority (6), Autobiography (3), Autumn (3), Avoidance (1), Awakening (2), Awards (2), Babylon (1), Balance (2), Ballad (1), Baptist (1), Barry Hughart (1), Batman (3), Bears (1), Beatles (3), Beauty (3), Bee Gees (1), Beginnings (1), Behaviour (3), Being (1), Belief (7), Benjamin Franklin (1), Bentley (1), Betrayal (1), Bible (44), Biden (1), Billy Joel (6), Biochemistry (1), Biography (1), Biology (3), Birthday (7), Blades (1), Blake (2), Blessings (2), Blogosphere (11), Blogs (6), Blood (2), Boarding (1), Bonnie Tyler (1), Books (32), Botany (1), Brain (4), Breakfast (4), British (1), Brotherhood (5), Browning (1), Business (1), Butterfly (1), Byron (1), Byzantium (1), C Northcote Parkinson (1), C S Lewis (1), C W McCall (1), Cabell (1), Cabernet (1), Caffeine (3), Calendar (6), Capitalism (1), Capsaicin (1), Career Guidance (5), Carl Orff (2), Carly Simon (1), Carols (2), Carpets (1), Casting (1), Cataloguing (1), Catechism (1), Cathedrals (1), Cats (2), Celebration (5), Censorship (1), Change (11), Chaos (2), Chapel (1), Character (2), Charity (1), Charles Stross (1), Charteris (1), Cheese (2), Chemistry (8), Chess (10), Chesterton (4), Childhood (5), Children (2), Chocolate (1), Choice (1), Christianity (6), Christina Rossetti (2), Christmas (9), Churchill (3), Cinnamon (1), Circular Thinking (1), Cities (1), City Life (6), Civilisation (2), Clannad (1), Classical Music (3), Classics (1), Clay (1), Coaching (1), Coffee (10), Cognition (7), Coincidence (1), Cold War (2), Coleridge (1), Comedy (1), Comics (2), Communications (1), Community (2), Compassion (1), Competition (4), Completion (2), Complexity (2), Compromise (1), Computing (11), Conflict (2), Conscience (1), Consciousness (2), Conseqences (1), Consequences (1), Conspiracy Theories (1), Consumption (1), Contemplation (1), Content (2), Contentment (2), Context (1), Convoy (1), Cookies (1), Cornwall (1), Coughing (1), Couplets (1), Courage (1), Covenant (1), Cows (1), Creativity (3), Credo (1), Criminalisation (1), Crispin (1), Critical Thinking (3), Cruelty (1), Cryptography (1), Cryptozoology (1), Culture (5), Curriculum Development (5), Cynicism (2), Dancing (1), Daniel (1), Dante (1), Darkness (8), Data (1), Dating (1), Daughters (1), David (2), Dawn (1), Day (1), Days (2), De Niro (1), Death (8), December (2), Deception (3), Decision (2), Decline (1), Dedication (1), Definitions (2), Departmentalism (1), Departure (1), Desert (1), Despair (2), Desserts (2), Destiny (1), Destruction (1), Deuteronomy (2), Devotion (1), Devotionals (2), Dictatorship (1), Disaster (2), Discontent (1), Disease (4), Dispensability (1), Dissent (1), Divestiture (1), Divination (2), Divine Will (1), Divinity (1), Documentation (1), Documents (1), Dogma (2), Doom (1), Dorothy Dunnett (1), Dracula (1), Drama (4), Dreams (18), Drinking Songs (1), Drugs (1), Druidism (1), Duality (1), Dungeons (1), Duty (1), Dwarves (2), Dylan Thomas (6), Eagle (1), Eagles (3), Easter (4), Eccentricity (1), Ecclesiastes (7), Economics (12), Education (146), Eggs (1), Egypt (2), Egyptians (1), Eighteen (1), Elections (2), Electricity (1), Electronics (1), Elephants (1), Eliot (12), Elizabeth Bishop (1), Elvish (1), Emotion (5), Empire (5), Empiricism (1), Employment (1), Encryption (1), Endings (4), Enemies (1), Energy (1), Engineering (2), England (2), Enlightenment (1), Enmity (1), Entertainment (5), Entropy (2), Environment (1), Epistemology (18), Equinox (1), Escher (2), Espionage (1), Eternity (4), Ethics (2), Etymology (35), Evangelism (1), Evil (2), Examinations (32), Excellence (3), Existentialism (1), Exodus (6), Experience (3), Eye (2), Ezekiel (1), Facebook (1), Faith (10), Family (21), Fantasy (4), Farewells (1), Fatalism (3), Faust (1), Fear (5), February (1), Feedback (2), Feelings (1), Fellowship (2), Fencing (2), Finance (6), Finding (1), Fire (2), Fischer (2), Flexibility (1), Folklore (1), Folly (1), Food (20), Football (7), Fordism (1), Forgiveness (2), Forty (1), Fragment (2), Fragments (1), Fraud (2), Freakonomics (1), Freedom (6), French (2), Freud (1), Friendship (11), Future (1), Futurism (1), Gaiman (8), Gamaliel (1), Games (16), Gatiss (1), Geekiness (2), Gender (1), Gene Wolfe (1), Generosity (1), Genesis (2), Gentlemen (1), Geography (2), Geometry (7), George Lucas (1), Georgia (1), German (2), Ginger (1), Global Warming (2), Globalism (18), Gnosticism (1), God (46), Goddess (1), Godfather (3), Gold (3), Goliath (1), Good (2), Goodbyes (1), Gordon Dickson (1), Gospels (2), Government (3), Grace (1), Graceland (1), Grandfather (2), Grandparents (1), Graphics (1), Gratitude (1), Greater Trumps (31), Greatness (1), Greed (1), Greek (5), Greek Philosophy (2), Gridlock (1), Grimwood (1), Guinness (1), Guy Kawasaki (2), Hades (1), Haiku (3), Hamlet (1), Handel (1), Hands (2), Happiness (5), Hardware (1), Harmony (2), Harrison Ford (1), Harrow (1), Harry Potter (1), Hatching (1), Hate (1), Healthcare (1), Heart (4), Heat (4), Heaven (1), Hebrews (1), Heinlein (1), Heller (1), Henry V (1), Heraldry (3), Heresy (1), Hermeneutics (1), Heroism (3), Hierarchy (1), Historical Fiction (18), Historical Veracity (4), History (35), Hobgoblins (1), Holidays (1), Holiness (1), Holism (12), Hollywood (1), Holmes (1), Holst (1), Honour (1), Hope (11), Hopkins (3), Horse (1), Housman (3), Hubris (1), Human Rights (3), Humanism (1), Humanities (4), Humanity (12), Humility (1), Humour (21), Hunter (2), Hydra (1), Hymnal (2), I Samuel (4), Iain Banks (1), IB (5), Ice-Cream (3), Iconography (1), Idealism (3), Ideas (22), Identity (2), Ideology (2), Idioms (1), Idleness (3), Illusion (3), Imagery (3), Imagination (4), Immediacy (1), Importance (1), Indian Ocean (1), Inertia (1), Inevitability (1), Influences (1), Information (15), Information Security (2), Information Technology (4), Injury (1), Innovation (1), Insanity (2), Insects (1), Insight (2), Insomnia (1), Inspiration (4), Institutions (11), Insurance (1), Intellect (4), Intellectual Property (3), Intelligence (7), Internet (7), Interpretation (1), Invocation (1), Iron Man (1), Irony (1), Isaiah (4), Isaiah Berlin (1), Isidore of Seville (1), Israel (2), Italy (1), Jade (1), Jeremiah (3), Jessica Williams (1), Jesus (5), Jews (2), JFK (1), Joab (1), Job (1), John Dunning (1), John Lanchester (1), John Wesley (1), Jokes (11), Journal (1), Journalism (1), Journey (4), Joy (2), Judgement (4), Juggling (1), Juice Newton (1), Jungian Archetypes (1), Junk (1), Justice (3), Kasparov (2), Keats (1), Ken Burns (1), Kennedy (1), Kenneth Williams (1), Kent (2), Khonsu (1), Kim Stanley Robinson (1), Kindness (1), King Lear (3), Kingship (7), Kipling (10), Knowledge (16), Kurosawa (1), Labels (2), Labour (2), Lacunae (1), Language (12), Latin (5), Laughter (3), Law (4), Leadership (21), Learning (6), Leaving (1), Legacy (2), Legends (4), Legitimacy (1), Lennon (1), Lessing (1), Lessons (1), Lewis Carroll (2), Libraries (3), Life (83), Light (7), Lists (3), Literacy (1), Literature (24), Liverpool (1), Logic (5), Logos (2), London (3), Loss (3), Love (9), Loyalty (3), LRB (1), Luke (1), Lukyanenko (1), Lysenkoism (1), Lyte (1), Macavity (1), Macbeth (2), Madness (1), Magic Realism (3), Magrs (2), Mahbubani (1), Mammals (1), Mana (1), Management (28), Mannheim Steamroller (2), Market Forces (4), Martian Manhunter (1), Marvell (1), Mathematics (3), Matthew (2), Matthew Arnold (2), Maxwell (1), McCain (1), Meaning (4), Meatloaf (1), Media (2), Medicine (1), Meditation (1), Medusa (1), Melancholy (3), Memes (12), Memory (8), Men At Work (3), Mendacity (1), Mentorship (2), Mercy (1), Meritocracy (2), Merlot (1), Metallurgy (2), Metaphor (25), Metaphors (20), Miasma (1), Micah (1), Michael Chabon (1), Military History (5), Milk (3), Millennialism (1), Milton (3), Mind (7), Minerals (1), Misconceptions (1), Misery (1), Missile Weapons (3), Mission (9), Mockery (1), Moderation (1), Money (6), Moon Knight (1), Moorcock (1), Morality (1), Morning (3), Moses (9), Mottos (3), Moustache (1), Movement (1), Movies (6), Mozart (1), Multitasking (1), Muses (3), Music (10), Mysteries (2), Myth (8), Mythology (19), Münchener Freiheit (1), Namelessness (1), Names (6), Narrative (1), National Service (1), Nationalism (1), Natural Philosophy (3), Nature (4), Neander (1), Negotiation (1), Nehemiah (1), Neologisms (1), Networking (2), Neurobiology (2), New York (5), News (2), Newton (1), Night (5), Nightmares (2), Nimzovich (1), Nixon (1), Noah (1), Nobility (1), Nomenclature (2), Nostalgia (14), Notes (2), November (1), Numbers (7), Numinosity (2), O'Toole (1), Obama (10), Obituary (1), Objectivity (1), October (1), Odd Questions (13), Odd Thoughts (23), Old Age (2), Operating Systems (1), Optics (1), Optimism (1), Order (1), Organic Chemistry (2), Organisations (3), Organs (2), Orientalism (1), Orientation (1), Orthopaedics (1), Other (1), Paganism (2), Pain (3), Parables (3), Paradigms (2), Paradise (1), Paranoia (1), Parody (2), Patriarchs (1), Patriotism (2), Pattern (4), Paul Anka (1), Paul Simon (2), Peace (6), Pencils (1), Penitence (1), People (6), Perception (8), Perfection (1), Periodicity (1), Perseverance (1), Personality (9), Perspective (1), Perturbation (1), Pfeiffer (1), Pharaoh (4), Philip Pullman (1), Philippians (1), Philosophy (46), Phoenix (2), Phonetics (1), Phuket (1), Phylogeny (1), Physics (4), Physiology (1), Pilgrimage (2), Plagiarism (1), Planning (3), Plato (2), Poetry (91), Policy (1), Politicians (2), Politics (24), Possibility (2), Post-Modernism (4), Pottery (1), Power (8), Practice (2), Pratchett (1), Prayer (6), Preferences (1), Prepositional (2), Presentation (4), Pride (2), Prime Numbers (1), Principalship (2), Principles (2), Problem Solving (1), Processing (1), Professionalism (7), Profiling (5), Progress (5), Project (1), Prometheus (2), Propaganda (2), Prophecy (6), Proust (1), Providence (1), Prufrock (1), Psalms (18), Pseudonyms (1), Psychology (18), Psychosis (5), Punishment (2), Puzzles (1), Quakers (1), Qualitative Research (8), Quality (1), Quantum Mechanics (2), Queen (1), Quirks (1), Quiz (18), Racism (1), Rain (5), Random (7), Ranking (1), Ravens (9), Reading (5), Reality (6), Reason (9), Recessional (3), References (1), Reflection (38), Reflections (24), Reflective (5), Reindeer (1), Relationships (4), Relatives (3), Relaxation (1), Religion (20), Remembrance (73), Renegade (1), Renewal (2), Requiem (3), Research (20), Resignation (1), Resources (5), Response (1), Rest (1), Returning (1), Reunion (1), Revelation (5), Revenge (1), Review (1), Rhyme (2), Rhymes (3), Richard II (1), Richardson (1), Riddles (1), Rite (3), Ritual (5), Roads (1), Robert Bridges (1), Robert Browning (3), Robert Burns (2), Robert Frost (1), Robert Graves (2), Robots (1), Roman Empire (3), Roman Philosophy (1), Romance (2), Romans (3), Rugby (1), Rules (1), Russia (6), Ruth Solomon (1), Sabbath (1), Saberhagen (1), Sacrament (1), Sacrifice (1), Sadness (2), Safety (1), Saints (3), Sallust (1), Salmon (1), Salvation (1), Samuel (1), Sanctus (1), Sand-Jensen (1), Sanity (1), Satan (2), Satire (1), Saul (1), Sauternes (1), Savannah (1), Scheduling (1), Schizophrenia (2), School (5), Schools (1), Science (10), Science Fiction (5), Scotland (1), Scott Lynch (1), Search Engines (1), Seasons (3), Second World War (3), Secrecy (1), Secret Garden (1), Secrets (2), Self-Help (3), Senses (2), Serenity (3), Servanthood (2), Service (5), setti (1), Seven (1), Shadow (1), Shaggy-Dog (1), Shakespeare (8), Shelley (3), Sheri Tepper (2), Shostakovich (1), Shoulder (1), Shoutout (1), Silliness (1), Silver (1), Simmons (1), Simon and Garfunkel (2), Simplicity (3), Simulation (1), Singapore (7), Size (1), Skepticism (1), Skills (4), Skinner (1), Sleep (6), Slings (1), Small Things (2), Smiles (1), Smuggling (1), Social Sciences (9), Society (15), Socrates (1), Software (1), Songs (4), Sonnet (2), Soul (2), Sound (1), Space (1), Speech (1), Spin (1), Spirit (3), Spiritual Gifts (3), Spirituality (3), Sports (5), St David (1), St Etienne (1), St Jude (1), Staffing (1), Stalin (2), Standards (1), Star Wars (1), Stardust (2), Stasis (2), Statesmen (1), Statistics (16), Stephen Spender (1), Stoicism (1), Stories (10), Storms (1), Story (8), Strategic Planning (3), Strategic Thinking (14), Strategy (2), Strength (1), Structure (1), Stub (1), Students (16), Study (4), Stuff (1), Stupidity (1), Style (1), Subjects (3), Subversion (1), Succession (2), Suffixes (1), Suitability (1), Sun (1), Sunrise (1), Sunset (1), Supergrass (1), Superheroism (3), Superman (1), Supernatural (1), Supertramp (1), Surrender (1), Symbolism (54), Symbols (6), Symptoms (1), Synthesis (1), Tabernacle (1), Tacitus (1), Tactics (1), Tagore (2), Taleb (1), Talent Development (3), Taste (1), Taverns (1), Taxonomy (2), Tea (2), Teacher (3), Teaching (20), Tears For Fears (1), Technology (2), Ted Hughes (3), Temasek (1), Temper (1), Temperance (1), Temptation (1), Tennyson (2), Terminus (2), Tesla (1), Tessa Farmer (1), Testing (7), Thailand (1), Thanksgiving (8), Thatcher (1), Thaumaturgy (1), The Hundred (5), The Saint (1), Theology (10), Therapy (2), Things (2), Thinking (1), Thought (13), Thumboo (1), Thursday (1), Tim Powers (1), Time (22), Titans (1), Tolkien (2), Tools (2), Topalov (1), Totemism (1), Towers (1), Toys (1), Tragedy (1), Training (1), Transformation (1), Translation (1), Transmetropolitan (1), Transmission (1), Transparency (1), Travel (2), Trinity (1), Triumph (3), Trivia (2), Trucking (1), Truth (9), Tufte (1), TV (2), U2 (1), UK (1), Ulysses (1), Unambiguity (1), Unfulfilled Potential (1), Universality (1), Universe (4), University Life (10), UNSC (1), Urban Life (2), Use (1), Usefulness (1), Values (3), Vampires (1), Vanity (1), Venality (1), Vengeance (1), Vergil (1), Victorian Era (1), Violence (1), Virtue (3), Virtues (1), Vision (10), Visions (2), Visual Arts (2), Vocation (1), Voices (1), Vonnegut (1), Vowels (1), Voyages (1), Walker (3), Walking (2), Walter Moers (2), Wanderer (2), War (4), Watchmen (3), Water (2), Wealth (5), Weapons (3), Weather (1), Wedding (1), Weekdays (1), Weird (11), Welfare (1), Wenger (2), Werewolves (1), White (1), Whois (17), Wildlife (1), Wilfred Owen (2), Wine (6), Wisdom (9), Wizardry (2), Wolfberries (2), Wolfwatching (1), Wolves (2), Womanhood (2), Wonder Woman (1), Words (16), Wordsworth (1), Work (17), WotD (33), Wrath (3), Writing (7), Wyverns (4), X-Men (1), Xanthines (1), Yeats (3), Youth (6), Zamonia (1), Zechariah (1), Zerubbabel (1), Zodiac (2), Zoology (1)

Bloggery

Over the last five years or so, a lot of people have come up to me and in one way or another asked, "So, how many blogs do you have?" The 'clever' answer is of course, "As many as I need."

But to be quite honest with those people who can't be bothered to actually take a look, I am the sole owner of very few real blogs. The one you're reading is the main one, while Bookbinding is my capsule book review blog which covers all the light fiction I've read (and some non-fiction). By now everyone ought to know about Two Ravens, my experiment in literary 'bloggery' which isn't really a blog; there's a sequel which is linked to it but incomplete because I realised that Two Ravens didn't need a sequel.

All these links are in the sidebar of this blog anyway. It doesn't take much effort to go take a look! However, some people do think I have written other stuff. And that is of course very true; you can find my now temporarily defunct Chemistry resources blog, Elemental, still out there somewhere. There's useful stuff in it, but I don't update it anymore.

There are also several poetry resources out there with one of my names on each of them. If you like poetry, go look around. My various digital incarnations go back to 1988 or so, but the older ones are very hard to track down.

Lastly, there are blogs shared with others; however, since they are professionals with busy lives and value their privacy, I'm not listing them here. A suspicious number of these are lawyers; it's good to have respected lawyers on your side, in this age of dubious information transfers.

Millennial Angst

"If the stars should appear one night in a thousand years, how would men believe and adore and preserve for many generations the remembrance of the city of God!"

This quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson was the seed of Isaac Asimov's 1941 short story, Nightfall. That amazing (well, Astounding, really) short story draws upon a rich tradition of millennial literature; humans do unfortunately seem to have an untidy and uncanny knack of falling into confusion every thousand years or so. It is a far cry from Emerson's divine and theocentric vision.

There is an uncertainty that comes with changing certain numbers. With the change of centuries, you change a digit in the 100s position; it is not inconceivable that a person might actually manage to live through two of those, say from 1795 to 1902. But it is completely beyond human experience to live through two changes in the 1000s position; even the biblical Methuselah lived only 969 years.

A similar phenomenon reaches out to me from the back of beyond in this blog. We have lived through a thousand posts; what can we do now? What should we do now? Should things change? Should this blog become more focussed or diversify further? It is all a mystery to me; it is like growing up all over again in a developmental sense – we have learnt much and yet we have fallen into some bad habits, we have become more fluent and yet perhaps too facile.

And so, for the rest of today, I shall think about what to do next.

Geographical Node

I am a little node in the system of the world. And it is wonderful to see where the traffic comes from, that stops at my little port for a brief stopover averaging a minute or so. I got curious and had a quick look; here is the list of origins (in alphabetical order) that my readers come from:

Anonymous Proxy, Argentina, Asia/Pacific Region, Australia, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Canada, China, Colombia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Europe, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malawi, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Palestine, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Romania, Russian Federation, Satellite Provider, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Unknown, Vietnam

What I'm really curious about is how they got here and why some of them return. There's someone in Oslo who visits once in a while, someone else in Imperial College (London) and someone in Toronto. My friend in Birmingham is obvious; so is the man in Sydney. But why Adelaide? And who is the dedicated Linux user with the unknown browser? The Internet is a lot more interesting now than it was 20 years ago...

900

This is my 900th post on this blog.

Fortified by the excrescence of the bean, I have decided to press on with work and ignore the ineffectual pressures which some people have attempted to apply. I mean, if I could not be manipulated and controlled all those years, why should I be any less independent now? Actually, sitting down and thinking of the reasons for which I blog helped to clarify things a lot.

I blog because I am inherently open and information-friendly as far as sharing my thoughts and experiences goes. I do it in class; I do it with friends, colleagues, at Ministry of Education briefings, and wherever there is the chance that communication will occur. I learn from what people tell me; I hope people learn from what I say — it is always an exchange, a trade, an extension to education for all parties.

I believe that if you were to read every single one of my 900 posts, you would learn at least a few things. And if you were to tell me what you thought, in exchange, I would learn even more. That's what education is about.

What I can't stand is when some people think irrational things and act on them in a way that seriously affects other people's lives. Such action-linked irrationality is all right if it is vented in private; it is another matter when it is vented in a destructive way. It is terrible when paranoia triumphs over rigorous thinking; when human fiat triumphs over fair discussion.

As always, I continue to challenge myself with my mission statement. I trust that my readers will bear with me as I continue my blogospheric journey across the face of man's limited knowledge and through the universe of God. Thank you!

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Oh yes, those of you from the First, could you please have a look at this and answer it? Much obliged! Could you also tell your classmates about it? Help a suffering PhD candidate out...

Amusements

I am so amused. I think it is a testament to the eclectic nature of my upbringing and education that this humble blog has been a top search result for a whole bunch of almost totally unconnected topics. To whit:

• 20 Apr, Sun, 18:34:53 Google: Trebuchet findings
  
• 20 Apr, Sun, 21:12:13 Yahoo: three ladies
  
• 21 Apr, Mon, 12:09:22 Google: **Principles of negotiation**
  
• 21 Apr, Mon, 21:49:04 Google: economics-dismal science
  
• 21 Apr, Mon, 21:52:09 Google: cold iron rudyard kipling
  
• 22 Apr, Tue, 02:02:02 Google: Prometheus and Icarus Paradise Lost
  
• 22 Apr, Tue, 03:14:45 Google: strange meeting owen and shelley
  
• 22 Apr, Tue, 04:12:11 Google: strange meeting link shelley
  
• 22 Apr, Tue, 06:33:13 Google: Four Emus Shiraz 2004
  
• 22 Apr, Tue, 06:56:59 Google: "portable curmudgeon"
  
• 22 Apr, Tue, 07:30:19 Google: fifty six laws of good teaching
  
• 22 Apr, Tue, 10:03:37 Google: "Richardson's Rules"

No kidding.

Writings

For those of you who are wondering, I'm happily busy digging into the wonderful ethnographic world of education. As with many areas of the humanities and social sciences, the data obtained are subject to a wide range of interpretations. The trick is to try to see what really is there (a construct which is very elusive) and what is not (which is sometimes easier). The problem is when there are contested or contestable interpretations.

Actually, the contesting of interpretations or narratives is a good problem. It tends to allow for clarification of definitions, positions, and theories. The outcome may be polarised (for example, two diametrically opposed camps) or it may be reduced to some sort of compromise or consensus. All of these things can be dealt with in reasonable manner, although the debate may get heated at times.

The more serious problem occurs when the interpretation of data or a constructed narrative is not openly engaged. Suppose I say, "State A began life with more privileges than State B and that is the cause of A's later success." If we can define privilege satisfactorily and build a case, we can engage in a debate on the side that agrees or the side that disagrees with that statement. However, if we do not attempt this engagement, State B may feel victimised (or rarely, State A may feel its accomplishments are underestimated). These feelings may lead to bad blood.

It is the responsibility of the researcher to hedge some kinds of declarations with some form of reader guidance. For example, if something is said to be a metaphor, it can be assumed that the reader should know that metaphors are imperfect and should not have more read into them than necessary. On the other hand, the researcher can explain the metaphor and where it fails. The problem, of course, is that the strength of a metaphor is greater than mere explication; likewise, its weaknesses can be assumed but are not so easy to determine. After all, it is a metaphor and not an explicit statement of fact.

Even after a researcher has spent (for example) decades of researching the same environment and taking down notes on everything that was said and done, the fact remains that there will still be lacunae, gaps in understanding and knowledge. The honest researcher will state what these lacunae are and why they exist, wherever possible.

Similarly, in this blog, you will find things that are clearly stories, narratives, fragments of poetry, songs. There are tags, keywords, and conventions of usage that will allow the reader to understand whether something is meant to be taken literally, whether it is some undirected rambling through the corridors of my mind, or whatever. I have feelings in response to what I hear, what I read, what people tell me. Sometimes, I write about those feelings.

It is somewhat disingenuous to assume that I write for publicity. I am quite certain that on average, a handful of people read this, and even fewer are driven to interact (link, comment etc) with this blog (although of late that number seems to have risen). People who go to Google looking for odd snatches of poetry tend to end up here, people who wonder what odd Latin phrases mean end up here. I write here because over the years, the paradigm of handwritten journals has been replaced to a large extent by the paradigm of self-published text. The thing is that the former has extremely small circulation while the latter has potentially unlimited circulation. This can be a dangerous thing.

Particularly dangerous is the fact that I cannot reply to responses which are false but which I do not know about. For example, in January, I wrote this piece on an old Latin saying. I think I was looking at something that happened on CNN, but I cannot remember what it was. But I can imagine someone reading this and saying, "Huh, this must be about XYZ, what an evil thing to write about XYZ."

Then again, there are also the problems of parallelism. I am occasionally exercised by the parallels I see between some of the excesses of the present US administration and some of the behaviours of the former Soviet Union. This is because I see the US as continuing to be a big player in the world where I live, and it can't be good (in principle) for certain things to happen. So people ask me, "Why do you bother what Senator McCain or President Bush say or do? Why do you blog about them?" Well, I do have a distant concern; these men's deeds can affect my life, my work, my finances. I am more concerned with what the US President says about monitoring information than I am about most other people.

But what if some other people think I am referring to them when I refer to a parallel case? I have no good answer for that. Literature shows us that certain symbols, tropes, patterns work themselves out across eras and across lands. Sometimes, it is tempting even to me to draw parallels or leave them to be drawn. It is a temptation to be resisted. Quite often, at a certain point, the parallelism, analogy or metaphor breaks down. Then it is obvious that the relationship is false. Sometimes, it is harder to see if this is true or not.

I think that there is some recourse to truth in the blogosphere. You can see it on any major newsblog. Any user can reply with a comment. Only certain kinds of abusive and/or obscene comments are deleted. The rest are given face time. The writer can respond in particular or in general. The writer can correct his post. This is how a civilised community behaves. Let me put it more bluntly. If in any of my posts I have made factual errors or unjustly maligned specific persons, I will take down that post and issue an apology. In public. On this blog.

Justified Ends

I first began this blog in 2004, which was the first year of the Programme. The many of you who have visited here know which programme that is. It began as a logical extension of my long life in the infosphere, perhaps what I would call a blogobubble, an evanescent excursion via weblog. It is not ending. In fact, despite heavy pressure, the bubble has not deflated; rather it has taken on the qualities of a resilient and refractive sphere of its own.

It is not large, nor popular. It is a heavy day when more than 100 people drop by. Few leave comments, and some say that blogs should not be written in such formal (and occasionally, opaque) style.

But it has been through this blog (and various satellite blogs) that I have come to know some of you a lot better. I now know that I have unknown friends and known friends in California, Finland, Australia, Virginia, Poland, Denmark, and many such in the UK. I have viewed at least 35,000 blogs; and I have come across examples of writing that I can only think of with mordant admiration, so beautiful they are. Some of you have written prose that is so understandable, so clear and personal and brave and powerful, that I weep with frustration at my own lack of ability.

And that frustration is genuine. Some of you have kindly pointed out that I have no complete lack of talent, and that in some ways I am indeed rather good. It seems to me that the better I am, the more acutely I am able to appreciate how much more talent others have. What these older eyes see is that the talent in your words is someday going to be refined further by blood and fire, grief and joy, and raised to even higher levels.

But will the blogosphere be the only space in which our paths will cross again? I admit that this question nags at me. It is a variant of the infamous 'empty nest' syndrome, wherein one feels morbidly dissatisfied with life when the focus of one's attention and time has left the vicinity. I know it will not last, but I would hate to lose the friendships and fellow-sufferings that the First and I have experienced together.

Do keep in touch. May our blogobubbles occasionally share an interface, a rare reminiscence, a distant reflection. And as Eliot said:

There will be time, there will be time
To prepare a face to meet the faces that you meet;
There will be time to murder and create,
And time for all the works and days of hands
That lift and drop a question on your plate;
Time for you and time for me,
And time yet for a hundred indecisions,
And for a hundred visions and revisions,
Before the taking of a toast and tea.

And now off to finish touching up the testimonials.

MiniWhois

I realise that I inadvertently launched a mini-Whois challenge, according to a couple of anonymous voices. I tagged five people in this post, of which three have already responded. Some of the more junior observers were wondering who these people are.

Well, search the blogosphere for responses to the memetic tagging and you will find them. You would thus have some findings to call your own...

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Note: Actually, I'm happy that those who have responded acknowledged their tags. It shows that they more-or-less accept those tags as identifiers.

User Feedback

This is insane, and yet oddly appealing, as a problem of sorts. I've had this blog up for a few years now; I never ever thought of migrating countless Usenet posts, BBS posts from before that, or anything else into this blog. I'm not about to start now. But I was thinking of adding tags/labels to some of the older posts. And then I realised the magnitude of the task. I append a list of labels below (I don't normally use the sidebar widget for this, but I'll think of doing it some day) to prove to you that I am a terrible post-tag writer.

But before I do that, let me ask those of you who honour me by reading this blog a few questions:

1. What is it about the content that invites you here?
2. What is it about the writing that invites you here?
3. What kind of posts do you tend to spend more time on?
4. And how would you describe this blog?
5. It's a blog that's supposed to be about "inspired mysteries, mysterious inspirations"; how does it measure up?

Your feedback is (as always) most welcome and most appreciated. And here's the label list:

Acronyms (1), Actuarial Science (1), Adolescence (2), Adventure (1), Advertising (1), Aesthetics (1), Agriculture (1), Albion (1), Alchemy (3), Alcohol (1), Alexandria (1), Alfred Duggan (1), Alumni (1), America (1), Anand (1), Anchors (1), Ancient of Days (1), Angels (3), Animals (1), Annie Lennox (1), Announcements (1), Anonymity (2), Anthony Hope (1), Anthony Price (1), Apocalypse (3), Appraisal (2), Archaeology (1), Argument (1), Arsenal (2), Art (2), Astrology (1), Asymmetry (1), Attainment (1), Authority (2), Autobiography (1), Ballad (1), Baptist (1), Barry Hughart (1), Batman (2), Beatles (1), Beauty (1), Bee Gees (1), Belief (2), Benjamin Franklin (1), Bentley (1), Betrayal (1), Bible (20), Billy Joel (1), Birthday (1), Blogosphere (2), Blogs (3), Books (15), British (1), Butterfly (1), Byron (1), C W McCall (1), Calendar (3), Carl Orff (1), Carols (1), Carpets (1), Cataloguing (1), Cathedrals (1), Change (5), Chaos (1), Character (1), Charles Stross (1), Chemistry (2), Chess (3), Chesterton (2), Childhood (2), Chocolate (1), Christianity (2), Christina Rosetti (1), Christmas (4), Churchill (3), Classical Music (1), Coffee (7), Cognition (1), Comedy (1), Comics (1), Communications (1), Community (2), Competition (2), Completion (2), Complexity (1), Compromise (1), Computing (3), Conflict (1), Consequences (1), Conspiracy Theories (1), Consumption (1), Contentment (2), Context (1), Convoy (1), Cookies (1), Coughing (1), Covenant (1), Cows (1), Creativity (2), Culture (2), Curriculum Development (1), Cynicism (1), Darkness (4), Dating (1), Dawn (1), Days (1), De Niro (1), Death (4), Deception (1), Decision (2), Decline (1), Dedication (1), Despair (1), Desserts (1), Destruction (1), Disaster (2), Dispensability (1), Divination (1), Divine Will (1), Divinity (1), Dogma (1), Dorothy Dunnett (1), Drama (2), Dreams (2), Drinking Songs (1), Drugs (1), Duality (1), Dylan Thomas (4), Eagle (1), Eagles (2), Easter (2), Ecclesiastes (1), Economics (3), Education (19), Egypt (1), Elephants (1), Eliot (4), Elizabeth Bishop (1), Emotion (5), Energy (1), England (1), Entertainment (2), Environment (1), Epistemology (1), Equinox (1), Escher (1), Eternity (1), Etymology (12), Evangelism (1), Evil (1), Examinations (7), Exodus (3), Experience (1), Eye (2), Faith (3), Family (6), Fantasy (2), Fatalism (1), Fear (3), Feedback (1), Fellowship (1), Fire (1), Folklore (1), Folly (1), Food (2), Football (4), Forty (1), Fraud (1), Freakonomics (1), Freedom (4), French (1), Friendship (3), Future (1), Futurism (1), Gaiman (8), Games (3), Gatiss (1), Gene Wolfe (1), Generosity (1), Gentlemen (1), Geography (1), Globalism (1), Gnosticism (1), God (20), Goddess (1), Godfather (2), Good (1), Gordon Dickson (1), Gospels (1), Graceland (1), Grandfather (1), Graphics (1), Gratitude (1), Greater Trumps (31), Greek (3), Greek Philosophy (1), Grimwood (1), Guy Kawasaki (2), Hades (1), Haiku (2), Hamlet (1), Handel (1), Happiness (1), Harmony (1), Harrison Ford (1), Harrow (1), Heart (2), Heat (1), Heller (1), Henry V (1), Heraldry (1), Heresy (1), Hermeneutics (1), Heroism (3), Hierarchy (1), Historical Veracity (1), History (4), Hobgoblins (1), Holidays (1), Holiness (1), Hollywood (1), Holst (1), Hope (5), Hopkins (2), Housman (1), Hubris (1), Human Rights (1), Humanity (4), Humility (1), Humour (7), Hunter (2), Hydra (1), Hymnal (1), Iain Banks (1), IB (3), Idealism (1), Identity (1), Ideology (2), Illusion (2), Imagery (3), Imagination (2), Influences (1), Information (4), Information Technology (1), Insanity (1), Insects (1), Insight (1), Insomnia (1), Intellect (3), Intelligence (1), Internet (4), Interpretation (1), Invocation (1), Isaiah (3), Isidore of Seville (1), Jesus (2), JFK (1), John Dunning (1), John Wesley (1), Jokes (3), Journey (1), Joy (1), Judgement (2), Justice (1), Kasparov (1), Khonsu (1), Kim Stanley Robinson (1), Kipling (4), Knowledge (7), Labels (1), Language (3), Latin (1), Laughter (2), Law (2), Leadership (3), Learning (1), Leaving (1), Legacy (1), Legends (1), Lennon (1), Lewis Carroll (1), Libraries (1), Life (11), Light (4), Lists (1), Literature (8), Logic (3), Logos (2), Loss (2), Love (6), Loyalty (2), Lyte (1), Macbeth (1), Magrs (1), Management (2), Mannheim Steamroller (2), Market Forces (1), Marvell (1), Mathematics (1), Matthew Arnold (1), Media (1), Medicine (1), Medusa (1), Memes (2), Memory (3), Mentorship (1), Metaphor (2), Metaphors (8), Miasma (1), Michael Chabon (1), Milk (3), Milton (1), Mind (1), Mission (4), Money (2), Moses (7), Movement (1), Movies (3), Mozart (1), Mysteries (1), Myth (3), Mythology (6), Münchener Freiheit (1), Namelessness (1), Names (3), Natural Philosophy (1), Neander (1), Networking (1), Neurobiology (2), New York (3), News (1), Newton (1), Night (1), Nightmares (1), Nimzovich (1), Noah (1), Nobility (1), Nostalgia (5), Numinosity (2), O'Toole (1), Obituary (1), Operating Systems (1), Organic Chemistry (1), Paganism (2), Parables (2), Parody (1), Patriotism (1), Pattern (2), Paul Anka (1), Paul Simon (1), Peace (3), Perception (6), Periodicity (1), Perseverance (1), Personality (6), Perspective (1), Perturbation (1), Pfeiffer (1), Pharaoh (1), Philosophy (14), Phoenix (1), Physics (2), Physiology (1), Pilgrimage (1), Plato (1), Poetry (50), Politics (8), Possibility (2), Post-Modernism (1), Power (2), Prayer (1), Presentation (1), Pride (1), Principles (1), Professionalism (3), Profiling (4), Prometheus (1), Prophecy (4), Psalms (3), Psychology (4), Qualitative Research (1), Quantum Mechanics (1), Quiz (1), Rain (1), Random (1), Ravens (2), Reading (3), Reality (2), Reason (5), Reflection (12), Reindeer (1), Relationships (2), Religion (9), Remembrance (17), Renewal (2), Requiem (1), Research (2), Resignation (1), Response (1), Revelation (3), Richard II (1), Rite (1), Ritual (5), Roads (1), Robert Bridges (1), Robert Browning (2), Robert Burns (2), Robert Frost (1), Robert Graves (1), Roman Empire (2), Roman Philosophy (1), Sabbath (1), Sacrifice (1), Safety (1), Saints (2), Salvation (1), Satan (2), Scheduling (1), Science (3), Science Fiction (2), Scott Lynch (1), Seasons (1), Secrecy (1), Secret Garden (1), Servanthood (1), Service (1), Shadow (1), Shaggy-Dog (1), Shakespeare (5), Shelley (1), Sheri Tepper (1), Shostakovich (1), Simon and Garfunkel (1), Simplicity (1), Simulation (1), Singapore (4), Size (1), Social Sciences (2), Sonnet (2), Soul (1), Sound (1), Speech (1), Spirit (2), Spiritual Gifts (1), Spirituality (2), Standards (1), Stardust (2), Stasis (1), Statesmen (1), Statistics (2), Stories (3), Storms (1), Strategic Thinking (1), Strength (1), Students (3), Study (2), Subversion (1), Sunrise (1), Sunset (1), Supergrass (1), Superheroism (3), Superman (1), Supernatural (1), Surrender (1), Symbolism (45), Symptoms (1), Synthesis (1), Tabernacle (1), Tagore (2), Talent Development (1), Taverns (1), Taxonomy (1), Tea (2), Teaching (1), Technology (1), Ted Hughes (1), Temasek (1), Tennyson (1), Terminus (1), Tessa Farmer (1), Testing (4), Thanksgiving (2), Thatcher (1), Thaumaturgy (1), Theology (4), Thought (6), Thumboo (1), Thursday (1), Tim Powers (1), Time (7), Titans (1), Tolkien (2), Totemism (1), Transformation (1), Translation (1), Transmission (1), Transparency (1), Trinity (1), Triumph (1), Trivia (1), Trucking (1), Truth (3), Tufte (1), UK (1), Ulysses (1), Unambiguity (1), Unfulfilled Potential (1), Universe (1), University Life (1), UNSC (1), Victorian Era (1), Violence (1), Virtue (1), Virtues (1), Vision (5), Visual Arts (1), Voices (1), Vonnegut (1), Walker (1), Walter Moers (2), Wanderer (2), War (1), Weapons (1), White (1), Wilfred Owen (1), Wine (1), Wisdom (5), Wizardry (2), Womanhood (1), Wonder Woman (1), Words (1), Work (4), WotD (6), Writing (1), X-Men (1), Yeats (1), Youth (2), Zamonia (1), Zechariah (1), Zerubbabel (1), Zodiac (1), Zoology (1)

Edit: made it more manageable for people who hate scrolling...

50: Previews

It dawned on me a few moments ago that I've been writing previews of 50, the moment in your life when you say, "Half-century!" and immediately wonder why you thought, "Gold!" A lot of the angst-ridden moments in this blog are '50 Previews'. I would probably have looked at 52 as well, except that DC Comics had already got there.

But within a couple of months, this particular blog will probably have reached its 500th post. It would have got there much sooner, except that there were intermittent disruptions along the route. When I first started blogging, it was an odd experience. The blogosphere was tiny and we didn't know it was called blogging. That was a long time ago. Then I started this one. I was amazed to find how different the experience of the 21st century was compared to the 20th. And a lot of people are uncomfortable with it. Hence, intermittent disruptions.

I've decided, however, to reveal a small secret. I've been keeping very detailed observations about the microcosm in which I operate. That's in keeping with my background as a qualitative researcher. But I think that it would be appropriate for me to (in my usual shadowy way) give 50 little pen-sketches of the bloggers and other personalities of this microcosm who have made these last few years so memorable. It should be a great 500th post. Heh.

And I promise to try not to persecute those who have already suffered from my observations thus far.

Behind The Curve

Argh. How could I not have known about this blog?

It's full of the most interesting bits and bytes I've seen since Guy Kawasaki and Levitt/Dubner. See for example this exposé. But the best bit of all (for now, anyway) is this gem. Eat your heart out, Sun Tzu. And lastly, it linked me to this most entertaining blog.

Sigh. The blogosphere can be a beautiful place. Or maybe not.