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This is a fairly neutral fractal, which actually makes for a really good wallpaper.  Something interesting, without getting in the way of the readability of your desktop icons.

So, I’m skimming through my RSS feeds, and I catch an article on Nat Geo about using asteroids for space travel. Without getting into the merits of the science behind the idea (pretty darned dubious, IMHO), the thing that caught my attention was the article’s oblique reference to a legendary bit of science fiction.  Namely, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

For the two people in the English speaking world who might be unfamiliar, HGttG was originally a BBC radio play, was then novelized, then turned into a BBC TV series, and eventually became a (really bad) American movie.

It has become so ubiquitous in our culture, that a Nat Geo article can reference the Vogon Constructor Fleet, and mostly just assume that it’s readership will know what they’re talking about.  And they’re probably correct in that assumption – because if you’re the type of person interested enough in science to read the Nat Geo news feed, you’re also probably the kind of person who has at least a passing familiarity with either the books, or the TV series (far fewer have actually heard the radio plays or seen the movie).

That, is a true sign of success, to be so embedded in the popular mindset that even scientists, who can be ever so pedantic in their explanations of things, use a pop culture reference in their explanation.

If you are one of the two people unfamiliar with HGttG, then stop what you’re doing right now and go out and get at least the first book in the series, or pick up a boxed set of the TV series.  Skip the movie.  It relates to the series in much the same way as the tea created by the food dispenser relates to proper English tea.  (While there will be no prize for explaining that last reference, you get bragging rights if you’re the first commenter to do so.)

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This fractal has a nice zen minimalism to it, which somewhat fits my mood at this exact moment in time.

Today was my “day off”, and as a result I only had to spend two and a half hours in a meeting, right smack in the middle of the day.  After that, I drove home, grabbed my wife and daughter, drove out to my aunt and uncles, so that they could have a nice visit while I worked on some wiring.

Somehow, this has failed to inspire me in any kind of a positive way, so I think I’ll mostly keep my mouth shut and go play some flash games.