From: cbertsch	Date: September 29th, 2005 10:52 am (UTC)		(LINK TO SPECIFIC ENTRY)

I like non-fiction too. What's that Wolfram book like? What's it about?

	From: art_thirst	Date: September 29th, 2005 08:09 pm (UTC)		(LINK TO SPECIFIC ENTRY)

It's really a science book, a theory book, describing his computer experiments and how they apply to a variety of phenomena. His computer cell automata has been applied to music composition and you can actually create some "music" and download it to your phone as a ringtone. I don't have a celphone but, I really have had fun making music! I'm a frustrated composer anyway... ;-)

http://www.miamiartexchange.com/miami_art_articles/miami_art_articles_2005/science_and_art_fun!.html

	From: _luaineach	Date: September 29th, 2005 11:34 am (UTC)		(LINK TO SPECIFIC ENTRY)

A New Kind of Science by Stephen Wolfram

How are you enjoying this? This is one of my current "go back to" books. I usually have at any one time one fiction book I am reading and two non-fiction (in different areas) that I am reading. The fiction usually gets read, for the most part, straight through in a matter of days but the non-fiction lingers with a chapter here and a chapter there, that I go back to and continue with as time (and more importantly, correct mindset) permits.

Complexity sciences are of interest to me and while I am so far finding Wolfram's book *interesting*, it mostly seems like a collection of previously done work and known conclusions, which he just applies to some fairly un-supportable conclusions. He seems to 'dismiss' (maybe not the exact word) years of study in specialized fields as a bunch of people who just 'didn't get it' (as opposed to him, who does). And while I'm finding that both amusing and refreshing (and enjoyable, the Ego in the book is delightful as far as I am concerned), I can't figure out whether I'm a) not far enough along in the book to have "gotten it" (only about a third of the way through), b) not bright enough (along with the people in the hundreds of pages of footnotes) to have gotten it, or c) there's nothing, really, new here to "get".

But, I've a long way to go in the book so I guess I'll see what I see.

	From: art_thirst	Date: September 29th, 2005 08:16 pm (UTC)		(LINK TO SPECIFIC ENTRY)

I haven't "gotten it" yet but, it does mirror my approach to my art practice in that it's very interdiscplinary. I see that it branches through many areas of my interests. I've only just started it but, I'm excited by what he's saying. Yes, much of it is like a compilation of older works but, I don't mind because it allows me to gather a number of years worth of his work in one text. I had another of his texts on cell automata but, returned it without reading any of it. If I can get only bits and pieces of something from this I'll be more than happy. It's not often a book like this would have me wanting to read it. It's certainly not Harry Potter. :-)

	From: cbertsch	Date: September 29th, 2005 01:00 pm (UTC)		(LINK TO SPECIFIC ENTRY)

I think it gets challenged for being possibly occult and definitely not Christian. When you realize that Halloween ABCs is on the list. . .

Thanks for the Satori comment. I'm really busy right now but want to respond somehow, if not in a comment. I have mixed feelings about the whole gifted thing. But it sounds like they do many things I approve of there. Having been schooled on the basketball court by brilliant boys who did terribly in school, I'm all for the multiple intelligences approach.

	From: _luaineach	Date: September 29th, 2005 01:09 pm (UTC)		(LINK TO SPECIFIC ENTRY)

I have mixed feelings about the whole gifted thing.

Without a doubt "gifted" is a loaded word, right at the get go, even before any conversations that accept "gifted children" as an okay terminology/reality and the debate about 'what to do with them.'

Be happy to talk about such things whenever; we tabled that education conversation back in the summer. I'm super busy myself for the next little while. But respond at your convenience; I'm not always a big practicer of email conversations following a real-time flow and things often sit unresponded to until I get back to them as time or mindset allows. So, I'm fine with that happening to stuff I write as well. I guess one of the best things about written correspondence is that it makes it alright for someone to talk even if not everyone has time to 'talk'. :)

	From: jakemacalister	Date: September 29th, 2005 04:14 pm (UTC)		(LINK TO SPECIFIC ENTRY)

Bridge is challenged for two reasons 1) The awaking of sexuality for the male character and 2) the non-Xian beliefs//afterlife of the female character

	From: _luaineach	Date: September 29th, 2005 07:04 pm (UTC)		(LINK TO SPECIFIC ENTRY)

Oh for goodness' sake!! I must have blocked out the awakening sexuality bit because I can't remember it being all that racey (although, for that matter, I can't remember anything specific that I'd attribute to awakening sexuality in the first place, really). And as for the second reason... it wouldn't have even been a *book* were it not for her beliefs (or lack thereof). The fact that they had no television, etc. etc. was what made the friendship such an unlikely one in the first place. Ah, but I suppose it was because he *did* befriend her, instead of casting her off, and carried on that heathenish wild and unruly *imagination* thing with his little sister once she has passed on.

Brother. Thanks SO MUCH for the info. I've yet to get back to that site today. I dunno if you've ever read the book, but I cannot express how startled I was to see it on the list.

	From: jakemacalister	Date: September 30th, 2005 08:58 am (UTC)		(LINK TO SPECIFIC ENTRY)

I have read, loved, and taught the book. I taught it remedial (terrible word) students from a Xian school who flunked out of English. They loved it and it was so flipping short that they devoured it. It was one of the first time they really "got" that reading was about self-discovery combined some empathy. I got into a little trouble for teaching it because parents heard/knew it was banned and didn't know why. The pastor who was also the principal read it and loved the book. I also addressed those aspects and excepted them to act like 9th graders. They discussed it very well.

	From: _luaineach	Date: September 29th, 2005 07:07 pm (UTC)		(LINK TO SPECIFIC ENTRY)

I had them do assignments like think like a censor, I brought banned books from my home and had them going throught them WITHOUT reading them looking for bad words or phrases or scenes.

This is really great.