Author: northernlight1

I have interests is a wide range of topics and have written on these and more formal subjects for quite some time. The written word still retains the power to inform and motivate - hopefully constructively and certainly has to be used responsibly in an age of false information trails.

Light Show in the Green Woods

Sun, Leaf and Branch The leafy lines around Broadway Tower in the Cotswolds in England are rich in visual treasures but the display of light filtering through the canopy of trees in high summer is certainly intriguing. Of course such a display is no more than the out workings of the laws of physical optics… Continue reading Light Show in the Green Woods

One More Tree…..

A Reflection It is all about an instinct to plant trees. Looking round landscapes there are always locations where there is an obvious site to plant another or even create a small wood. The countryside can also remind us that trees are vulnerable to the elements and the cycle of growth and decline. The grand… Continue reading One More Tree…..

Sigmund Freud and Dogs

Preface This post is written in a ‘question and answer’ mode which was the style used in my recent book ‘How to talk to your robot dog’ and which investigated the possibility of developing Artificial Intelligence based on the canine intelligence. QUESTION: Has the world of psychiatry made any observations comparing the behavioural characteristics of… Continue reading Sigmund Freud and Dogs

Judy: A dog in a million

Judy’s Story Early Days In researching a book on canine artificial intelligence (‘How to talk to your robot dog’), the story of the dog Judy is highly significant. An excellent example of extraordinary canine intelligence and human bonding was demonstrated by Judy, an English pointer and where it would be relevant at this stage to… Continue reading Judy: A dog in a million

The Petrie Museum, London

Most museum exhibits of artifacts from Ancient Egypt are carefully arranged in spacious cases where individual objects are curated with associated descriptions. The Petrie Museum within University College London (UCL) is not quite like that where an astonishing number of artifacts are contained within a remarkably small exhibition area. The museum is for the most… Continue reading The Petrie Museum, London

The Shakespeare Machine

While the broad spectrum of artistic expression relating to Shakespeare is acknowledged, the scope of more contemporary pieces using modern technology is identified as of particular relevance today. This would provide a novel blend of the old and the new, that would retain technological credibility and novelty but with a deep cultural content. A range… Continue reading The Shakespeare Machine

Wildflower Meadow

An Unexpected Spectacle It was a puzzle in the spring but a glorious bed of colours by the summer. It was indeed a puzzle why an extensive area of managed grass in the suburbs of Troon in Ayrshire had been given a makeover – as if the turf had been cut and dissected. Was this… Continue reading Wildflower Meadow

The Russian Orthodox Cathedral in Nice, France

Introduction Among the many surprises of Nice, on the French Riviera is its Russian Orthodox Cathedral which was initially consecrated in 1912. The cathedral is noteworthy due to the diligent care its planners and builders took to incorporate the highest levels of design, craftsmanship and materials into its structure. The cathedral today is surrounded on… Continue reading The Russian Orthodox Cathedral in Nice, France