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Welcome to: THE JAMES BURKE FAN COMPANION NEWSLETTER 07 - JULY 2002:
This newsletter and previous ones are available on-line as web pages at: Please pass this newsletter along to other James Burke enthusiasts you know about, who may be unaware of its existence. DISCLAIMER: The information contained in this newsletter comes from a wide variety of sources and is selected for publication solely by the newsletter's editor/creator Tom Palmer. Please be advised that James Burke does NOT necessarily endorse or associate himself with the information or organizations mentioned in the James Burke Fan Companion website and periodic e-mail news updates. Likewise, the information contained in this publication does NOT necessarily represent the views and opinions of Mr. Burke.
Welcome to issue 7 of the James Burke Fan Companion news update. Greetings to all of the James Burke fans around the world whom I have the pleasure of communicating with. I hope this newsletter finds you all healthy and living life the way you would like. It's July and things are quietly moving along for all the Burke workers behind the scenes. James is writing. The K-Webbers are thinking and building and testing. I am trying to find new ways to supply Connections fans with information they can appreciate. One thing is for sure and that is that it's going to be a hot month. Make sure you are able read this in the comfort of a nice, cool air-conditioned room. Okay! Let's see what's going on.
TEACHERS - A QUESTION FOR YOU! Recently a member of the Knowledge Web team sent in a request to discover which teachers or schools were utilizing Mr. Burke's books or videos in their courses. If you or anyone you know of is using "Connections", "The Day The Universe Changed" or any other of Mr. Burke's materials as teaching aides, would you please tell us about it. You may contact me at info@fantasticplaces.com
JBFC WEBSITE NEWS A change of perspective - To avoid confusion between the Burke-oriented publications that I (Tom Palmer) produce and Mr. Burke's actual personal enterprises, the James Burke Connection website is in the process of changing its name to Palmer's James Burke Fan Companion. While Mr. Burke and his associates do contribute to the site and newsletter, a need has arisen to make clear distinctions between Mr. Burke's non-profit/institutional activities and independent editorial/commercial ventures such as mine. As a reader of this newsletter, please keep in mind that Mr. Burke does not have foreknowledge of this newsletter's content and does NOT, therefore, automatically endorse any of it by default. Palmer's James Burke Fan Companion website and newsletter are intended to serve the needs and lifestyles of individuals who appreciate Mr. Burke's public offerings. These publications report and comment on Mr. Burke's past, present and future activities and speak to the submitted requests of site and newsletter readers. They are also an attempt to actively promote the concepts, viewpoints, and subject matter which Mr. Burke is commonly associated with to the public.
--------- Speaking of new designs, Noelle tells me that she will have a new graphic prototype to show me soon, as well as the finished draft of the new "Burke For Beginners" section. A recent site addition: at the bottom of most pages, there is now a link that will allow you to recommend the site to your friends.
BURKE NEWS James informs me that he is busy working away in France and is wrapping up the initial manuscript for his upcoming book. He send me a lovely picture looking out of his terrace window. It looks like the perfect place to collect his thoughts and write a book.
--------- Mr. Burke's lecture agent, Royce Carlton, has just forwarded me two new speaking engagements for late 2002: 10/30/02: Discovery Centre - Halifax, Nova Scotia - i-i-i conference 11/02/02: West Chester University
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--------- James has a trusted business associate that he would like to call your attention to and recommend. "I've worked on and off for 11 years (on TV shows and books) with Carolyn Doree and she has a fallow period coming up between jobs for a few months from September and could do with some work. -- She's a brilliant researcher, prolific and accurate, has London Univ. Ph D in English, is really great on general academic research, lives in Oxford (and all the libraries there), and is absolutely first class. I can't recommend her too highly." To contact Ms. Doree about potential work, please send a message to her, via me, at: info@fantasticplaces.com
--------- Mr. Burke still would like help from Graduate Students and Academics in researching some of the 2200 biographies for the online Knowledge Web project. If you know anyone who would like to volunteer their time to this fantastic project, please send an e-mail to the K-Web team leader, Patrick McKercher at: Mr. Burke does has an informational website in place now that begins to describe the project. You can visit it at:
WEBMASTER NEWS In the last news update I briefly talked about the recent trip to California I took. One thing I neglected to mention, because I thought it might be proprietary in nature, was a presentation I witnessed by Ted Nelson of his new Zig-Zag software system. I have since talked to Ted and he wants everyone out there to know of its existence. For people who might not be familiar with Ted Nelson, he is credited with creating the concept of "hypertext" and is famous for an early Internet-like system called "Xanadu", based on his original hypertext idea. I found Ted's new system of organizing and accessing computer data to be very fresh and quite interesting. I could relate to it highly and I hope he finds some way to put it into the hands of the general public. For more info, visit the following link:
TV SCHEDULE (UPCOMING) --------- Evidently, you just can't see too much of James Burke! The Connections 2 & 3 series continue to be rebroadcast on The (Discovery) Science Channel through July! science.discovery.com/schedule/series.jsp?series=46
Connections 2 - The Science Channel - Now thru at least July 24, 2002
Connections 3 - The Science Channel - Now thru at least Aug. 01, 2002
Note: I do not know if either Connections series will be played in proper sequence or if the eventual final episodes scheduled will be the actual final episode for each series. Therefore, if you are planning to videotape these programs, don't necessarily wait for the beginning episodes to cycle through.
WAYS TO COMMUNICATE Want to communicate with other Burke fans? Don't forget about the James Burke newsgroup and Yahoo "group" where you can post messages. I am really happy to see that a few of you who have started to use these resources. Keep at it! alt.fan.james-burke groups.yahoo.com/group/connectionswithjamesburke/
THINKING CONNECTIVELY
(Please note: At this point in time, the following methods have not been reviewed or endorsed by James Burke. Nor has anyone provided me with the exact methods Mr. Burke uses to construct his books and videos.) Looking at your daily life with a greater focus on connectivity will provide you with new insights into the way events happen and leave you with a new appreciation for the situations, objects and ideas you encounter. It will enrich your life, alter your perspective and make you a more effective person. But first you have to start learning to see things with a heightened sense of connectedness. What are the connections between things and where are they hiding? You need to be able to recognize the potential connections inherent in everything around you. In this short discussion, I will try to show you the many ways in which things can be connected and how to approach the problem of identifying topics, by employing a technique I used as an advertising professional to brainstorm ideas. To generate advertising messages, many creatives begin in the following manner. First, in the middle of a notepad, easel or chalkboard, they write down the name of the product or service they wish to tell people about. Then, in a pie-shaped or wagon-wheel-spoke style they surround the subject with various categories of qualities that describe it. Finally, they fill in as many of the category areas as possible with detailed attributes about the subject. One or more of these attributes will eventually become the focus of an advertisement and have a story build around it. Now the same technique can be applied to observing the connections between things. If you have ever seen one of James Burke's Connections programs or read one of his books, you know there are plenty of different ways to connect things together. The first step in learning connectivity is to realize just how many possible connection points there are that can branch off of any one item. To demonstrate we will examine how a "person" can be connected to other elements. We could just as well have started with an event or a place or an object, or an idea, but I will do that later on in the JBFC site. So let's put an object under the connectivity microscope. The following is a list of categories and attributes that can be associated with a "person". Each one of these items can be a "connection". And, in turn, it can be connected to something else. Keep in mind that these connections can be both incoming and outgoing from the "person" in question. Also, realize that there are two basic kinds of connections: direct and casual (my terms). "Direct" connections are more like those found in Burke's original Connections program, where there are solid, causal links that progress step-by-step forward to make certain things happen. "Casual" connections are more like those found in the Connections 2 and 3 programs, where items are often linked together by a feature they have in common. So, as in the brainstorming technique I just mentioned, imagine the following categories and details radiating out from the name of the individual in a concentric fashion.
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2. Places - (Where did he/she live, work or visit?)
3. Affiliations - (What --- was he/she a part of?)
4. Relatives - (Who were his/her ---?)
5. Friends, Associates & Contacts - (Who was his/her ---?)
6. Interactions - (What --- did he/she deal with?)
7. Events & Activities - (What things did he/she do or see?)
8. Accomplishments - (What could he/she do? What did he/she do?)
9. Property - (What could he/she own?)
--------- So now, go out into your environment and start to contemplate how everything is connected. Try to visualize it. Imagine all the virtual connecting strings that stream off of things. Look at every person you see. Think about everyone they have EVERY talked to. Picture a series of long filaments connecting each person in your field of vision to the thousands of others they have encountered since being born. Do the same for every object in the room you are in. Think of every person and object any given object has touched or been influenced by. Connect the clock on the wall to everyone who has ever looked at it or has handled its components. It will certainly make you take the everyday world less for granted. But remember, don't overdo it and give yourself a headache.
EDITORIAL: MY FANTASY JAMES BURKE INTERVIEW 11 Questions We Will Never Get The Answers To - Okay. Deep down, all of us want to know what individuals who have "been there" think about things. And James Burke is not without a wealth of experience to contemplate. Not only has he traveled the World --- he's PAID ATTENTION! That's a lot more than most of us can say. While we've been setting at home on the couch watching the latest episode of "Friends" (or Voyager in my case), Mr. Burke has been digging through major libraries and museums, rounding up the juicy details of our collective past. I mean, here's a man who really OUGHT to have an opinion. He's reported on Man's greatest achievement, sending people to the Moon. He's produced documentaries about the Human Brain and Art and the Global Environment. He's outlined a number of major milestones in the progression of Man, from the most primitive concepts to the complexities that govern the world of today. He's explored the revolutions that occur in society when powerful new ideas become accepted. And most notably, he's shown us the interconnectivity of everything that has happened in history. Now you would surely think, that after having processed and distilled down and organized all that knowledge for us to take in, that he would have reached a conclusion or two about matters here on Earth. Of course, the point is, that he no doubt has and is keeping his perspective to himself, for very good reasons. At this point in time, it wouldn't be at all prudent for Mr. Burke to open himself up to a game of who's right and who's wrong with those who might see things differently. No, James has more important things to accomplish and doesn't need to be impeded. Still, it would be nice to know. I realize that he probably doesn't have "the answer" to many of life's nagging questions, but I bet he could give us a few good pieces to the puzzle if he really tried. Perhaps he will take an afternoon someday, pour a glass of his favorite wine and write down the answers so future citizens can learn from his observations. So, if I could, here is what I would ask him: 1. Give us your slant on The Big Picture. What's "Life, The Universe and Everything" all about? How do you think it really works and what's the point of it all? 2. After seeing all the things people have endured over the course of history, what advice would you give people now about living their lives, working and having relationships with each other? 3. In your programs, you have mentioned the activities of people in various religious cultures and have talked about science-minded individuals who were also interested in "spiritualism". What are your personal feelings about religion and spirituality? Do you have any sense that there is a spiritual reality or some sort of supernatural creative intelligence (God)? Is there a religion that you practice or lean towards? If so, could you explain why? How have your career experiences influenced your view of religious matters? 4. What are your feelings about Science and it's practical limitations? Where do you think we are in our discovery of knowledge? How much has Science learned so far, and how much is it going to learn in the future? 5. Predict the future for us. What kind of inventions and situations do you think are likely to occur? 6. If you had a time machine, where and when would you use it to take you? What would you do when you got there? A related question: What are the big mysteries in history you would most like to have the answers to? 7. What is your favorite historical character or story? 8. What is your vision of a perfect, or ideal, or balanced system of education? 9. How do you feel about your personal contribution to the World and your impact upon people? 10. What is your favorite location used in the filming of any "Connections" episode? 11. A list. What is the most enjoyable: affordable wine, unaffordable wine, piece of art, musical composition, travel location, book to read, museum to visit, food to eat, woman to look at (not counting your wife or relatives), in the world (according to you)? So, that's it. Presumptuous of me to ask, perhaps, I suppose. However, readers, you are free to submit your own questions to be added to the list. I'll publish the good ones.
A TRIP TO THE BOOKSTORE -- (DISCOVERED LITERATURE) Since the last newsletter, I had a gentleman write in about a book that I saw but passed over. Tim's message says: "Another book of interest: The Botany of Desire, by Michael Pollan - The author describes the history and interactions with man of four plants, the apple, the tulip, the potato and marijuana."
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Last of all, I quickly stuck my head in the bookstore while visiting our local art museum, Kansas City's Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. Here are a couple I found of interest.
SUBMISSIONS FROM SITE VISITORS Below are a couple of interesting links sent in by people visiting the JBFC website.
--------- riceinfo.rice.edu/projects/reno/rn/20020425/burke.html
--------- www.1-900-870-6235.com/BurkeMap.htm
LINKS FOR BURKE-O-PHILES --------- Instead of scouring the web for pages relating to Mr. Burke, this month I decided to take a break and look for links that might appeal to Burke-minded people. I didn't have much time to research this, so the list is a only mere fraction of what it could be. I invite those of you out there who are reading this to submit your own favorite links for consideration. Consider the following list to be a sampler designed to wet your appetite and get you thinking. More next issue.
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Ted Nelson's Xanadu
Wired's people archive
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City Populations
Info-Nation
Information Please & Fact Monster
Statistical Resources
World Population Clock (from US Census)
Yahoo: Statistics
Yahoo: Global Economy
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Yahoo: History
Yahoo: History Archives
Yahoo: History Journals - industrial design & products -
Apple Computer
Frog Design
Herman Miller
IDEO
Industrial Designers Society of America
Macromedia
Palm
Segway
Steelcase
Yahoo: Industrial Design
Yahoo: Product Design
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Yahoo: Manufacturing
Yahoo: Scientific
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National Building Museum
Yahoo: Architecture Firms
Yahoo: Architecture Organizations
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The History Channel
Popular Science
Scientific American
Wired Magazine
EBAY LISTINGS (CURRENTLY UP FOR SALE) As found on eBay July 01, 2002 www.ebay.com --------- BOOKS
The Knowledge Web - 1 copy
--------- Connections: A Mind Game - 3 copies
DVD, VIDEO, BOOK, AUDIOBOOK LIST (ORDER ON-LINE) --------- DVDS
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--------- The Axemaker's Gift: Technology's Capture and Control of Our Minds and Culture Circles: Fifty Round-Trips Through History, Technology, Science, Culture Twin Tracks: The Unexpected Origins of the Modern World
--------- The Axemaker's Gift: A Double -Edged History of Human Culture
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