Status-Q

One of the first apps I installed on my first iPod Touch was ‘Shakespeare’, a conveniently-pocketable version of The Complete Works.

I’ve been surprised how often I refer to it, and I rather like the century-spanning blend of content and media.

But as the operating system and the application have matured and been updated, they’ve developed new and spooky abilities. I’m now getting messages from beyond the grave…

I like the fact that “Shakespeare” is in quotation marks. Even in the afterlife, perhaps, the authorship is disputed?

Another nice TED talk from Michael Shermer, which will help you understand the world, or at least, understand how you understand the world. (Watch this one first if you haven’t seen it it already).

End of an era…

Last year, the National Geographic photographer Steve McCurry was given the last roll of Kodachrome produced by Kodak. Yesterday, the last lab still developing the format took its last orders. He delivered it to them by hand.

He made good use of the roll, though.

In some ways it seems inappropriate to mourn the death of a media format – it’s happening all the time now. But this one is unusual, firstly in having lasted for 75 years, and secondly, in having so much of people’s lives bound up in it.

One day, we, or perhaps our grandchildren, may feel the same about paper.

My American readers will know the expression ‘to say uncle’ or ‘to cry uncle’, meaning to submit, admit defeat, ask for mercy.

It’s not a phrase we use over here, and I’ve often wondered about its origins.

Michael Quinion’s excellent site, which I’ve recommended before, has a plausible answer.

Useless fact of the day….

2011 is a prime number.

Only 13 prime-numbered years in the last century. Must be a good omen.

Actually, I’m rather tempted to write a spoof astrological-type book.

The Power of Primes, I’ll call it. How ancient Greek mathematical concepts can forge your destiny!

I’ll dig up lots of powerful correlations showing that prime numbers are indeed a good omen, and that non-primes are much more dodgy. There were no prime-numbered years during the two world wars, for example. The Sept 11th attacks happened in 2001, which was not a prime year, even though the surrounding 1997, 1999 and 2003 all were. Pretty sinister, eh? Yes, I think the first person to expose this hitherto-unknown law of nature could make a packet.

I shall set to work. I think 2011 will be a good year.

So will 2017, by the way…