Blogs

It Don't Seem A Day Too Long!

It seems unutterably silly that it has been 10 years since this little book first saw the light of day, originally as a consequence of a Daily Mail 'Print Your Own Book' offer. Since then it has been self-published locally and, with the advent of e-publishing, let loose upon a wider world. It seems even sillier that over 6,000 people have read about my attempts at growing up in Burton upon Trent in the 1950s and 1960s. I suspect that the...

Fifth Lesson: Grains of Space

Twentieth-century physics has given us two lodestars: general relativity and quantum mechanics. Some of the fruits of these are the study of cosmology, astrophysics and at more microscopic level, gravitational waves and black holes. Yet the two theories cannot both be correct, because they are, in essence, contradictory. The paradox is both also work in their domains remarkably well. Einstein’s Theory of All Things was a search for that...

Fourth Lesson. Particles

Atoms are the smallest things we can see. Each atom consists of a nucleus orbited by electrons. We’re looking more closely at the nucleus here. Each nucleus consists of protons and neutrons. If we go even smaller protons and neutrons are made up of even smaller units given the name quarks by the American physicist Murray Gell-man. The force that ‘glues’ quarks together inside protons and neutrons is called gluons. In medieval philosophy an...

Happiness is a warm keyboard=I live to and love to write

The way we express our feelings… the diction, inflections, rhythm, slang and tone are unique to each one of us. We may sound like family but even then there are slight differences...We are snowflakes of individual resonance. When we write freely we can hear that voice…it is captured in the dialogue and structure of sentences. It is only when we edit to please grammatical laws or modern writing standards that we lose our distinctive voice. That...

Third Lesson: The Architecture of the Cosmos.

In response to The Daily Post's writing prompt: "Odd Trio Redux." Carlo Revelli (2015) Seven Brief Lessons on Physics, translated by Simon Carnell and Erica Segree. We’ve got a floor plan. In a reductionist world two features of space and time stand together in the battle-scarred macroscopic twentieth-century theories of Einstein. He explains how the cosmos came into being and hangs together. Contrast this with the mirrored microcosm of Bohr’s...

Second Lesson: Quanta

In response to The Daily Post's writing prompt: "Trick Questions." Carlo Revelli (2015) Seven Brief Lessons on Physics, translated by Simon Carnell and Erica Segree. If Isaac Newton is the father of physics, Albert Einstein is the mother, but he didn’t love all his children equally. Remember before Einstein, physics was spread out like a dirty nappy between subjects as diverse as Mathematics, Philosophy and the industry leader, Chemistry, in...

Carlo Revelli (2015) Seven Brief Lessons on Physics, translated by Simon Carnell and Erica Segree. First Lesson. The Most Beautiful of Theories.

First Lesson. The Most Beautiful of Theories. I just nipped out at lunchtime to get a bigger brain, but they were all out, the only thing left –on special offer- was a Simon Cowell brain. I said to the lassie behind the counter, ‘Do I look that fuckin’ stupid?’ ‘Or a two-for-one, David Cameron and… a black hole,’ she offered. I didn’t hang about, I’ve got better things to do with my time. Of course I don’t need a bigger brain. After all, quite...

Another Day

I woke up today feeling so positive and satisfied. Words and feelings were bubbling up in me, and I basked in passion. I acknowledged me. I challenged myself everyday this week except Tuesday...Ink Master was on. I lounged in just pure joy. No demands, I aint cookin, I aint cleaning, im determined to enjoy simplicity this day. I dont know when another one like it will come again. I found the escape I was looking for. I found the works of art...

Story, Poem and Inspiration Point of the Week

Two fantastic pieces today. First up is Philip Sidney's haunting trip to the past via Google Maps Street-view, which was written for our wonderful Poetry Monthly brief. If you haven't tried this feature yet, do have a go - it's producing some astounding work. Our Story of the Week is Wolfboy by well-wisher. Like all good children's stories, it works on so many levels and isn't just for children. It's the best thing I've read for quite a while...

London Reading 11/11/2015

Still a couple of slots left so if you'd like to read please let me know ASAP! Following on from the roaring success in Nottingham (tha nks, VeraClark) the next ABCtales R eading E vent has been organised. Here are the details: Date: Wednesday 11th November, 2015 Venue: The Wheatsheaf Address: 25, Rathbone Place, Fitzrovia, London, W1T 1JB Time: 18:30 for a 19:00 start Nearest tube: Tottenham Court Road Link to the venue: The Wheatsheaf, 25...

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