Hey, Today’s My Day Off!


This Blondie strip would apply to almost every guy: after all, it articulates a guy’s idea of a day off perfectly:

I am sure no wife or mother would disagree with the above. You’d think a guy like Claude Shannon who invented information theory would be different (today that theory is behind the entire PC/laptop/cellphone/tablet revolution). Surely a guy that good would not be like Dagwood Bumstead, right?

Wrong. Shannon also invented what he called the “ultimate machine”. Sounds very grand. Coming from the founder of information theory, you’d expect it to do something just short of being a perpetual motion machine. Well, prepare to be disappointed. And surprised. And amused. Here is Arthur C. Clarke’s description of Shannon’s “ultimate machine”:
“It is merely a small wooden casket, the size and shape of a cigar box, with a single switch on one face. When you throw the switch, there is an angry, purposeful buzzing. The lid slowly rises, and from beneath emerges a hand. The hand reaches down, turns the switch off and retreats into the box. With the finality of a closing coffin, the lid snaps shut, the buzzing ceases and peace reigns once more.”

The “ultimate Do Not Disturb machine” would have been a better name for it. They say God created man in his own image; methinks man created the “ultimate machine” in his own image!

Comments

  1. KumarMay 1, 2013 at 12:24 PM

    Very nice! 'Cos everything in your blog is in light vein :-)

    By the way I read a Blondie strip, thanks to you, after a long time. I was glad to find some expression with a depth kind-of (somewhat). I had not imagined Blondie with this slant earlier. Blondie is maturing, like our friend Calvin maturing (from time to time) even if joltingly!! :-)

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