Block Chop 41:

Christ.  I mean not in the religious sense. No way; by no means.  Christ in the sense of >groan< fucking the bloody hell, dear me.  The overwhelming desire to give up on the writing project is doing lots of whelming all over the place.  Whelms everywhere.

Today (I began as though writing in my diary), I tried to write, then I tried not to write.  Then I looked at the screen and as I tried to focus I fell into a dead coma; face pressed against the keyboard, as the slight trickle of suggestions came through on Facebook.  Come on people, I’ve managed 40 days (so what if Richard Herring has managed near 3000, he is a professional writer), the least you could do is come up with some blinders.  But thanks to those who have made suggestions.  They all go in the hat, and I will surely resort to the hat soon.

Anyway today’s writing must focus on descriptions for the four scientists whose portraits I have done for my PaperGirl Manchester submission.  Exhibition coming up soon.  Back to the drawing board.  I'll post the drawings and more info about PaperGirl and the exhibition here soon.  Descriptions here hare here:

Alan Turing (1912-1954) was a mathematician playing a huge role in the development of modern computers. During WWII he worked at Bletchley Park developing mechanical and electronic code breaking machines.  His brilliant life ended in tragedy when he was convicted in 1952 of homosexuality.  He was sentenced to chemical castration, and lost his security clearance.  The country that he had helped so much had turned against him which lead to his suicide; biting into an apple laced with cyanide.

He lived and worked in Manchester from 1948 until his death.  His statue sits in Sackville Park near Canal Street.  Its plaque reads “Father of Computer Science, Mathematician, Logician, Wartime Codebreaker, Victim of Prejudice.”

Ernest Rutherford (1871-1937), Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1908.  He formulated the planetary model of the atom, lead the first experiments to split the atomic nucleus and discovered alpha, beta and gamma radiation.  In 1919 he became the first “real alchemist” when he transmuted one element (nitrogen) into another (oxygen).  From 1907 until 1919 he held chair of physics at Manchester University, during which time he was knighted.

Niels Bohr (1885-1962), Nobel Prize in Physics 1922.  Bohr expanded on Rutherford’s model of the atom, discovering that the number of electrons dictates an elements property, and laid the foundation for modern quantum theory.  He worked alongside Rutherford at Manchester Uni from 1912 to 1916.  He famously had a number of public disputes and debates with Albert Einstein which advanced our understanding of the quantum world. He worked as a consultant on the Manhattan Project, the first successful attempt to build the atomic bomb.

Michael Faraday (1791-1867) conducted many early experiments into electromagnetism and chemistry.  The range of his field and his reliance on experimental evidence has lead him to thought of as the most influential scientist (or natural philosopher) of his era.  He also worked to reduce air and water pollution, advised the National Gallery about art restoration, lectured on education reform, presented public Christmas Lectures, &c, &c, &c...