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the life and work of dirk watkins

April 17, 2007
by Dirk Watkins
2 Comments

Pi Art by an Autistic Savant

My friend just forwarded me a piece of artwork that was produced by an autistic savant.

[Danial Tammet can] calculate huge sums in his head in seconds and instantaneously recognise prime numbers, but he finds emotions difficult to understand and has trouble telling left from right. One of fewer than fifty such people living worldwide, Daniel is unique in his ability to articulate his savant experience.

He describes his visual experience of numbers as complex synaesthetic shapes with colour, texture and motion. Thirty-seven is lumpy like porridge, while eighty-nine reminds him of falling snow. Sequences of digits form visual landscapes in his mind.

In March 2004, Daniel set a European record when he recited the famous mathematical constant Pi from memory to 22,514 decimal places in a time of 5 hours.

Here’s his Original Artwork of a Pi Landscape. It’s only £250 (About $495.95 US).

April 4, 2007
by Dirk Watkins
2 Comments

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Walk

My good friend, Melissa Naatz, is sponsoring a team for the MS Walk on Sunday, May 6, 2007. We’re walking around the lake front downtown in the morning. If you wish to donate to her team and help those with Multiple Sclerosis please visit her site hosted by the National MS Society:

http://www.nationalmssociety.org/goto/melissanaatz

The National MS Society – Wisconsin Chapter will use funds collected from the MS Walk to not only support research for a cure tomorrow, but also to provide programs and services which address the needs of people living with MS today. We can fight this disease by simply walking.

2007 Christopher & Banks MS Walk in Milwaukee
Sunday, May 6, 2007

Join us!
May 6, 2007
Milwaukee, WI
Milwaukee Lakefront – O’Donnell Park
Check in: 9:00 a.m.
Start time: 10:00 a.m.

For more information visit: Melissa Naatz’s Site or Multiple Sclerosis on Wikipedia

March 16, 2007
by Dirk Watkins
2 Comments

Take Solace at John Harbors, April 14th 2007

On Saturday, April 14th 2007 Take Solace will be at John Harbor’s Main Street Coffee House in Menomonee Falls. We’ll play around 7PM or so. You can come and get a nice sandwich and drink some excellent coffee while you watch us play. They have beer and wine too. We’re planning on bringing little take home gifts for those that make it.

Here’s the address:

John Harbor’s Main Street Coffee House
N88 W116521 Main Street
Menomonee Falls, WI

http://johnharbors.com/

It’s near the corner of Appleton and Main Street in Menomonee Falls. It’s on a corner a half block East of Appleton Ave on Main Street (right across from that bank).