Subject
Re: QUERY: Orgitrons in ADA?
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It should be stressed that AB¹s cited definition is pure student humour (and
rather weak humour, to boot!), and of little help in deciding what VN meant,
if anything, by orgitron! The phrase smallest existing particle in the
Universe¹ is extremely misleading, as are references to being able to see¹
it.
In the current (admittedly incomplete) Standard Model (quod googlet),
several so-called elementary particles (e.g., photon, quark and electron)
are taken as point-sized, i.e., having no discernible inner structure. That
doesn¹t prevent them from being detected via their other properties (such as
mass/energy, momentum, charge/magnetism and spin) and diverse measurable
interactions.
In QFT (Quantum Field Theory) terms, the notions of physical size and
location are far removed from our commonsense, everyday experience of
tape-measures. Even more frustrating, the terms observable and existence
have triggered inconclusive near-theological arguments. Poets and novelists
lacking a few years exposure to the mathematics must be warned against
mystical Quantum hype!
Strictly, assigning zero to an electron¹s radius simply reflects our
inability to detect lengths below approx 10^-18 m (Current Quantum dogma is
that distances below the Planck length (~10^-35 m.) are essentially
unobservable.
On 19/10/2011 19:53, "A. Bouazza" <mushtary@YAHOO.COM> wrote:
> As an addendum to my too brief note, and let it be understood that I believe
> "orgitron" is a Nabokovian neologism morphologically analogous to magnetron,
> cosmotron etc., see the following where another meaning is defined:
>
> The Felix, Student Newspaper of Imperial College, Friday 7th February, 1997,
> Issue 1078:
>
> In a move which is sure to make die hard scientists slap their forehead with a
> Homer Simpson like "Doh" our Roy EXCLUSIVELY reveals the existence of the
> smallest particle in the Universe: the orgitron.
>
> Unfortunately for scientists, they will never be able to see it because "it is
> unlikely that any electron microscope will ever be able to see it because it
> is so tiny as to be virtually undetectable; in fact it is so tiny, it
>
> practically doesn't exist at all." He also shows how "matter is simply
> pressurised 'crystallised' pre-time force flowing now in what has become a
> river of time"
>
> http://www.felixonline.co.uk/archive/IC_1997/1997_1078_A.pdf
>
>
> From: Vladimir Nabokov Forum [mailto:NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU] On Behalf Of
> A. Bouazza
> Sent: dinsdag 18 oktober 2011 16:08
> To: NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU
> Subject: Re: [NABOKV-L] QUERY: Orgitrons in ADA?
>
> Hello,
>
> I always understood the word "orgitron" to mean "electronic/mechanical organ."
>
> Kind regards,
>
> A. Bouazza
>
>
> From: NABOKV-L <NABOKV-L@HOLYCROSS.EDU>
> To: NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU
> Sent: Tuesday, October 18, 2011 3:48 PM
> Subject: [NABOKV-L] QUERY: Orgitrons in ADA?
>
> Dear listers,
>
> Gennady Kramer, who's translating my Nabokov's Ada into Russian, wonders what
> to make of "orgitrons" in "organs and orgitrons," ADA 539, about four pages
> into Part Four. Can anyone see anything specific?
>
> Brian Boyd
>
> Google Search the archive
> <http://www.google.com/advanced_search?q=site:listserv.ucsb.edu&HL=en%0A>
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> All private editorial communications are read by both co-editors.
>
>
>
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> Contact the Editors <mailto:nabokv-l@utk.edu,nabokv-l@holycross.edu> Visit
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> <http://listserv.ucsb.edu/> Visit AdaOnline <http://www.ada.auckland.ac.nz/>
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> L-Soft Search the archive
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> abokv-l%40utk.edu>
>
> All private editorial communications are read by both co-editors.
>
> Google Search the archive
> <http://www.google.com/advanced_search?q=site:listserv.ucsb.edu=en> Contact
> the Editors <mailto:nabokv-l@utk.edu,nabokv-l@holycross.edu> Visit "Nabokov
> Online Journal" <http://www.nabokovonline.com> Visit Zembla
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> <http://web.utk.edu/~sblackwe/EDNote.htm> Manage subscription options
> <http://listserv.ucsb.edu/> Visit AdaOnline <http://www.ada.auckland.ac.nz/>
> View NSJ Ada Annotations <http://vnjapan.org/main/ada/index.html> Temporary
> L-Soft Search the archive
> <https://listserv.ucsb.edu/lsv-cgi-bin/wa?A0=NABOKV-L=58B9943B29972AFF64=nabok
> v-l%40utk.edu>
> All private editorial communications are read by both co-editors.
>
Search archive with Google:
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Contact the Editors: mailto:nabokv-l@utk.edu,nabokv-l@holycross.edu
Visit Zembla: http://www.libraries.psu.edu/nabokov/zembla.htm
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Visit "Nabokov Online Journal:" http://www.nabokovonline.com
Manage subscription options: http://listserv.ucsb.edu/
rather weak humour, to boot!), and of little help in deciding what VN meant,
if anything, by orgitron! The phrase smallest existing particle in the
Universe¹ is extremely misleading, as are references to being able to see¹
it.
In the current (admittedly incomplete) Standard Model (quod googlet),
several so-called elementary particles (e.g., photon, quark and electron)
are taken as point-sized, i.e., having no discernible inner structure. That
doesn¹t prevent them from being detected via their other properties (such as
mass/energy, momentum, charge/magnetism and spin) and diverse measurable
interactions.
In QFT (Quantum Field Theory) terms, the notions of physical size and
location are far removed from our commonsense, everyday experience of
tape-measures. Even more frustrating, the terms observable and existence
have triggered inconclusive near-theological arguments. Poets and novelists
lacking a few years exposure to the mathematics must be warned against
mystical Quantum hype!
Strictly, assigning zero to an electron¹s radius simply reflects our
inability to detect lengths below approx 10^-18 m (Current Quantum dogma is
that distances below the Planck length (~10^-35 m.) are essentially
unobservable.
On 19/10/2011 19:53, "A. Bouazza" <mushtary@YAHOO.COM> wrote:
> As an addendum to my too brief note, and let it be understood that I believe
> "orgitron" is a Nabokovian neologism morphologically analogous to magnetron,
> cosmotron etc., see the following where another meaning is defined:
>
> The Felix, Student Newspaper of Imperial College, Friday 7th February, 1997,
> Issue 1078:
>
> In a move which is sure to make die hard scientists slap their forehead with a
> Homer Simpson like "Doh" our Roy EXCLUSIVELY reveals the existence of the
> smallest particle in the Universe: the orgitron.
>
> Unfortunately for scientists, they will never be able to see it because "it is
> unlikely that any electron microscope will ever be able to see it because it
> is so tiny as to be virtually undetectable; in fact it is so tiny, it
>
> practically doesn't exist at all." He also shows how "matter is simply
> pressurised 'crystallised' pre-time force flowing now in what has become a
> river of time"
>
> http://www.felixonline.co.uk/archive/IC_1997/1997_1078_A.pdf
>
>
> From: Vladimir Nabokov Forum [mailto:NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU] On Behalf Of
> A. Bouazza
> Sent: dinsdag 18 oktober 2011 16:08
> To: NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU
> Subject: Re: [NABOKV-L] QUERY: Orgitrons in ADA?
>
> Hello,
>
> I always understood the word "orgitron" to mean "electronic/mechanical organ."
>
> Kind regards,
>
> A. Bouazza
>
>
> From: NABOKV-L <NABOKV-L@HOLYCROSS.EDU>
> To: NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU
> Sent: Tuesday, October 18, 2011 3:48 PM
> Subject: [NABOKV-L] QUERY: Orgitrons in ADA?
>
> Dear listers,
>
> Gennady Kramer, who's translating my Nabokov's Ada into Russian, wonders what
> to make of "orgitrons" in "organs and orgitrons," ADA 539, about four pages
> into Part Four. Can anyone see anything specific?
>
> Brian Boyd
>
> Google Search the archive
> <http://www.google.com/advanced_search?q=site:listserv.ucsb.edu&HL=en%0A>
> Contact the Editors <mailto:nabokv-l@utk.edu,nabokv-l@holycross.edu> Visit
> "Nabokov Online Journal" <http://www.nabokovonline.com> Visit Zembla
> <http://www.libraries.psu.edu/nabokov/zembla.htm> View Nabokv-L Policies
> <http://web.utk.edu/%7Esblackwe/EDNote.htm> Manage subscription options
> <http://listserv.ucsb.edu/> Visit AdaOnline <http://www.ada.auckland.ac.nz/>
> View NSJ Ada Annotations <http://vnjapan.org/main/ada/index.html> Temporary
> L-Soft Search the archive
> <https://listserv.ucsb.edu/lsv-cgi-bin/wa?A0=NABOKV-L&X=58B9943B29972AFF64&Y=n
> abokv-l%40utk.edu>
> All private editorial communications are read by both co-editors.
>
>
>
> Google Search the archive
> <http://www.google.com/advanced_search?q=site:listserv.ucsb.edu&HL=en>
> Contact the Editors <mailto:nabokv-l@utk.edu,nabokv-l@holycross.edu> Visit
> "Nabokov Online Journal" <http://www.nabokovonline.com> Visit Zembla
> <http://www.libraries.psu.edu/nabokov/zembla.htm> View Nabokv-L Policies
> <http://web.utk.edu/~sblackwe/EDNote.htm> Manage subscription options
> <http://listserv.ucsb.edu/> Visit AdaOnline <http://www.ada.auckland.ac.nz/>
> View NSJ Ada Annotations <http://vnjapan.org/main/ada/index.html> Temporary
> L-Soft Search the archive
> <https://listserv.ucsb.edu/lsv-cgi-bin/wa?A0=NABOKV-L&X=58B9943B29972AFF64&Y=n
> abokv-l%40utk.edu>
>
> All private editorial communications are read by both co-editors.
>
> Google Search the archive
> <http://www.google.com/advanced_search?q=site:listserv.ucsb.edu=en> Contact
> the Editors <mailto:nabokv-l@utk.edu,nabokv-l@holycross.edu> Visit "Nabokov
> Online Journal" <http://www.nabokovonline.com> Visit Zembla
> <http://www.libraries.psu.edu/nabokov/zembla.htm> View Nabokv-L Policies
> <http://web.utk.edu/~sblackwe/EDNote.htm> Manage subscription options
> <http://listserv.ucsb.edu/> Visit AdaOnline <http://www.ada.auckland.ac.nz/>
> View NSJ Ada Annotations <http://vnjapan.org/main/ada/index.html> Temporary
> L-Soft Search the archive
> <https://listserv.ucsb.edu/lsv-cgi-bin/wa?A0=NABOKV-L=58B9943B29972AFF64=nabok
> v-l%40utk.edu>
> All private editorial communications are read by both co-editors.
>
Search archive with Google:
http://www.google.com/advanced_search?q=site:listserv.ucsb.edu&HL=en
Contact the Editors: mailto:nabokv-l@utk.edu,nabokv-l@holycross.edu
Visit Zembla: http://www.libraries.psu.edu/nabokov/zembla.htm
View Nabokv-L policies: http://web.utk.edu/~sblackwe/EDNote.htm
Visit "Nabokov Online Journal:" http://www.nabokovonline.com
Manage subscription options: http://listserv.ucsb.edu/