We have designed our civilization based on science and technology and at the same time arranged things so that almost no one understands anything at all about science and technology. This is a clear prescription for disaster. — Carl Sagan, Interview with Anne Kalosh, 1995
About the Author
Danny Fekete is studying education at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, appropriately.
His interests include Open Education, metrical poetry, science (philosophy, history, and methodology of), amateur astronomy and astrophysics, solitary rambles, language and composition, democratic citizenship, concert music, pens, tea, and the colour brown.
Posted by Danny on Sunday, November 28, 2010 at 9:37 pm
Especially for accomplished photographers who have the skill, patience, and nerve to capture mind-blowing images of nature, it’s a shame that Photoshop has ruined Truth. Even if their motivation is internal and they’re not especially interested in riches and fame, it must be a little deflating to consider that a recent triumph needs to weather a gauntlet of cynicism (let alone scepticism) before it might even be enjoyed by other people.
Posted by Danny on Friday, November 26, 2010 at 3:27 pm
There’s an increasingly rare type of fountain pen ink that was discontinued in 2001 called Parker Penman. The problem seems to have been that the ink was unusually saturated and included a suspension of metallic particles, achieving vibrant colours and fun reflective effects (as Diamine Majestic Blue is known to, today) but also clogging the pens used with a greater frequency than Parker wanted to be liable for. Naturally, these inks have become sought after for their now unique properties and historic cache by aficionados who are prepared to maintain their pens more fastidiously, so the price and mythos of the ink have grown. Penman sapphire is the most expensive ink I know of, selling often for more than $50 a bottle (current in-production inks tend to peak at $30 and most can be had for less than $12); Penman Ruby and Penman Emerald follow closely behind. Gemstone names are fairly common in inks and there are huge differences between the “ruby” of one brand and another. However, because of the enduring allure of the Penman inks, new inks that share their names are often decried for being the “wrong” colour—“that’s not sapphire, it’s too light, etc.”
What’s the best way to resolve disputes around emotionally-charged, contending aesthetics and nostalgia-induced disappointment? Science. The tremendous success of the Periodic Table of Videos (direct link here, or go here to read my ancient post) has encouraged further chemistry-based videos with the ever-beloved Dr. Martyn Poliakoff, including a recent one on the chemistry of gemstones. If you’re interested, you’ll get to learn about diamonds, sapphires, and rubies; more importantly, you’ll see Martyn’s wedding photos.
Posted by Danny on Monday, November 22, 2010 at 12:54 pm
A whole bunch of Evenings for Brainses ago our conversation turned to the decline of funding for orchestras and the loss of public interest and understanding in concert music generally. I remember I was advancing (in part on behalf of Satan) that the end orchestras would not be synonymous with the end of culture or even with the end of sophisticated music—that, though tragic especially for the last few, lonely members of a moribund species, species do go extinct; languages do go extinct; crafts do go extinct, and life continues impoverished in that sense but certainly able to develop new species, languages, crafts, etc. For music specifically, there are neat, crowd-sourced newcomer-species like Eric Whitacre’s Virtual Choir, arriving with the growth of access to the Internet and to creation tools; the musical language in which one needed to be fluent to understand the ideas of complex concert music is changing, like any other living language (if also simplifying); multi-track digital audio workstation software, sophisticated digital signal processing, and especially physical modeling synthesis, challenge the definition of “musician” and the nature of the craft. Rah, rah, rah. At the time, even though I was exploring the above position in earnest, I was pontificating far outside of my aesthetic: I abhor extinction because I like information; not—and this is a much better reason—because diversity of species, of ideas, and of skills makes for a more resilient system in which to live.[1] It doesn’t really matter, though, since at the time, I didn’t go to concerts or speak Concert Music; my positions were tediously academic.
Joel returned to Toronto from his work in Mongolia this summer and Gid and I became housemates in October, so I’ve had a sudden influx of concert music in my life. Among other things, this has meant three (so far) trips to Roy Thompson Hall to see the Toronto Symphony Orchestra in the last two months, after a drought that probably goes back to Grade Nine. I’ve noticed some things I want to tell you about.
Danny Fekete is studying education at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, appropriately. 
