SEPTEMBER 23, 1999 — Archaeologists in China have found what is believed to be the oldest still-playable musical instrument: a 19,000-year-old flute carved from the wing bone of a crane. When scientists from the United States and China blew gently through the mottled brown instrument’s mouthpiece and fingered its holes, it fell apart irreparably. (Pictured below, 2nd from bottom)
“Yeah. That wasn’t a strong move on my part,” said Garman Harbottle, a nuclear scientist who specializes in radiocarbon dating at Brookhaven National Laboratory on New York’s Long Island. Harbottle and three Chinese archaeologists published their findings in today’s issue of the journal Nature.
Not Cookie!! . . . I’m incredulous.
Shrinking Condé Nast — NY Times
Condé Nast will close Gourmet magazine, a magazine of almost biblical status in the food world. Also being shut down are the Condé Nast magazines Cookie, Modern Bride and Elegant Bride. The moves are significant for the publisher.
A party.
Man 1. What do you do?
Man 2. I work at a café.
Man 1. But what do you really do?
Man 2. What do you mean?
Man 1. I mean, what is your thing? Are you an actor?
Man 2. No. I just work at a café.
Man 1. You mean— that’s all you do?
Man 2. Yes.
Man 1. And that’s all you want to do?
Man 2. Yes.
Man 1. Huh. [whispering to himself] Just work at a café… I see… Interesting… Just
work at a cafe. [pause] Hey everyone! Come here! You have to meet this guy. He
works at a cafe— and that’s all he wants to do.
Man 3. What do you mean?
Man 1. He says he’s happy “just working at a cafe.”
Man 3. Just working at a cafe? What else does he do?
Man 1. No, you see, that’s the thing. I asked him that already. He’s says he’s happy “just
working at a cafe.”
Woman 1. What are you guys talking about?
Man 3. This guy here, he says he works at a cafe— and that’s all he wants to do.
Woman 1. Philip, really.
Man 3. No. I’m serious.
Woman 1. Philip.
Man 3. No, really. Ask him yourself.
Woman 1. [To Man 2] Is that right? Is that all you want to do— just work at a cafe?
I spent twelve years in secret contemplation trying to breach the secrets of the Universe and all I got was this lousy t-shirt.
Today I had the most insightful conversation I’ve had in the last month, and it was with a four year old (uncle’s son). Children at this age are just old enough to know enough words to express themselves adequately, but not to become brainwashed by what passes for “common sense” and “wisdom.” They see a lot because they don’t know a lot.
He told me that numbers go on forever, but he can’t imagine ‘forever.’ And that his toy soldiers can’t imagine it either, because they’re not alive, which is why their feet have special grooves for being propped up by living people. Something to all of this. (“Only second-rate minds are afraid of the obvious.”) Research laboratories should employ young children to come up with observations and ideas.
Recent Comments