Coding with Fountain Pens

I’ve been following the Long Now Foundation and their quest to build a 10,000 year clock for several years now.  This episode of BoingBoingTV showcases some of the physical artifacts the foundation has machined, including an orrery, and a chime system developed in part by Brian Eno.

There are a lot of challenges associate with building a 10,000 year clock, from durable materials, to non-sticking bearings, to power sources, some of which are touched on in the video.  The Foundation’s overriding purpose is to encourage more long term responsibility.

I need to explore the anecdote told by Alexander Rose in the video, where when it was time to rebuild the roof of the hall in New College Oxford after 500 years, it turned out that nearby they had planted the oak trees that would be needed when the building was originally constructed.

via Machine Thinking

The New York Times has a great information graphic showing Olympic medals won by various countries over time.  It reminds me a lot of gapminder, although I’m not sure if it is related.