robwit.net

scrollin'

from rob | 08:40 AM | rob messages

ROB stands before the big flatscreen in the VisLab at UMD and takes a big breath before today's lunchtime lecture.

So . . .

. . . the scrolls I've been doing draw their inspiration, in part from vertical things like:

The misty centerline and sightline grandeur of Fan K'uan.
Under "Exhibitions," under "Painting" see "Travelers Among Mountains and Streams."

The fabulous handwriting of Su Shih (aka Su Tung Po).
Under "Scholar Art", look at Su Shih's "Former Ode on the Red Cliff"

The pacing and drama, in black and white, of Hsia Kuei.
Under "Exhibitions," under "Painting" see "Remote View of Hills and Streams," click to get pop-up window; scroll right-to-left

The dreamy detail and silky emergence from the fog of Ch'iu Ying.
Under "Exhibitions," under "Painting" see "Spring Morning in the Han Palace." click to get pop-up window; scroll right-to-left

In this context see my own meager El Dorado (horizontal), and Blue Company (vertical).

natural disasters and faith

from rob | 08:55 AM | rob messages

ROB pauses at the top of the exterior spiral staircase of the Swenson building, and watches the ripples on the pond below

"Allah is really angry," said a friend as we watched the fearful symmetry of Hurricane Rita consolidating and moving relentlessly --- at a jogger's pace --- toward the gulf coast.

Natural disasters will either affirm one's faith or rock it, but they won't leave it alone.

The great Lisbon Earthquake of 1755 was a key event in the history of the Enlightenment, and was called by some critics "the end of optimism." Every thinker took a side, many concluding that the event was evidence of a failure of authority ---- specifically the failture of the supreme diety's benevolence or his power.

How will our culture spin this double hit of category fives? And it's not even the gnarly part of hurricane season --- that is October.

navigation without sacajawea

from rob | 11:21 AM | rob messages

ROB huffs and puffs his way up four flights of Med School stairwell.

Follow Moose and Squirrel to the new Swenson Sci . . . I mean . . . follow Moose and Buffalo to the new Swenson Science Building!

When you sight these fine beasts, you are almost at the narrow skybridge, and your journey (to my classroom in the fab new lab) is near its end.

"Navigation" is such a frequently-used metaphor in web design. But, as I tell my students . . . at some point we must remember that we're just sitting here in front of a screen . . . we're not "going" anywhere . . . the vast copy machine of the wwweb is simply sending us copies.

So when we find ourselves with true navigation tribulations it is instructive.

Our classes meets in the new Swenson Science building. Where is the new Swenson Science building anyway? I can see it when I drive by . . . but how the heck do you get there?