half full?

I promised my brother I would post this message on his behalf:

I am currently researching a book about 'optimists' and recording my encounters for BBC Radio 4. As well as famous optimists I am looking for ordinary people who embody extraordinary optimism and positivity.

If you can think of anyone who has overcome (or still enduring) tremendous hardship - against long odds - I would like to get in touch. My aim is to meet and learn from people who have maintained high spirits in the face of disability, sickness, personal trauma, career or financial difficulties, war... anything which we would normally consider unendurable.

Please forward this email on to anyone else you think might have ideas - the longer the chain, the more interesting the results will be!

Please respond directly to shorter@shorter.com

floating cities

This sounds beautiful - "a visually stunning panorama in which the viewer is immersed in, and floats amongst, the clouds". Saraceno's "floating cities" ideas reminded me of Iain Banks' dirigible behemothaurs, surely the greatest ever made-up taxonomy (unless you can think of any other?)