Sunday, March 13, 2005
Year of Physics
2005 is the World Year of Physics. It seems that in 1905, Albert Einstein submitted three very important papers. So, the UN and others have decided that the 100 year anniversary is a pretty cool year to raise public awareness of Physics. There are a bunch of events happening around the world, and even in our local area. The Hanford Observatory is having several Events over the year. Some of them sound really cool - I might be at a few...
PTM: II - Physics for the Third Millenium
Physics for the Third Millennium
Oooooohhh. Can I go?
In February 1998, Marshall Space Flight Center’s Science Directorate hosted a Workshop/Training Conference which invited leading physicists to meet with Marshall researchers about the cutting-edge issues in the world of physics at the dawn of the new millennium. Seven lectures covered a variety of topics at the edge of knowledge.
The Science Directorate is organizing a follow-on conference to again bring together leading physicists to participate in a series of lectures on open issues in physics in 2005. The intended audience is wider and the number of participants greater than at the 1998 meeting but the range of topics will be as exciting. We hope to bring together leaders in the fields who can discuss such topics as What is Gravity, Dark Matter and Energy, Neutrino Physics, Issues in Quantum Physics, String Theories and New Dimensions, Physics of High Energies and Temperatures, A Century of Relativity, Where Physics and Biology Meet, and others yet to be defined.
A major feature of this meeting is the addition of a significant education component to the meeting goals and venue. We are bringing the lecturers together with students and teachers with the hope of putting a human face to the world of physics.
Oooooohhh. Can I go?
Coding
Just been working on my other site. Spent the day tweaking a theme for it. I must say, I like it. It's not as sexy as the old theme, but it's pretty good for my coding skills.
-Tsyko
-Tsyko
Saturday, March 12, 2005
Geek I am!
| You are 40% geek | You are a geek liaison, which means you go both ways. You can hang out with normal people or you can hang out with geeks which means you often have geeks as friends and/or have a job where you have to mediate between geeks and normal people. This is an important role and one of which you should be proud. In fact, you can make a good deal of money as a translator.
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Things that go bump in the night...
So, reading more and thinking more. That is always a dangerous combination. Here is what I am thinking about right now.
Given that the universe is at least as holistic as modern physics thinks it is, perhaps even more, what can we gain by exploring smaller and smaller parts of it to more and more resolution?
I guess that the quandary is as follows. Every part of the universe, from the smallest particle can effect every other part of the universe. We are, in fact, all in this together. By segmenting our knowledge into smaller and smaller disciplines, are we in fact doing our greater good a disservice?
To understand a system, be it a computer system, an engine, or a biosphere - one needs a high level understanding of how all of the pieces and parts interact.
For example - you would never take you car to a person who only knew how spark plugs worked (but knew every last little detail about spark plugs) to get it fixed would you? You would want some one who had a general understanding of the entire thing worked.
Same goes with modern science. We have people who are so tightly focused on their specialties that they cannot see the whole picture. We have people who only think about string theory and how it works, but know little about the structure of distant stars. I would think that generalists who have a good understanding of many fields of study (but not in depth) might be needed. If for nothing more then to keep abreast of all of the developments in all of the fields and try and see where one field might benefit from others.
After all, we have seen that what is true at the microscopic can also be true at the macroscopic.
-Tsyko
Given that the universe is at least as holistic as modern physics thinks it is, perhaps even more, what can we gain by exploring smaller and smaller parts of it to more and more resolution?
I guess that the quandary is as follows. Every part of the universe, from the smallest particle can effect every other part of the universe. We are, in fact, all in this together. By segmenting our knowledge into smaller and smaller disciplines, are we in fact doing our greater good a disservice?
To understand a system, be it a computer system, an engine, or a biosphere - one needs a high level understanding of how all of the pieces and parts interact.
For example - you would never take you car to a person who only knew how spark plugs worked (but knew every last little detail about spark plugs) to get it fixed would you? You would want some one who had a general understanding of the entire thing worked.
Same goes with modern science. We have people who are so tightly focused on their specialties that they cannot see the whole picture. We have people who only think about string theory and how it works, but know little about the structure of distant stars. I would think that generalists who have a good understanding of many fields of study (but not in depth) might be needed. If for nothing more then to keep abreast of all of the developments in all of the fields and try and see where one field might benefit from others.
After all, we have seen that what is true at the microscopic can also be true at the macroscopic.
-Tsyko
Friday, March 11, 2005
Screenshot!
Here is a screenshot from the default install of Ubuntu Linux. They have done a really good job with a sexy look and feel, clean graphics, and a quick system. The only changes that I made from the default was to make the task bars translucent. You can click on the image for a 1:1 scale image - but it's really big.
-Tsyko
Edit: So I guess that size does matter. At the request of several of you, I have made the screenshot on the Blog bigger
Wednesday, March 09, 2005
New Iraq Exit Strategy Announced
(Read the full article - With Pictures!)
I commend Mr. Bush's decision to announce his exit strategy from Iraq. We have needed such a strategy for quite some time, and I think that the troops in the field and the people at home will laud accolades on Mr. Bush for this announcement.
We have needed an efficient and quick exit strategy for quite some time, and this fits the bill. Also, I think that Iran will lend us much assistance, as they must be relived that their long time foe, Saddam is gone.
Bush announces Iraq Exit Strategy: We'll go through Iran
WASHINGTON, DC — Almost a year after the cessation of major combat and a month after the nation's first free democratic elections, President Bush unveiled the coalition forces' strategy for exiting Iraq.
"I'm pleased to announce that the Department of Defense and I have formulated a plan for a speedy withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq," Bush announced Monday morning. "We'll just go through Iran."
Bush said the U.S. Army, which deposed Iran's longtime enemy Saddam Hussein, should be welcomed with open arms by the Islamic-fundamentalist state.
"And Iran's so nearby," Bush said. "It's only a hop, skip, and a jump to the east.
I commend Mr. Bush's decision to announce his exit strategy from Iraq. We have needed such a strategy for quite some time, and I think that the troops in the field and the people at home will laud accolades on Mr. Bush for this announcement.
We have needed an efficient and quick exit strategy for quite some time, and this fits the bill. Also, I think that Iran will lend us much assistance, as they must be relived that their long time foe, Saddam is gone.
LAMP made Easy
Just stumbled across this little chunk of software. Looks really easy.
Now, truth be known, getting Apache, MySQL and PHP running on a modern Linux distro is dead simple. However, on a Windows box - well that's another story. Xammp makes that easy. So, as part of the first step towards breaking your dependance on the Windows Drug - go, get it, and play...
-Tsyko
Now, truth be known, getting Apache, MySQL and PHP running on a modern Linux distro is dead simple. However, on a Windows box - well that's another story. Xammp makes that easy. So, as part of the first step towards breaking your dependance on the Windows Drug - go, get it, and play...
-Tsyko
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