rainbows in curved air (or curves in rainbowed air)

Literate & Numerate

Librarians are not just concerned with alphabets. Numbers excite them too. This is not the correct forum to discuss the pros & cons of the Dewey Decimal System, but I feel that I could do justice to the topic elsewhere.

Numbers are everywhere, we cannot escape their influence. Look at the passing fad of Karbala & see how it’s been picked up by the young & the trendy.

In the past, the time of ‘Apocalypto’, realising the creative use of numbers gave you a lot of power. Power of life over death. The Pharoahs had it sussed too. A quick glance over the Stonehenge & the other standing stones of Britain & a passing knowledge of astronomy & arithmetic & perhaps botany, gave you something to do during those short summer months of long days.

Listening to Tom Waits ‘Ol 55’ & the Doors ‘5 to 1’ & the Manfreds ‘5,4,3,2,1’ & then I realise that perhaps I have set some kind of Scottish world record for someone in their 55^th year playing 5-a-side football 5 days in a row at lunchtime.

‘5 seconds to testify, ladies & gentlemen, I give you the MC5….’