physics 101

*for simplicity's sake, we'll talk just of sound waves in air.
the speed at which sound propagates is influenced directly by both a) the density of the medium through which it travels & b) the factors affecting the medium (such as humidity, altitude & temperature). while sound speed in air is determined by the air itself... it is not dependent upon the sound's amplitude, frequency or wavelength to calculate the speed of sound in dry air at sea level (normal atmospheric pressure).... so we approximate by the following equation:
v = 331.4 + 0.6tc
v = velocity (m/s); tc = temperature in celsius

still with me?

at normal atmospheric pressure and a temperature of 20° celsius, a sound wave will travel at approximately 343 m/s (equal to about 750 miles per hour). by comparison..... the speed of light (in a vacuum) is *299,792,458 meters per second (186,000 miles per second). for anyone who doesn't want to do the math.. that's about 870,000 times faster than the speed of sound in our equation.

now..... my point is simply this:
*this difference between the speed of sound & the speed of light is why sometimes, some people appear brilliant... until you hear them speak.*

amorphous friendship

*links will open in a new window*

Recently, my friend Massimo spent hours at St. Paul’s Cathedral, taking fotos for my [upcoming] article on the “Anthropological Synthesis of Intellect, Spirituality and Engineering in English Baroque Architecture”. Yeh, boring for most, I know, but it’s a passion. What can I do? *ahhahhahh*

I perused through his ingenious shots of Wren's 4th rendition… the towers inspired by those of [my favourite Baroque architect] Francesco Borromini's Sant'Agnese in Agone (Roma, 1652-1657)… the disposition of the two elevated tiers of massive Corinthian columns that indeed established Wren as a veritable Baroque rather than Renaissance man… the lower-story’s head windows with their aesthetically awe-inspiring scrolled keystones and cherub/garland adornments. Simply magnificent.

But all of it started me thinking. I imagined him standing in the bitter London wind, snapping shots from every perceivable angle, refusing to let me pay him for his work… and I realized that I’ve completely forgotten how to be a friend. I’ve been slipping into the precipice of “academic humanitarianism”, where we all contemplate and debate our book-knowledge; imagining ourselves as broadening our discernment, our tolerance… our sympathies. The miserable truth is simply that I have a list of phone calls I’m weeks behind on returning, letters I’ve yet to write, friends I desperately want to catch up with. My life has gotten in the way of my life.

The Chinese philosopher Deng Ming-Dao said, “Those truly linked don't need correspondence. When they meet again after many years apart, their friendship is as true as ever.” It’s an interesting phenomenon: conceivably, a precept that justifies our determination [sociologically speaking] to focus on people so ambiguous to our daily routine that we become impassive to those which are not. No one disputes the importance of the United States’s mystifying military actions in Afghanistan… the disgraceful lack of U.N. protection in Dungu… the release of Ayman Nour, ad naseum. And perhaps Ming-Dao’s words do hold a certain legitimacy, but they don’t account for the lack of encouragement, edification, and devotion we can offer our “nearest and dearest”…and all too often don’t. As our authority/ability to hold societies together moderates and ultimately ceases, it’s inevitable to focus through fear on the global picture, but some days maybe we should just stay closer to home…

N.B., Thank you for the fotos Massi; your friendship overwhelms me.

chaucer aside~

i appreciate the literary contributions of chaucer as much as the next, but i have to wonder why we really buy into this rubbish. san valentino was a martyr that defied marco aurelio valerio claudio by performing marriage ceremonies in secret (for soldiers). he was then beaten to near death and finally beheaded at roma, c.269 (or so goes the 1st theory of valentine's).

romantic, eh?

thanks to chaucer's imagination, rather than educate ourselves to the anarchy and utter disregard for civic duty that propagated the "holiday" (just ask someone to explain the history ~ 99% can't).... instead we send over a billion greeting cards, rip roses out of the ground, and inadvertently support the horrifying methods through which diamonds are obtained (n.b., an industry that has taken the lives of 3.7 mil as of 2007).

and for what? so the male population can make up for the lack of romance and appreciation they carry the other 364 days? so girls can compare stories at the office and see who feels more "loved"? here are some ideas. boys ~ how about love and cherish her every day? girls ~ focus on what's important. this way, when valentine's day comes around you will both be comfortable enough in your own skin to just wish each other "happy valentine".

just an idea.

buon san valentino

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