[Kb-complexity] Flocking Starlings Friday Afternoon Poetry Challenge

[Carol Webb <carolwebb75@yahoo.com>]

Dear Folks

Claire Biggs and I had a brainstorm earlier today in a
creative five minutes on MSN messenger.

I had sent her the link to the Bill Oddies flocking
starlings at
http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/check/nature/animals/wildbritain/autumnwatch/video/yastarlingflocks?size=16x9&bgc=4F6E35&nbram=1&bbram=1


I then said I might use it in future complexity
courses. We then debated the technical explanation of
the phenomena in complexity terms, and weren?t very
enamoured with our efforts.

The following conversation ensued:

Dr Carol Webb says:
if you had to describe to a blind person the movement
of the flock, how would you describe it? come on, do
it now 
Claire says:
that each bird has a simple set of instructions and
they are reacting to things like air currents plus
keeping other birds at a certain position relative to
them
Claire says:
lol, couldn't even begin to I think
Dr Carol Webb says:
that doesn't sound as poetic as it looks though... be
a Byron
Claire says:
lol, i was still on comparing termites to starlings
Claire says:
OK.....
Claire says:
A swarm of starlings turn in the dawning air
Claire says:
describing chaotic geometries that we cannot
comprehend but they comprehend perfectly
Claire says:
sometimes the cloud is so pale it appears composed of
specks, sometimes so dense it is nearly solid
Dr Carol Webb says:
nice, go on
Claire says:
lol
Claire says:
I admire the constant changing shapes in wonder, and
wonder, How? and Why?
Dr Carol Webb says:
ooo  i like it
Claire says:
lol
Claire says:
ok
Claire says:
your go now 
Dr Carol Webb says:
hehe
Dr Carol Webb says:
damn
Dr Carol Webb says:
i wandered lonely as a cloud oer, land, hill and vale,
and stumbled, look, upon a host of black starlings
acting like silly buggers in the sky for no apparent
reason what so ever
Claire says:
lol
Dr Carol Webb says:
you are right about the why question. why?
Dr Carol Webb says:
it's not immediately functional is it?
Claire says:
hmmm, Ms Webb, I don't think you were taking that
sufficiently seriously
Dr Carol Webb says:
that's dr to you 
Claire says:
oh, sorry, sorry
Dr Carol Webb says:
hehe
Claire says:
but yes
Claire says:
i wonder why they do do it?
Dr Carol Webb says:
the beatign wings of natures call has them dance each
starling all. together, apart, separate and inbetween,
none are lonely now. bursting this way and then that,
are they birds or crazy bats?
Claire says:
nice 
Dr Carol Webb says:
hehe
Dr Carol Webb says:
you have to just push yourself, don't you 
Claire says:
i think it's very good for us
Dr Carol Webb says:
yeah
Claire says:
i'll save that if you don't mind?
Dr Carol Webb says:
don't give up the day job eh? 
Claire says:
lol
Claire says:
being a poet involves too much starving in garrets for
my liking
Dr Carol Webb says:
yes, i am going to post them to the complexity sig on
the knowledge board and ask for others and offer a
prize
Claire says:
lol, good idea
Dr Carol Webb says:
i'll put your name on and everything and just say,
come on, you can do better than this? 
Claire says:
lol - well ok, as long as you also say I made it up in
about 5 minutes flat 
Dr Carol Webb says:
ok, in a mad five minutes
Claire says:
actually, maybe you should put an "honesty time limit"
on it
Dr Carol Webb says:
what does that mean?
Dr Carol Webb says:
they have to say how long it took to do it?
Claire says:
well, ask people for their first off the cuff effort,
minimal editing, max time ten mintues or something
Claire says:
dunno why though, just might be interesting
Dr Carol Webb says:
yeah, good one
Claire says:
ah well
Claire says:
i'm full of genius ideas


So folks, over to you. Claire and I challenge you to
take a Friday coffee break, visit the link to Bill
Oddies flocking starlings and then have a mad and
poetic five minutes yourself and be a complexity bard.
Come on, you can do better than us ? email your poetic
replies to the list ? and I?ll send the best poetic
description (in my opinion) a prize ;-)

Happy Friday, Best wishes, Carol


Dr Carol Webb, Research Officer, Manufacturing Department, School of Applied Sciences, Building 50, Cranfield University, Beds, MK43 0AL, United Kingdom. Email: c.webb@cranfield.ac.uk; Tel: +44 (0)1234 750111 ext. 5633. 

Carol Webb's profile on www.linkedin.com: http://www.linkedin.com/in/carolwebb  
Carol Webb's personal web page: http://public.cranfield.ac.uk/sims_staff/wccw1/   




 
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