Writing from The Lascaux to Simmons

Using a timeline of written history, I put together a brief, random, and incomplete visual look at the history at writing.



(30,000 BC - Early cave paintings appear in Western Europe... This is from the Cave of Lascaux in France. We viewed images from this cave in class.)


(This the Deer Bone Tally we saw in class. This pic and the next are from a British Museum.)


(This is a Horse Jaw bone Tally, with more intricate line designs of stored information.)


(This is a clay envelope and tokens. This is from a Denise Schmandt-Besserat UT Website, but I lost the URL and google will not find it again..... Damn you GOOGLE!)

The following two are from
"ACCOUNTING WITH TOKENS IN THE ANCIENT NEAR EAST"
by Denise Schmandt-Besserat , University of Texas.


(These are Examples of COMPLEX TOKENS)


(This (above )is an example of a token that counted grain)



NECKLACE (above)- The bulla originally locked the ends of a string with a number of complex counting tokens attached to it, representing 1 transaction. The string with the tokens was hanging outside the bulla like a necklace. If the string had, say, 5 disk type tokens representing types of textiles, this number could not be tampered with without breaking the seal. The tokens could also be entirely enclosed in the centre of the bulla. Tokens were used for accounting purposes in the Near East from the Neolithic period ca. 8000 BC until ca. 3200 BC, when they were superseded by counting tablets and pictographic tablets. WEBSITE with more info.





( Just something I found in my research. The website I found it on has more info.)






(3500 BC - Picture(above) of a cuneiform tablet. This began the transformation from tokens and bulla, to more of written numerical system)





(2800 BC- This is from China. It is an oricale bone. The Early Chinese used these type of bones to write down Almanac type of info, including weather. They also wrote down herbal medical remedies.)




(2500 BC - This is an animal hyde used for transcribing information. It is believed that this form of writing began in the Middle East)





(17th Century BC- This is a picture of the Edwin Smith Surgical Papyrus. Egyptians developed the method of using of the Papyrus plant as a resource for writing. The y are believed to have began as early as 4000 BC.)






( The Rosetta Stone.... A key that unlocked written language.)




(If only writing was used for GOOD and not pure FREAKINESS!!!!)

Writing and Technology

Technology (Wikipedia) - It embodies the human knowledge of solving real problems in the design of standard tools, machines, materials or the process.

Wikipedia, then states in an economic sense, sees technology as the current state of our knowledge of how to combine resources to produce desired products (and our knowledge of what can be produced.)

Like most technology has evolved, writing was implement used in the security of individual materials, commerce.





(Schmandt-Besserat, shown here in Iran )

"An archaic counting device"- Schmandt- Bessart

From the readings of Professor Schmandt-Bessart in "How Writing Came About" and our in class discussions, writing (the recording of information in order to share with others) developed as a method of efficency in commerce. The clay envelopes, or bollas, not only had the impressions of clay tokens on the outside, but the actual tokens were also sealed inside the envelope.

The desired end product of this technological development was accountability and accuracy in the barter system.

While today we do not use bullas or clay tokens, the ideology behind this system is still used in modern society. For example the following is from the Federal Highway Management Administration concerning semi-truck freight.

The trailer is sealed with a reference number that is electronically included with the manifest information to promote cargo integrity.


Writing has innumeral benefits from helping communicate ideas and thoughts to billions of people through out thousands of years, giving growth to societies, culturals, and economics, but as writing evolved it so did the stratification of society.

With writing comes knowledge and knowledge is power.

As Claude Levi- Strauss said " seems to be linked with writing ... is the establishment of hieracrchial socities, consisting of masters and slaves, and where one part of the [population is made to work for the other part."

An American example of this is when English colonial assemblies passed "Negro Acts" that prohibited slaves from growing food, assembling, earning money, testifying in court, or being educated.

Before the federal Voting Rights Act 1965, literacy was used as a segrated barrier imposed on African Americans and poor whites along with immigants in the United States.



Click on here on LITERACY TESTS to view the Alabama version of a literacy test.
It is a PDF file.

Even today literacy and the knowledge that comes from being able to read and write still have a profound effect on the possible social stratus of which people can attain . This Ohio State research report relates poverty and education level into an easy to read fact sheet. This sheet and other related information should be part of all highschool freshmen related curriculum in the United States.

Writing as a technology has exapanded the human horizons and is a necessity in modern survival. It has been used to ensure freedom written in the U.S. Constitution, but at the same time writing has been used as an invisible cell constricting the lives and freedoms of the many illiterate by the literate who use writing as a technological weapon fueled on greed and hatred.

Is FIVE ALIVE Johnny? (weekly theme FEB 28)

I believe it was in 3rd grade when I learned the definition of a machine.
From what I recall, a naive definition of a machine is an implement used by a human to make work easier. Take for example a pulley, lever, or a wedge, all simple machines.

A computer is more complex machine, but as Hillis said, " building a computer out of any technology requires a large supply of only two kinds of elements: SWITCHES AND CONNECTORS." He proved this by building a computer out of tinker toys.

As a pulley allows a person or persons to lift a great amount of weight to a large height, a computer allows a person or persons to process a large amount of information, in a quicker amount of time. A good example of this is the search for the largest PRIME NUMBERS.
In this project groups of intertwined by the internet, computers all around the world work as
a group and crunch numbers. This is could be done by pen, paper, and human hand, but would take years and years to accomplish what computers can do in months.

Computers also excel in areas that need exact and meticulous attention to detail is needed in operations. There is no finer example of this than the fatal nuclear accident at the National Reactor Testing Station in Idaho Falls, Idaho in January 1961.

A technician doing routine maintenance on control rods, accidently pulled one rod out 50 centimeters, 10 centimeters past the point that would have made the reactor "critical". Needless to say, all hell broke loose, and that technician was found dead on the ceiling, impaled by the rod. This incident led to the computerization of all controls dealing with the movement of control rods.

While computers can help prevent human error, they can not produce human emotion. Computers recorded the earthquake data that caused the horrific tsunami of Dec 26, 2004, but they did could not feel the devastation caused by the numbers they captured. That is where computers fail.

Computer scientist are trying to devise programs to produce feelings and emotions in computers, like this video of toy emotions .

Researchers at MIT are trying to develop robots that will be able to deal interact with humans on an emotional level, called sociable machines as the robot below.



(Her cold steely but breath taking stare caught my attention from across the crowded room)



While doing research for this blog entry, I came across this though provoking, yet freaky article. I hope humans and computers never cross paths like this scientist believes we will in the future. He may have watched too many Terminator movies.

WARNING!!!!! Accidental dropping of Addiator can cut off a toe or kill a Chihuahua!!!!

If you have ever seen the 80's classic "Crocodile Dundee", invision the scene where the guy trys to mug Mick (Crocdile Dundee). Now imagine it set in 2005.....



"THAT'S NOT A PALM PILOT ."






"THAT'S A PALM PILOT !"

Okay .... If you have never seen the movie or did not think it was funny, then you just do not know addiator comedy at it's best.. Or maybe my need for sleep has made me delusional. Take your pick. Reading over it I pick the latter.

Anyway, if you want to see how to use this croquet mallet disguised as a mathematical tool click on the link below.

Instructions and Information on Addiator use.

The above Addiator is not the original. The original Addiator, pictured below, was credited to inventor J. L. Troncet of France in 1889. A link to his work and the mechanics of the Addiator is below the picture .



Troncets or Slide Adders

SCIENCE AND ART

ART- the conscious use of skill and creative imagination especially in the production of aesthetic objects (Merrian -Webster online dictionary)

SCIENCE- knowledge or a system of knowledge covering general truths or the operation of general laws especially as obtained and tested through scientific method
(Merrian -Webster online dictionar)

Art is the concept of one perosn or a group, science allows these concepts and visions come to functional fruition.

Unconciously, art and science are fused into our everday lives. For instance the combined graphical interface design and computer science combination we come into contact by just checking our e-mail or the aesthetical engineered and efficient design of the dwellings in which we live and work.

Frank Lloyd Wright is an architectural legend because of the eye appealing artisitc allure of his sturctures and the intricate mathematical engineering, he used to design and build his masterpieces. His designs not only are unique and inspiring, but his use of engineering made his edifices pratical for the geographical area in which they were located, for example the earthquake proofing of the Imperial Hotel in Tokoyo and the homes he designed and built in California. The hotel survived the devastating Tokyo earthquake of 1923, which leveled much of the city.



(The Imperial Hotel in Tokoyo)


In relation to perspectives role in art and science, perspectives give an art concept a detailed real world foundation in which others can process and rationalize the artist's vision. They help the outsider see what the artist sees.

An example of this is the winning design for the rebuilding of the World Trade Center in New York City. The model of the architects design is in reverse the use of how the the smaller chair was built in the "Ghost Chair". The WTC model is a mathematical scale of how the building will apppear in it's realworld location, giving the viewer a hands on perceptual link to future reality.




(Winning WTC design)


On the issue of are the use of a perspectives a natural "reading", meaning that a "reading" is a true conception of the artist's intent and interpretation of a piece, I believe they are.

Perspectives produce a reality of one's ideas, views, and concepts. Any Ansel Adam's picture captures his view of the beauty of nature. The scientific process of capturing images through the use of a camera, is just the medium he uses to shares his concept with others.

GHOST CHAIR

The actual design of the Tim Hawkinson's perspective chair that
Professor Smagula posted in"Chair made from a Chair" truly
interested me.

I am a visual perosn, so I found a picture of the "Ghost Chair" and uploaded it below.

(A special thank you goes to David Pugh for UT WEBSPACE TUTORIAL, on uploading images to a blog.... It helped tremendously.)

I found the picture in an article on an artblog. The bloggers wrote about Hawkinson's unique art and have more pictures of his work under the Irresistible gizmos sing post on February 15th. The entry is about a quarter down the page.

The Business Perspective of Perspectives.

Painting for an artist during this time was not a hobby, it was their livelihood, it was the way they put bread on the table and made a living.

So while many artist and many art historians may believe that artist that were suspected of using perspectives were cheaters, from a business point of view, I say bravo. I really never say bravo, but it seems to fit here.

These artist were paid by royalty and the rich, for portraits and paintings. The better and more realistic an artist's product, the more that artist was in demand, and the more money that artist made. It is pretty simple. It is basic business. What can you offer that your rival can not. What is your Unique Selling Proposition or Perspective.

Artist historians and modern artist can complain about the use of lens and perspectives, but they did not live in the times of the artist they criticize. As David said in class, "Art historians are just terrible artist who could not make a living off their art", or something to that effect. I agree.

Modern artist, while they may struggle and starve for their art, can still recieve welfare and get endowments to buy RAMEN.

I almost failed kindergarten because I could not color outside the lines. So if my life and the life of my family depended on me using a secret device to make money. I would cross that ethical line in the sand, and then I would use an optical to draw it.

Survival of not only fittest, but wittiest. <------ Is that even a word?

IS IT CHEATING OR NOT CHEATING? THAT IS THE QUESTION !

Mirror Mirror off the wall did you help someone draw?

When the assignment of perspectives came up, I did really not know what to think, or did not even know if it was really that important. I am no artist, my stick figures want to commit sucide after I am done with a drawing.

After reading the first article on Hockney , I came to believe that these artist did cheat. But, after watching the video of Hockney and the probable processes and instruments that these artist used to accomplish their drawings, my opinion began to change.

Even though these artist may have had their "secrets" they still had to complete very delicate projects that were very difficult. Then after the in class team project, were 4 competent and intelligent people tried to assemble and then use a perspective machine, I truely saw that even though the artists in question may have used aids, producing a piece of art much less a simple drawing of a lamp was a complex task.

I view these artist and their art work in a different perspective than I did before this class.
I see these artist as more of true "visual historians", because using these tools gave details to their subjects and scenes than just an artist's mental rendering.

In my mind these portraits and paintings are the closest thing we have to true glimpses of the past. While they may have cheated in other's eyes, in my eyes the character's and moments of the past come to life.

WEEKLY THEME # 2 - PREDICTIONS

ONE LINE - ABOUT TIME

In the future power lines and telephone polls will cease to exist and technology will pulse through the ground to homes across America.

The reason for this will be that electricity and communication needs will be accesed via one undeground line that comes into the house instead of 3-4 seperate lines needed for the same access today.

Electricity, television (Cable), telephone, and internet services will be ran on the electrical line to each consumer's home. I am not an engineering genius and I am not an electrician ( sticking a fork in a socket when I was four took care of my hunger to know how electricity works), but i could see how this would be possibe and the benefits that it will produce. Some electric companies, such as Cinergy have already began work on such projects. That is just the beginning of what the future holds because companies like First Communications are pushing the envelope.

The most important issue here will be for educational resources. High-Speed internet access is not cheap, trust me I pay Time Warner about $50 dollars a month for RoadRunner, thus packaging of communications products along existing power lines should cheapen the cost of phone service, cable, and braod band access.

With the deregulation of communication lines, the free market system should produce packaged products the average American can afford.

With this access to technology comes access to information. I have personally read a few online books from the UT-Library cyber collection. Accessing books the books when I have time to read and also not having to go to the STACKS in person to search for the book was a great time saver. Not all books will be formatted for on-line consumption, but it is trending that way and with more people able to access these books, the trend should continue.


Also another benefit that of the "One Line" system will be that any house with electricity will be able to access broadband technology and information. Which is quiet impressive considering that a small town in Louisana just recently recieved telephone service.

Thus the Great Digital Divide should start to narrow as this type of service spreads through the nation and becomes a basic part of the infastrucure.