April’s ‘What You Will’ Salon
Wherein you may give free rein to your conversation, without predetermined themes or topics.
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Bibliophile
on 27th April 1851 at 3:14 PMIf people in the future invent time machines, surely they would take the care to learn past languages? In any case, they certainly could if they wanted to.
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Phoebe Needham
on 23rd April 1851 at 6:04 PMI certainly hope so, Professor Kuntz.
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Professor Kuntz
on 23rd April 1851 at 12:39 PMTo the contrary, I am confident that, thanks to progress in scholarship and science, ancient languages and scripts will be better known in the future than they are today.
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He Who Enjoys Reading The Muses' Magazine
on 22nd April 1851 at 4:01 PMAnd, indeed, how should the people of the future even know of the language of Ur? For in a hundred years’ time, they may have forgotten much of the old tongues. Let us hope that Bibliophile’s interpretation, in that regard, is correct.
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Professor Kuntz
on 21st April 1851 at 1:29 PMI should add that a young person, similarly transported into the past, almost certainly would not be moved in the way I describe. Instead, en would make friends with the ancient children, join in the jostling and the games, and by and by look for something to eat. On the whole, young people are much more practical than their elders.
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Professor Kuntz
on 21st April 1851 at 12:52 PMSometimes I like to imagine that I am a traveller from a distant country, or an inhabitant of ancient Greece or Rome or Egypt, suddenly transported into my own place and time. Whenever I grow tired of familiar sights and my daily routine, pretending that I am alien to them can help to make them fresh and novel and wondrous again.
When I consider how someone from a future era might react, I can but think how excited en would be. Imagine seeing landscapes and people that nobody living could any longer remember! And finding out things about the past, even minute, trivial details, that in one’s own time had long been effaced and forgotten!
Indeed, the smallest details might well be the most emotionally affecting. If I were suddenly to find myself in ancient Athens or Persepolis or Galilee, and were to see long-dead children behaving like typical children of my own time — laughing and jostling one another, or playing with a hoop or ball — that simple reminder of both human timelessness and human mortality might very well make me burst into tears.
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The Sixth Largest Moon Of Saturn
on 21st April 1851 at 8:48 AMIn Response to the Remark of Bibliophile
I believe that your interpretation of the remark left by “21st century dawg” has many ideas in the correct direction, though it is still difficult to understand.
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Bibliophile
on 19th April 1851 at 3:20 PMI expect it won’t be helped by the people who used words that are archaic even now, as An Admirer of Fantastical Tales
pointed out, such as ‘hath.’ Although, come to think of it, perhaps 21-century dawg is (Will be?) an archaeologist like the ones I mentioned in my previous comment, and ens remark is asking a question about our way of life! One would think, of course, that if en could comprehend our language, en would also be able to write in it fluently, but perhaps en simply cannot be bothered to think of the words enself. I feel like attempting to determine what ens meaning might be in that situation, or perhaps in another if Saturnian Moon is incorrect. I think that he is probably on the right track, but it doesn’t make much sense, so there may yet be room for further investigation. Here is my interpretation.
You men, this sun*… ‘Tis** falling backward as through time like it’s tripping! [Horse neighs.] What if you rue even saying*** with Ur’s old words?
*Perhaps en isn’t sure how we measure time and thinks we call days or years ‘suns?’ Well, we don’t. Then again, maybe Saturnian Moon is correct and it is a corruption of site, as in a place with many ancient artifacts. Either way, it means about the same.
**It would make sense for en to think that we still said “’tis,” I suppose, since a few of you seem to enjoy usng old-fashioned words.
***It seems likely that the words ‘saying’ and ‘speaking’ might have become interchangeable by his time.
…Oh, my! This seems, indeed, there is a problem related be time travel, but my interpretatione seems more like a warning than a plea for help. Perhaps, sometime this year, we will forget our language and resort to speaking whatever was spoken in Ur? Or might the language of Ur change to ours? This is all most worrying. If so, what do you think we should do about it? I can think of no satisfactory method of preparation; it is a pity indeed that he could not have brought something with him. Perhaps we should, for the sake of being informed, think up every possible translation that we can, analyze, speculate, and prepare as much as possible for all possibilities? Or do you think we are all merely jumping to conclusions with these ideas? Perhaps it was simply the fault of the Analytical Engine after all?
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He Who Enjoys Reading The Muses' Magazine
on 18th April 1851 at 6:34 AMHow dreadful!
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Bibliopbile
on 15th April 1851 at 12:47 AMOh, no… I just realized, if the people in the twenty-first century speak as strangely as 21-century dawg, what if future generations find it equally difficult to comprehend our own comments? Not only would they not understand the date, they wouldn’t understand anything else. Well, I suppose that, by then, we shall probably be using an even more sophisticated form of technology than this marvelous Analytical Engine,, incredible though the concept may seem, so there is no need to worry. Perhaps the few remaining archaeologists who can still comprehend our then-archaic tongue would find our salons fascinating and informative. I can only hope so
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Bibliophile
on 13th April 1851 at 7:48 PMI think that memory and reading history books are just as time-machine-like, though, even if the latter can occasionally be inaccurate.
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Professor Kuntz
on 13th April 1851 at 4:06 PMWhatever the future might bring, the only “time machine” that we ourselves can count on is Informed Speculation, abetted by reason and imagination. As for me, our own Nineteenth Century is miraculous enough for a lifetime of wonder.
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Bibliophile
on 13th April 1851 at 2:32 PMI did not mean that future Museionites would be unable to comprehend your explanation, only that they might not see it, as so many future salons are bound to be created that there may come a time when no-one reads this one any more.
On the other hand, it is not known that the inventor of the time machine will be more intelligent than we are, nor is it certain that en even lived in the 21st century. As for the first point, Isaac Newton once said, “If I have seen a little further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants.” It stands to reason that, if he had lived earlier, the discoveries he made would be different ones, and had he lived later, he would have discovered things that we may not have even heard of. The fact that there will be progress in the future does not mean that the people will be more intelligent. Also, who’s to say that the time machine was invented in the twenty-first century? It could have been the twentieth.
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He Who Enjoys Reading The Muses' Magazine
on 13th April 1851 at 8:26 AMYes, indeed. However, what of 21st Century Dawg? Unless I am very much mistaken, his slang does not seem to be befitting of an intelligent individual. If all that has changed over time is the spelling of words, then we must of course forgive him of this. The word(?) hah@haha, though, seems to be a very odd thing for an educated person to say.
Nonetheless, it does appear that some great inventor in the 21st century has been able to create time travel, so at least one man is more resourceful than us.
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Professor Kuntz
on 13th April 1851 at 5:27 AMI think we can safely assume that future generations will be at least as intelligent as we are.
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Bibliophile
on 12th April 1851 at 9:46 PMShould that not then be noted? There is nothing to imply that it is not the current date, and surely if we can change the projections of light in this way to create our comments, the same could be done in some manner at the top of the Museion? Or do you deem your explanation sufficient? It is quite satisfactory for us, of course, but I imagine that future generations might be confused. Then again, by that time, it will be obvious that it is not the present date, so perhaps there will be no confusion after all. Still, it never hurts to be prepared…
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Professor Kuntz
on 12th April 1851 at 7:56 AMPerhaps it is like the construction date carved into the cornerstone of a building.
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An Admirer of Fantastical Tales
on 11th April 1851 at 12:31 PMUpon entering the Museion today I noticed though it has been a goo ten days since the grand opening the date at the upper-left-hand corner of my kintropic projector has not changed. Perhaps the gear responsible for changing the date has slipped its track.
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A Collection of Lessons in the Art of Randomness
on 9th April 1851 at 6:23 PMMuseionites seems rather apropriate, and the word has a nice feel to it. A wonderful term, Professor.
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Professor Kuntz
on 8th April 1851 at 8:42 AMThe previous comment reminds me that we have not yet established a name meaning “inhabitants of the Museion”. Musers, of course, are readers of The Muses’ Magazine, but what of those who are taking part in this noble experiment?
I suggest Museionites and will so amend the Lexicon, unless strenuous objections arise from some quarter.
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The Darkness of Paradoxical Light
on 7th April 1851 at 2:58 PMGreetings, honorable inhabitants of the Museion. I hope I may reside here and offer my humble insight on a few conundrums.
In my opinion, wtf could mean, “warbled the falcon,” “work through fire,” “weigh the food,” “wonderful teeth flumes,” or “weather tomorrow forecast.” However, none appear to agree with the sentence.
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A bookish young lady
on 7th April 1851 at 2:22 PMPerhaps “dawg” is an abbreviation as well, though I am am unable to ascertain its meaning. Or, though I fear it may seem rude, it could be a typographical error- the name “21th century dawn” seems much more plausible to me.
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Professor Kuntz
on 5th April 1851 at 4:58 PMSome mysteries, I fear, must remain unresolved.
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The Sixth Largest Moon Of Saturn
on 5th April 1851 at 4:28 PMWhat could “wtf” stand for?
“want the flux”? “with the freedom”?
None of the 3 word abbreviations I can think of fit with the rest of the sentence.
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Bibliopbile
on 5th April 1851 at 2:10 PMI would like to point out that the French sauce is, in fact, spelled ‘roux.’ It is a rather difficult word to spell if one does not already know, but I thought I should inform you of the correct spelling for clarification purposes. ‘Ru’ is more similar to ‘Rue than ‘Roux,’ so it seems more likely to be the former…
What if wtf stands for 3 words rather than one?
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Mephitis Metiphis
on 5th April 1851 at 7:33 AMHello, all of by beloved Musion-goers. I am finding that I quite like this century. It makes me feel quite estastic, although it is quite terrible to my spelling abilities.
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The Sixth Largest Moon Of Saturn
on 4th April 1851 at 3:57 PMLady Coneyful- As for the word “dawg”, I can only guess that it is a 21st century word for “traveler” or possibly a position of power. Perhaps they were meaning to impress us with their future honorifics?
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Professor Kuntz
on 4th April 1851 at 3:50 PMEven if the mysterious writer were indeed in some sort of distress, to help en you would have to find en. As messages to the Museion come from three continents and en chose not to identify ens location, that could be much more easily said than done.
Nor would I encourage our students either to give their parents’ horses to strangers, or to steal horses for that purpose. If you are inclined to that sort of generosity, then it is just as well that the Museion can convey only messages made of light, and not tangible property.
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Phoebe Needham
on 4th April 1851 at 3:28 PMProfessor Kuntz: Indeed, I meant 1849, two years ago. Please forgive my carelessness; the mistake is my fault.
Moon of Saturn: Ah! At last I can see sense out of the strange future-language. Shall we help him out? If he needs a horse, we have plenty.
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Lady Coneyful
on 4th April 1851 at 3:13 PMWell done, Saturnian Moon. What do you make of this curious word ‘dawg’?
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The Sixth Largest Moon Of Saturn
on 4th April 1851 at 2:21 PMIn which I endeavor to translate “21st century dawg’s” Remark into a recognizable form of Modern English.
“y0 m@n this s1te iz lyk trippin hah@Haha wtf ru even sayin with ur old werdz”
(Confusing words)
Yo- Possibly a corruption of “you” or “your” Perhaps even “you’re”?m@n- The strange symbol seems to look like an “a” or an “e” or possibly a double “oo”, with one “o” inside the other.
s1te- Probably a corruption of “site” as in an archeological site. But I think it is much more likely that it means “sire”, because that makes much more sense.
iz- Possibly a corruption of “is”.
lyk- This is certainly confusing. I am guessing that it is a corruption/ misspelling of “lock”
trippin- Possibly “tripping”, as in the act of falling over. However, it is much more likely to be a purely 21st century phrase. Perhaps it refers to the travel through time?
hah@Haha- This is certainly the most confusing. It may be a form of garbled onomotopeia (spelling?) for laughing, or a horse neighing.
wtf- This, as well, is confusing. A misspelling of “waif”? “whiff”? “waiters” (remember, the letter that mean “s” originally looked somewhat like an “f”, so perhaps the “21st century dawg” thought that en should use an “f” to say “s”)
ru- Most likely a misspelling of “rue”, a French soup base. It would make sense if the previous word is “waiters”. It also could be “rue” as in “rue the day he remarked upon this salon”.
sayin- Possibly a corruption of “saying”? It seems that it follows the same pattern as “trippin”. It may also be “staying”, as that makes sense in context.
ur- A recently discovered ancient city? “Or”? “us?” More French soup?
werdz- Possibly a corruption of “words”? Or perhaps it is “wards”, as in those one would find in a hospital? My personal guess is that it is borrowed from Spanish, and is a modification of “verde”
So, in conclusion, “21st century dawg’s” remark means something along these lines:
“Your moon (A formal phrase from the 21st century?), this sire is lock(ed) in traveling through time. (Horse neighing). Even waiters (possibly a job that involves traveling through time often?) rue staying with the old greenery of an ancient city”
As far as I can tell, it is a plea for help from somebody from the 21st century asking us to repair ens time machine, so that he is not whisked about throughout the temporal flux. As for the horse neighing, that is probably their prefered mechanism for powering a time machine.
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Professor Kuntz
on 3rd April 1851 at 7:50 PMGreetings, Nak! Some of us are already assembled at the Great Muse Exhibition, where you are more than welcome to join us. The mighty Analytical Engine that powers the Museion dwarfs the capabilities of domestic models.
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Nak of the Velvet Covered Chair
on 3rd April 1851 at 7:21 PMIt is such pleasure to witness not only pies afloat but also to read the greetings and whatnots of fellow Museions. I send hale and hearty greetings out to all! Say, anybody else heading over to the Crystal Palace for The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations? Sounds as if it will be quite the suspender-slapping event!
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Professor Kuntz
on 3rd April 1851 at 3:29 PMMiss Needham:
The Analytical Engine must have garbled your message. Are you referring to October of 1839 or 1849?
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Phoebe Needham
on 3rd April 1851 at 3:06 PMBibliophile and Student of Entropy: Pwt is indeed a boy. The answer to this lifelong mystery was answered in October 09, when Pwt was buried, and Cocoapelly refers to him as a “he.”
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A Collection of Lessons in the Art of Randomness
on 3rd April 1851 at 2:38 PMBibliophile, I thank you for your remark (spoken on the 2nd of April, 1851 at 7:21 PM). You surmised correctly about my previous pseudonym. I do apologize for responding so late.
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Lady Coneyful
on 3rd April 1851 at 12:22 PMHerr Professor Kuntz, I applaud your remarks above (dated April 2, at the hour of 4:33 in the afternoon), which conform in almost every particular to my own thinking upon such matters. A pity that the Analytic Machines cannot provide some convenient means of expressing one’s approbation in a tangible but abbreviated form, viz., pitching an appropriate pastry in your general direction.
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Phoebe Needham
on 3rd April 1851 at 12:05 PMOh, how disgusting. My mother has found a dead mouse in the head of one of our watering cans. I wonder if it’s been there all year.
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A Student of Entropy
on 3rd April 1851 at 11:18 AMSadly, my monthly editon of the Muse’s Magazine has not yet arrived either. I should hope it arrives soon.
I do hope the Museion retains its original popularity. It is such a pleasure to converse in such a manner.
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Element Number Thirty-Four
on 3rd April 1851 at 10:00 AMThank you, Professor! I have yet to receive the latest edition, but when I do I shall be sure to look out for this description.
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Professor Kuntz
on 3rd April 1851 at 9:48 AMWelcome, Element No. 34! You may be pleased to hear that the current edition of The Muses’ Magazine contains an interesting description of various systems for enumerating and tabulating chemical elements.
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Element Number Thirty-Four
on 3rd April 1851 at 8:10 AMGreetings, everyone! I am afraid that on the starting date of this forum, the date when it was originally intended to precipitate discussion, I was occupied with other matters, but to my greatest relief it has been decided that it will be kept available for longer, or for a more permanent duration of time, shall we say. So good day, to anyone who still remains!
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Professor Kuntz
on 2nd April 1851 at 9:40 PMThe “Collaborative Story” Salon is now ready for your contributions. The G. & P. A.s will observe this experiment with great interest.
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Bibliophile
on 2nd April 1851 at 9:12 PMStudent of Entropy, what makes you so certain that Pwt is a lady? I always imagined en as male, in which case ens attire would be quite suitable indeed.
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Bibliophile
on 2nd April 1851 at 7:21 PMCollection of Lessons in the Art of Randomness, I do love your new pseudonym and prefer it to your previous name of Randomness Class, if I am indeed corect in my surmise of your identity.
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Inky-Hued Amphibian bearing a Pattern of Lemon Spots
on 2nd April 1851 at 6:19 PMI am most glad to have discovered such a beautiful and intellectually stimulating place a this Museion. I hope to be visiting here quite often from now on.
Regarding the idea of a collaborative story, I had also had thoughts of creating such a tale. I would like to express my full support for this request, and to the idea of a salon for such a purpose.
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Professor Kuntz
on 2nd April 1851 at 5:37 PMA collaboration? Should the G. & P. A.s create a special Salon for that purpose?
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Spirt of Lady Pie
on 2nd April 1851 at 5:19 PMDoes anyone have ideas for a story that could be written?
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Professor Kuntz
on 2nd April 1851 at 4:33 PMEven if it were possible in principle, at the present time I should say we lack the tools to make the tools to make the tools needed to construct such a device. We cannot count on finding short-cuts. Instead we must diligently study what the past has left us, and greet the future as it arrives as it always has, one day a time.
Statistics suggest that most of you young people will live to see the first decade of the Twentieth Century; we, your teachers, are unlikely to survive into the last decade of the Nineteenth. Neither fate gives cause for complaint, when one considers what a marvel it is just to be alive.
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Phoebe Needham
on 2nd April 1851 at 4:04 PMIt certainly seems as though the future is quite peculiar. I wonder if, perhaps, we could find a way to build a time machine.
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A Student Of Entropy
on 2nd April 1851 at 3:53 PMM. U. A. R. M. T. R. I must say, Pwt’s attire is very interesting for a lady such as herself. It seems unfitting.
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A Student Of Entropy
on 2nd April 1851 at 3:45 PMBibliophile-KA, at your most sublime service
21 century dawg- It seems as if you may be trying to communicate in a kind of, shorthand, a shorter way of saying words. Is wtf an acronym? Some of your words are simply incomprehensible, and you must clarify, I implore you. Are you on a version of this site in the future? If so, what be your pseudonym? I shudder to envision this fine place to be degraded to such mediocrity, even seven score later.
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Mme. Kaiulani
on 2nd April 1851 at 3:44 PMI see no reason why travel through the interstellar aether might not be possible according to the laws of Newton. Some sort of action-reaction device, perhaps utilizing gunpowder…
((No “Brick Moon”, no Verne… ’tis hard living before anyone you might be able to cite as an inspiration.))
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Spirt of Lady Pie
on 2nd April 1851 at 12:12 PMAnother delightful painting, I see.
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tenebrous fire
on 2nd April 1851 at 11:34 AMPerhaps in the 21st century the language en speaks is a universal one, though to me it seems more like an alien one. Perhaps there has been some interference with the planet by the time en wrote that?
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Miss Z
on 2nd April 1851 at 10:03 AMMy, what a delightful place! The picture shown here is quite marvellous.
I confess I find myself utterly baffled by these discussions of worldwide “webs,” though I find the idea quite intriguing.
Bibliophile, you inquire of “21st century dawg” whether en is from the far distant future or is simply speaking a foreign language. Might en not be both? I find it quite likely that our descendants will not speak the same language as us, just as we speak differently from our ancestors. It would be quite a pity if that were so, as I for one find myself consumed with curiosity about the future. Perhaps, however, it is for the best.
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A Collection of Lessons in the Art of Randomness
on 2nd April 1851 at 9:06 AMI prefer this pseudonym to my previous one. However, I wish to hear the esteemed opinions of my fellow denizens of the Museion. Please, would you grace me with a reply as to which you prefer?
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An Admirer of Fantastical Tales
on 2nd April 1851 at 6:01 AMMidnight Fiddler, must everything have a practical use? Can we not explore the world for the glory of learning and wondering at such marvels as may be?
Forgive my impertinence, but I am a dreamer at heart. And at any rate, one of the benefits of sending messages through air would be speed. One would not have to wait weeks for a message to arrive over such physical barriers as the ocean, for air flows everywhere uninterrupted and unblocked. Carrier pigeons are rather inconvenient, not only because they only carry short messages, but because pigeons only fly one way–to their nests. This mono-directional flight path makes inter-reactive communication difficult, would you not agree?
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Professor Kuntz
on 2nd April 1851 at 4:44 AMOxlin:
I was thinking along similar lines with regard to Midnight Fiddler’s question. In her case, I was about to remark that we already send messages by air, via carrier-pigeon. Wireless communication, were it possible over long distances (as Professor Baker deems it not to be), would eliminate the weak link in that system, namely, the pigeon. Spiderless spider webs might offer analogous advantages.
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Sir Oxlin
on 2nd April 1851 at 12:50 AMI believe a web would certainly look lovely. How would messages travel across such a web? Would spiders be hired?
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Lady Orange of Chocolate
on 1st April 1851 at 9:00 PMAlas, for while this noble establishment began, I slumbered.
My most heartfelt congratulations to the excellent G.A.P.A.’s, for this is truly a work of art.
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Lord Pigsworth
on 1st April 1851 at 8:36 PMI daresay the newly displayed portrait of the nine Muses is, as they say, thoroughly inflammablamablous.
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Midnight Fiddler
on 1st April 1851 at 8:17 PMGood evening, friends!
I do hope everyone else has had as delightful a day as I’ve been enjoying.
I greatly admire the artwork prominently displayed at the top of this “page.”
Though I fear I don’t have the engineering expertise of some speakers here, I take pleasure in reading their speculation. I must ask why one would desire to send messages through the air however. I concede the point that it would be novel, but of what practical use would it be?
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Bibliophile
on 1st April 1851 at 8:00 PM“21st century dawg,” I do not understand you. Are you a time traveller, or merely speaking a language unbeknownst to me? If the former is the case, please inform us of the conditions of the future, but please try to use language that we can comprehend. Or perhaps it is merely the Anylitical Enginge, which I suppose is the most likely explanation, but I do not know how that could possibly happen, and it iss best to account for all possibilities, is it not?
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tenebrous fire
on 1st April 1851 at 7:59 PMThe new design is truly wonderful. I sincerely hope that it will remain for a while longer.
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Randomness Class
on 1st April 1851 at 7:58 PMOh dear! It seems as though I have unwittingly spent a marvelous day reading when I could have spent a yet MORE marvelous day in delightful conversation with the honorable denizens of the Museion! I fear there may be little time for conversation before this delightful place dissapears! Perhaps, just perhaps, would it be at all posible to keep this wonderful theme for longer than a day?
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The Rogue of Rays of Sun
on 1st April 1851 at 7:55 PMThe Hare and Hedgepig, as delightful (unfortunately, not) as I typically find it, would not be a good place for this method of conversation: many do not visit it.
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Professor Kuntz
on 1st April 1851 at 7:49 PMThe Analytical Engine appears to have garbled a recent message. We regret the inconvenience.
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Bibliophile
on 1st April 1851 at 7:39 PMI must confess that I am at a loss to determine the identity of Entropy’s Student. En seems rather familiar, but I cannot quite dedide from whence I might know en. If you have any ideas on the subject, ES, I would be quite pleased to hear them.
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Theresa Eract
on 1st April 1851 at 7:37 PMGood evening to all. It has been my privilege for the last several days to partake in a tour of several institutes of higher education, one of which I hope to be fortunate enough to attend in two years’ time. Some may have noticed my more sporadic than oft appearances at the Museion. In any event, upon my visit this evening I was intrigued to find that we have once again reached the month of April. It is strange indeed how time seems to distort in recent times.
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21st century dawg
on 1st April 1851 at 7:31 PMy0 m@n this s1te iz lyk trippin hah@Haha wtf ru even sayin with ur old werdz
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The Sixth Largest Moon Of Saturn
on 1st April 1851 at 7:13 PMIn response to Vanilla Bean Pie-
What are these “fiber optics” you speak about? Is it the study of light when transmitted through fabric?
And what are “laser beams”? Are they used for building construction, such as I-beams?
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Vanilla Bean Pie
on 1st April 1851 at 6:48 PMWelcome, Somebody by the Name of “Skunk”! Please do not hesitate to make yourself comfortable and join in our conversation. I am sure you will find the Museion to be quite charming.
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Somebody by the name of "Skunk"
on 1st April 1851 at 6:45 PMHello. I was rather shocked to find this today.
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Sir Oxlin
on 1st April 1851 at 6:43 PMI must say, this is a rather cozy location for a chat. Might I join the denizens of this lovely establishment?
I would proffer a pie but alas, I have none.
Yours in friendship,
Oxlin
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Professor Kuntz
on 1st April 1851 at 6:43 PMI confess myself baffled by this cascade of mingled sense and nonsense.
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Vanilla Bean Pie
on 1st April 1851 at 6:40 PMWe are not limited to glass and sugar. Glass may be spun into thin wires, as those used in fiber optic networks. However, we have a plethora of materials at our command: spun glass, spider silk, steel, etcetera, etcetera. Or, we could set up a system of transmitters that relay laser beams to each other.
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A Student of Entropy
on 1st April 1851 at 6:27 PMWe most definitely take up this means of communication at once when our other message areas are back in order. It is most delightful to converse in this manner. Perhaps in the Hare & Hedgepig?
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The Sixth Largest Moon Of Saturn
on 1st April 1851 at 6:25 PMIn Response To Professor Kuntz-
I believe that spun sugar would be impractical, as we would not like to have out “web” be eaten by famished mice. Glass also melts at a much higher temperature, therefore it would be much less likely to melt.
If glass is spun fine enough, it becomes almost a fiber in texture and endurance. Perhaps we could connect the intercontinental “web” (Interesting phrase that you seem to have coined, Prof. Kuntz!) by weaving the fibers. And if we proceed, as some say, on to extra-terrestial areas such as Mars, we would have to spin these fibers through the aether, making the aether a sort of “woven beyond”. There would have to be maintenace crews, fixing the web when it is torn by such beings as might live in the aether, such as enormous cephalopods. My, that is a terrifying thought- a beast, thousands of miles across, flying through the aether, tentacles flying. Unusually Sized Cephalopods of the Aether: U. S. C. A. I rather like that.
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Bibliophile
on 1st April 1851 at 6:20 PMI would very much like to third the Fiery Hemlock’s request. I consider it an excellent idea.
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The Rogue of Rays of Sun
on 1st April 1851 at 6:11 PMSaturn’s Moon, I believe that sending compressed light through thin strands does seem to be entirely impossible in any way. But, I think, isn’t that what science is for? Discovering the often-undiscovered facts? After all, I’m sure our fore-bearers would never have predicted the method we communicate in!
And as the lady of the year 1836 did request, could we – perchance – keep this manner of communication, even when our previous locales are common again? I do quite like speaking to others like a qualified and upscale lady for once; as it’s not a thing I am often given a choice to do.
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Bibliophile
on 1st April 1851 at 6:11 PMWhat if one were to create a network of cables placed every four feet, then? Such a thing would be highly impractical, of course, but it is hypothetically possible.
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Professor Kuntz
on 1st April 1851 at 6:08 PMGlass? Why not spun-sugar?
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The Sixth Largest Moon Of Saturn
on 1st April 1851 at 5:59 PMM. U. A. R. M. T. R. (My Utmost Apologies for Remarking Multiple Times in a Row.)
It has come to my attention that there discussions on the theory of the field of wired and wireless transmission. I came upon this idea while reading an old book- what if one used thin strands of glass and sent compressed light through it? It may seem outlandish, but I believe this may be possible.
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The Rogue of Rays of Sun
on 1st April 1851 at 5:58 PMI must pose a simple question, my dear comrades: I seem to have found that our often-visited escapades [to use a less noble term, our role-taking, wherein we often pretend to take up skills that we do not actually tend to have] are unfindable upon this fine day! Have they been made unavailable so that we can speak about refined subjects of conversation?
Not that I would know of such, as of course, I do happen to be a bandit. But perhaps you more noble chaps would allow me to speak as a person, not as a thief?
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The Sixth Largest Moon Of Saturn
on 1st April 1851 at 5:48 PMIf I may ask the G. & P. A. (s) a question, may we have an auxliary section of the Museion set aside for discussion of literature? I am certain that those of us who enjoy the pleasures of the Museion and T. M. M. are certainly those who would enjoy the discussion and critique of literature.
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Professor Baker
on 1st April 1851 at 5:45 PMI fear that I am somewhat skeptical regarding the possibility of wireless transferrence of messages through the aether. There has been much wild speculation in the popular press, but my own researches have shown that it may be achieved, with very indifferent results, over a distance of three or four feet, provided the air is not too humid. Assuming that this may be improved a little with further research, it might replace speaking tubes on wooden vessels (the bulkheads of ironclads will inevitably block the waves), or provide a means of communication between offices on opposite sides of a road; but that is likely to be the limit of its capablilities.
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The Fiery Hemlocke of the year 1836
on 1st April 1851 at 5:40 PMMy apologies for the double message. But the above post was the 42nd post! I am very proud of myself now.
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The Fiery Hemlocke of the year 1836
on 1st April 1851 at 5:39 PMMy issue of The Muses’ Magazine arrived today!
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An Admirer of Fantastical Tales
on 1st April 1851 at 5:31 PMI fear I have to bid the Museion an early farewell, as it is well past midnight in Jordan and I must retire for the night. I do hope I shall be able to return to-morrow.
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Mme. Kaiulani
on 1st April 1851 at 5:04 PMI perused the listing for The Muses’ Magazine and am quite impressed by the topics. (My issue has, alas, not yet arrived via post, but now, enlightened as to what is in store, I am doubly excited!)
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Professor Kuntz
on 1st April 1851 at 4:34 PMYou see? Fresh ideas, unshackled by the prejudices of That Which Has Been! That is why we need the next generation, and why we have been cultivating the best of you for the grand project of World Illumination.
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An Admirer of Fantastical Tales
on 1st April 1851 at 4:22 PMWell, I do enjoy imagining far off and wondrous places! Perhaps one day such a thing could indeed come to pass.
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Mme. Kaiulani
on 1st April 1851 at 4:20 PMPerhaps they might be sent wirelessly, through the air? In a manner such as the northern Aurora?
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Professor Kuntz
on 1st April 1851 at 4:15 PMThey must have been reading old books — nothing wrong with that.
A “blog”, you say? Interesting. It sounds somewhat similar to the Museion. Of course, what you describe would require the entire world to be linked by telegraphic connections. Such a vast skein, or perhaps “web”, of electrical cables is impractical, but it is just barely conceivable to one with a mind trained in the art of speculative imagination.
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An Admirer of Fantastical Tales
on 1st April 1851 at 4:03 PMAre we partaking of a historical theme to-day? I have noticed many of my fellows here using words such as “forsooth” and “hath” that I thought were better suited to the seventeenth century and not to the glorious nineteenth that we find ourselves in.
Profs. Baker and Kuntz–I heard that a “blog” was a queer sort of place where one writes about life and thoughts and dreams, like a diary almost, but on display for the entire world to see! The idea is quite ridiculous of course, and I believe your guesses are far more accurate than mine.
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The Fiery Hemlocke of the year 1836
on 1st April 1851 at 3:52 PMProfessors, might we be able to keep both interfaces, so that if one would rather chuse a more formal environment may reside here, and those who would keep to the familiar territory can do that as well, or would that be too difficult for the G&PAs to keep up with?
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Professor Kuntz
on 1st April 1851 at 3:44 PMThose seeking a return to more-familiar climes will be relieved to hear that directions toward that end have been added to the bottom of the Regularly Posed Queries section.
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The Gentleman for Aeiou
on 1st April 1851 at 3:43 PMVery good chaps! Why, I’ve never seen such an ingenious use of Prof. Babbage’s machine. Cross Country Communication System! CCCS, we shall call it.
Is anyone else participating in the Script writing challenge that started today? I must say that it would be much easier to do so if it there were small printing presses with some sort of button to control the blocks of type, but still I have gotten 14 pages written today only.
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The Dark Dimunitive Feline One
on 1st April 1851 at 3:40 PMAh yes, this place had almost slipped my mind! Good show.
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Lady Adeia
on 1st April 1851 at 3:23 PMI find it quite simplistic, personally. What might one find complicated? Do please enlighten me.
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The Stirring of Grades
on 1st April 1851 at 2:59 PMI must wholeheartedly disagree, Lady Adeia. It pains me to say, but I abhor this ‘theme’, as you put it. It is quite lacking in both simplicity and, dare I say it, colour. There are also a plethora of essential functions that seem to have been impaired.
-A
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Lady Adeia
on 1st April 1851 at 2:42 PMThough, I must ask, and please excuse me for making another remark out of turn, when may I return to our delightful trip in Scotland?
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Lady Adeia
on 1st April 1851 at 2:39 PMThis perhaps may be the best of the many themes that hath bestowed themselves upon these halls. I, too, request that this noble and wondrous theme stays for a while longer.
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Professor Kuntz
on 1st April 1851 at 3:37 PMProfessor Baker:
I assumed that it must have been a misprint for the word “glob” or “globe”, although I confess I could not construe much sense from the context.
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Professor Baker
on 1st April 1851 at 2:33 PMI believe the word “blog” is a regional colloquialism, or term of endearment, for the juvenile form of the famed armadillo. I may, however, be misinformed. My sources are not always reliable.
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Mme. Kaiulani
on 1st April 1851 at 2:25 PMOh my, this is quite a wondrous design indeed! They all said I was certain to see marvels at the Exhibition, but this is far more indeed than I ever anticipated!
(I daresay that I do consider this quite preferable to a few of the prior transformations I have witnessed.)
To respond to your query, Zukimika, my April Fool’s Day has been quite enjoyable up until this moment in time.
(Hmmm… as we seem to be several years before the birth of either Professor Tsiolkovsky or Herr Oberth, I do fear that perhaps I shan’t have much to talk about…)
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The Erroneous One
on 1st April 1851 at 2:02 PMOh, how delightful! Only this morning I was wishing for something of this sort.
The picture is most admirably done as well. I particularly adore the airship.
Magnolia- Why, what is this ‘main blog’ which you speak of? Is a blog a part of the inter-reactive?
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/gradster(1)/
on 1st April 1851 at 2:01 PMIndeed. Verily. Forsooth.
-A
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Vanilla Bean Pie
on 1st April 1851 at 1:55 PMA very good afternoon to everyone at the Museion. I must say, this is a delightful place to spend one’s day while ill. My compliments to the Professors for a marvelous setup.
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Princess_Magnolia
on 1st April 1851 at 1:49 PMAh. Thanks for the information.
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Bibliophile
on 1st April 1851 at 1:24 PMPrincess Magnolia, I am afraid that is impossible at present. This was stated on the Regularly Posed Queries page.
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Princess_Magnolia
on 1st April 1851 at 1:19 PMCan anybody tell me how to get back on the main blog?
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The Sixth Larges Moon Of Saturn
on 1st April 1851 at 1:13 PMOh, this looks absolutely marvelous! I wish that every day could be of this manner. Sadly, I doubt this is to be.
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Ms 'Axa'
on 1st April 1851 at 1:04 PMI do hope my pseudonym is acceptable; if the Honored Professors would prefer I used my Christian name indeed I will see to it!
I find myself currently preoccupied with educational possibilities for the next term at university…Projected schedules and timetables have been made public, and I’m quite giddy at the thought of it all!
My compliments to the Professors for this “web” page! I quite enjoy this scheme of colors.
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The Successive Flower
on 1st April 1851 at 1:03 PMI also believe this Forum today is much more magnificent than a certain other one devoted to the Monsters of the Pocket, which sports an arrangement possessing a discordant colour palette as well as certain linguistic substitutions to a mildly amusing effect.
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Professor Kuntz
on 1st April 1851 at 12:50 PMBibliophile: Lady Coneyful has indeed outdone herself this time and, one hopes, will soon appear in the Museion to collect her accolades in person.
Successive Flower: I cannot imagine to what you could possibly be referring.
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The Successive Flower
on 1st April 1851 at 12:47 PMHello, fellow Remarkers! I find this newfangled technology to be highly splendid, and much better a surprise than, say, a grim sort of schoolroom, to take an example at random.
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Bibliophile
on 1st April 1851 at 12:40 PMI would like to add that I quite adore the picture shown here.
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Zukimika
on 1st April 1851 at 12:30 PMOh, simply splendid! Brilliant idea! I agree completely; the continuation of this would be marvelous.
The gale outside is, I am afraid, driving me quite insane. No schooling today.
How hath everyone’s All Fools Day gone?
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The Aqueous Female who Sometimes Growls
on 1st April 1851 at 12:16 PMWell. This sudden change is quite invigorating. Bravo, professors, bravo.
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An Admirer of Fastastical Tales
on 1st April 1851 at 12:00 PMI humbly agree with The Fiery Hemlocke and Bibliophile on the magnificence of the Museion. I, too, would be quite overjoyed to see the Museion continue throughout April, and to the far future of 2011 as well.
(Unlikely, it may seem. But alas, I have always had a weakness for flights of fancy and dreams)
I will also confess to a certain amount of astonishment that I appear to be sending messages too quickly, for I have always felt that a measured response is better than one quickly composed. Is this time and place one for quiet contemplation of life, the universe, and everything and longer-than-fifteen second waits between messages rather than rapidash comments?
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The Fiery Hemlocke of the year 1836
on 1st April 1851 at 11:49 AMI am afraid that I am neither clairvoyant nor a time traveller, Professor, merely a young lady who has rather poor skills when it comes to numerical calculations and the like.
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Professor Kuntz
on 1st April 1851 at 11:43 AMWhat a pity! I had hoped that you might be able to tell us something about the distant future.
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Bibliophile
on 1st April 1851 at 11:42 AMI would like to second The Fiery Hemlocke’s request, which had not yet appeared when I composed my previous comment.
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The Fiery Hemlocke of the year 1836
on 1st April 1851 at 11:38 AMOh dear. I seem to have mistakenly written the date contained within my name wrongly. It has now been corrected accordingly.
((I took the date displayed at the top of the new/old blog and subtracted 15. :D))
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Bibliophile
on 1st April 1851 at 11:27 AMThis recently created method of communication is marvellous and quite fascinating. I am overjoyed to possess the ability to convey my ideas to other Musers in such a fashion.
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The Fiery Hemlocke of the year 1996
on 1st April 1851 at 11:25 AMI will admit that, indeed, this morning I was quite forlorn upon visiting these noble halls and seeing no surprise, but now I see that ye noble administrators have waited until we were unmistakably disappointed, then spring upon us with a great surprise. I find the new theme to be quite endearing, in fact. May we keep this for a while longer than today, perhaps?
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Professor Kuntz
on 1st April 1851 at 10:49 AMWe are delighted to make your acquaintance. In my experience, an affinity for books is an almost infallible hallmark of a person worth knowing.
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A bookish young lady
on 1st April 1851 at 10:47 AMWonderful! Each year a new delightful surprise awaits and this one is simply sublime, though I must admit my profound shock upon discovering that ERC have managed to manifest themselves here as well. I do hope they know better than to intrude.
Be that as it may, today has been a rather enjoyable day. I shall commence my literary endeavors today and hope to penn at least a thousand words by this evening. (If my guess is correct, I will have achieved the singular honor of leaving the first message in this delightful, novel and metaphysical Forum)
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Professor Kuntz
on 1st April 1851 at 10:02 AMThe Museion is open and ready for business.