Music evolution

I asked JHBD how many playable pieces of piano music lasting 30 minutes he thought could exist, mathematically speaking. He replied "more than a million factorial". So if music evolves by random mutation and natural selection, what is the probability of finding a new appealing piece which will enter the canon of "classics" and last indefinitely in the public domain? It seems that most music which is written is doomed to extinction, and the remainder provides a pool of "life" from which further mutations may be made.

Jordan life

camel plus
Originally uploaded by rabinal.

CRV has observed that nearly everyone in meetings in Jordan, smokes. In the UK we have forgotten what this was like. Ted Jefferies's first modification of any new car he bought, was to add a spring clip to the dashboard to hold his (lit) pipe while driving. He would then detach the pipe from its clip at regular intervals, and suck on it to keep it alight. He also had a deft way of lighting it, clamped between his teeth, single handedly using his lighter. We became used to the smell of smoke and nicotine and tar in the car, mixed with exhaust fumes, oil, and petrol.

Braidwood organ

braidwood-organ
Originally uploaded by rabinal.

This organ is in the Anglican Church in Braidwood, NSW. My experience of taking this photo is very memorable; the intrusive diptera all stayed outside the door of the church, giving me blessed relief.

For a nice blog (in French) of exotic organs and organ cases please see

didber.club-blog.fr

author Didier de Rennes - France

Huitzilopochtli

In the education game there are two statements that are often made.

"They don't know about this, because they haven't taken the course on it yet"

"They had this material in year X, so they certainly know about it"

Both these statements are often wrong.

It appears that the network manager here, CJ, has never needed formal instruction but is now very useful. How did this happen?