Comments for Life as a Physicist http://gordonwatts.wordpress.com Particle Physicist. In the wild. Fri, 10 Jul 2009 14:50:36 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 Comment on Energy vs Power vs Heat vs Oh no! by Various and Sundry « Not Even Wrong http://gordonwatts.wordpress.com/2009/07/05/energy-vs-power-vs-heat-vs-oh-no/#comment-30341 Various and Sundry « Not Even Wrong Fri, 10 Jul 2009 14:50:36 +0000 http://gordonwatts.wordpress.com/2009/07/05/energy-vs-power-vs-heat-vs-oh-no/#comment-30341 [...] to start circulating beams around the end of October). Gordon Watts has more detail in a recent post, including one of the relevant plots showing the energy vs splice resistance [...] [...] to start circulating beams around the end of October). Gordon Watts has more detail in a recent post, including one of the relevant plots showing the energy vs splice resistance [...]

]]> Comment on Stop Making Fun Of Me! by gordonwatts http://gordonwatts.wordpress.com/2009/07/06/stop-making-fun-of-me/#comment-30323 gordonwatts Wed, 08 Jul 2009 10:04:24 +0000 http://gordonwatts.wordpress.com/2009/07/06/stop-making-fun-of-me/#comment-30323 And they are cheap now - over here they are about 150 euros for an ASUS one (which is pretty nice, btw). I don't understand why more people don't spend the 150 euros. I realize not everyone would, but for those that want to work from home. Then again, I have a friend here in France who refuses to have internet at home - so he makes sure to take some time off. He just stays late at work and goes in on the weekend. Then again, he doesn't have a kid. :-) And they are cheap now – over here they are about 150 euros for an ASUS one (which is pretty nice, btw). I don’t understand why more people don’t spend the 150 euros. I realize not everyone would, but for those that want to work from home. Then again, I have a friend here in France who refuses to have internet at home – so he makes sure to take some time off. He just stays late at work and goes in on the weekend. Then again, he doesn’t have a kid. :-)

]]> Comment on Stop Making Fun Of Me! by Isaac http://gordonwatts.wordpress.com/2009/07/06/stop-making-fun-of-me/#comment-30322 Isaac Wed, 08 Jul 2009 03:41:12 +0000 http://gordonwatts.wordpress.com/2009/07/06/stop-making-fun-of-me/#comment-30322 I feel the same way about 1080p being the only way to go for a serious work station, and if I were in your shoes I would have made the same purchase! I feel the same way about 1080p being the only way to go for a serious work station, and if I were in your shoes I would have made the same purchase!

]]> Comment on Stop Making Fun Of Me! by Richard Smith http://gordonwatts.wordpress.com/2009/07/06/stop-making-fun-of-me/#comment-30317 Richard Smith Tue, 07 Jul 2009 18:57:56 +0000 http://gordonwatts.wordpress.com/2009/07/06/stop-making-fun-of-me/#comment-30317 I wish I was overlooking the sea in France! I wish I was overlooking the sea in France!

]]> Comment on Stop Making Fun Of Me! by anton http://gordonwatts.wordpress.com/2009/07/06/stop-making-fun-of-me/#comment-30313 anton Tue, 07 Jul 2009 02:41:35 +0000 http://gordonwatts.wordpress.com/2009/07/06/stop-making-fun-of-me/#comment-30313 Sometimes see the cartoons to make us want to laugh,but sometimes we feel at criticism. Sometimes see the cartoons to make us want to laugh,but sometimes we feel at criticism.

]]> Comment on LHC News by Energy vs Power vs Heat vs Oh no! « Life as a Physicist http://gordonwatts.wordpress.com/2009/07/03/lhc-news/#comment-30306 Energy vs Power vs Heat vs Oh no! « Life as a Physicist Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:04:43 +0000 http://gordonwatts.wordpress.com/2009/07/03/lhc-news/#comment-30306 [...] vs Power vs Heat vs Oh no! July 5, 2009 Posted by gordonwatts in CERN, LHC. trackback Last post I mentioned the LHC update that was given at a recent meeting at CERN. One cool thing Steve [...] [...] vs Power vs Heat vs Oh no! July 5, 2009 Posted by gordonwatts in CERN, LHC. trackback Last post I mentioned the LHC update that was given at a recent meeting at CERN. One cool thing Steve [...]

]]> Comment on Chamonix: What The LHC Experiments Will Be Doing This Summer by LHC News « Life as a Physicist http://gordonwatts.wordpress.com/2009/02/03/chamonix-what-the-lhc-experiments-will-be-doing-this-summer/#comment-30297 LHC News « Life as a Physicist Fri, 03 Jul 2009 22:52:05 +0000 http://gordonwatts.wordpress.com/2009/02/03/chamonix-what-the-lhc-experiments-will-be-doing-this-summer/#comment-30297 [...] is eager for data. I’ve discussed what I think are some of the pressures on the accelerator division previously. This meeting is a continuing part of that [...] [...] is eager for data. I’ve discussed what I think are some of the pressures on the accelerator division previously. This meeting is a continuing part of that [...]

]]> Comment on Some Official Information and Even Pictures by LHC News « Life as a Physicist http://gordonwatts.wordpress.com/2008/12/05/some-official-information-and-even-pictures/#comment-30298 LHC News « Life as a Physicist Fri, 03 Jul 2009 22:50:11 +0000 http://gordonwatts.wordpress.com/2008/12/05/some-official-information-and-even-pictures/#comment-30298 [...] (electrical connections) in all of the LHC in early August. Those splices are what caused the disaster last September – so it is important that all of them be carefully measured. And once they have [...] [...] (electrical connections) in all of the LHC in early August. Those splices are what caused the disaster last September – so it is important that all of them be carefully measured. And once they have [...]

]]> Comment on ArXiv on the iPhone – Time to get rid of PDF by Jon http://gordonwatts.wordpress.com/2009/05/28/arxiv-on-the-iphone-time-to-get-rid-of-pdf/#comment-30295 Jon Fri, 03 Jul 2009 21:27:00 +0000 http://gordonwatts.wordpress.com/2009/05/28/arxiv-on-the-iphone-time-to-get-rid-of-pdf/#comment-30295 Discussed on slashdot: http://ask.slashdot.org/story/09/07/02/236258/HTML-Tags-For-Academic-Printing?art_pos=9 Discussed on slashdot: http://ask.slashdot.org/story/09/07/02/236258/HTML-Tags-For-Academic-Printing?art_pos=9

]]> Comment on ArXiv on the iPhone – Time to get rid of PDF by ScienceBlogs Channel : Technology | BlogCABLE.COM http://gordonwatts.wordpress.com/2009/05/28/arxiv-on-the-iphone-time-to-get-rid-of-pdf/#comment-30293 ScienceBlogs Channel : Technology | BlogCABLE.COM Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:29:32 +0000 http://gordonwatts.wordpress.com/2009/05/28/arxiv-on-the-iphone-time-to-get-rid-of-pdf/#comment-30293 [...] a similar note, I highly recommend Life as a Physicist who discusses issues with reading pdfs on small mobile displays. I’ve been playing around with some ideas for how [...] [...] a similar note, I highly recommend Life as a Physicist who discusses issues with reading pdfs on small mobile displays. I’ve been playing around with some ideas for how [...]

]]> Comment on Moving Beyond PDF by ScienceBlogs Channel : Technology | BlogCABLE.COM http://gordonwatts.wordpress.com/2009/05/30/moving-beyond-pdf/#comment-30292 ScienceBlogs Channel : Technology | BlogCABLE.COM Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:29:13 +0000 http://gordonwatts.wordpress.com/2009/05/30/moving-beyond-pdf/#comment-30292 [...] a similar note, I highly recommend Life as a Physicist who discusses issues with reading pdfs on small mobile displays. I’ve been playing around [...] [...] a similar note, I highly recommend Life as a Physicist who discusses issues with reading pdfs on small mobile displays. I’ve been playing around [...]

]]> Comment on ArXiv on the iPhone – Time to get rid of PDF by ScienceBlogs Channel : Physical Science | BlogCABLE.COM http://gordonwatts.wordpress.com/2009/05/28/arxiv-on-the-iphone-time-to-get-rid-of-pdf/#comment-30291 ScienceBlogs Channel : Physical Science | BlogCABLE.COM Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:24:26 +0000 http://gordonwatts.wordpress.com/2009/05/28/arxiv-on-the-iphone-time-to-get-rid-of-pdf/#comment-30291 [...] a similar note, I highly recommend Life as a Physicist who discusses issues with reading pdfs on small mobile displays. I’ve been playing around with some ideas for how [...] [...] a similar note, I highly recommend Life as a Physicist who discusses issues with reading pdfs on small mobile displays. I’ve been playing around with some ideas for how [...]

]]> Comment on Moving Beyond PDF by ScienceBlogs Channel : Physical Science | BlogCABLE.COM http://gordonwatts.wordpress.com/2009/05/30/moving-beyond-pdf/#comment-30290 ScienceBlogs Channel : Physical Science | BlogCABLE.COM Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:24:05 +0000 http://gordonwatts.wordpress.com/2009/05/30/moving-beyond-pdf/#comment-30290 [...] a similar note, I highly recommend Life as a Physicist who discusses issues with reading pdfs on small mobile displays. I’ve been playing around [...] [...] a similar note, I highly recommend Life as a Physicist who discusses issues with reading pdfs on small mobile displays. I’ve been playing around [...]

]]> Comment on Following the Money by Gordon Watts http://gordonwatts.wordpress.com/2009/05/22/following-the-money/#comment-30284 Gordon Watts Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:19:04 +0000 http://gordonwatts.wordpress.com/2009/05/22/following-the-money/#comment-30284 I do think 8% will drive them away - and I think that 15% drop will also drive people away from Canada! It is a scale, of course. There are some people that will never leave where they are - because they are loyal or perhaps because of some other consideration (close to parents, etc.). But each time something like this happens it makes people more likely to leave - people go where they can do what they like the easiest! 15% is harsh. So if there haven't been salary cuts, then this must show up in increased costs for various things? 15% hike in prices over the course of a year - that would mean some serious Canada inflation issues! I do think 8% will drive them away – and I think that 15% drop will also drive people away from Canada! It is a scale, of course. There are some people that will never leave where they are – because they are loyal or perhaps because of some other consideration (close to parents, etc.). But each time something like this happens it makes people more likely to leave – people go where they can do what they like the easiest!

15% is harsh. So if there haven’t been salary cuts, then this must show up in increased costs for various things? 15% hike in prices over the course of a year – that would mean some serious Canada inflation issues!

]]> Comment on Following the Money by Jon http://gordonwatts.wordpress.com/2009/05/22/following-the-money/#comment-30283 Jon Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:01:26 +0000 http://gordonwatts.wordpress.com/2009/05/22/following-the-money/#comment-30283 The Canadian dollar has also tanked. Since Canada has a tiny economy, that means that everything costs that much more. It is like a 15% salary cut over the last year, except that the tax scales haven't dropped. I'm just saying, if you think an 8% salary cut will drive people away from UC... The Canadian dollar has also tanked. Since Canada has a tiny economy, that means that everything costs that much more. It is like a 15% salary cut over the last year, except that the tax scales haven’t dropped. I’m just saying, if you think an 8% salary cut will drive people away from UC…

]]> Comment on AF 447: All anyone is talking about by Lynn K. http://gordonwatts.wordpress.com/2009/06/02/af-447-all-anyone-is-talking-about/#comment-30273 Lynn K. Wed, 01 Jul 2009 20:42:58 +0000 http://gordonwatts.wordpress.com/2009/06/02/af-447-all-anyone-is-talking-about/#comment-30273 I know what you mean: I was in 3 flights a couple of weeks ago, in quick succession, that went something like this: Flight 1: San Sebastian --> Madrid in a Dash 8 300 series, over the mountains, it shook sooo badly. I was belted tightly in and still had to hold on to the seat in front of me for dear life. (In severe turbulence, I recommend paying attention to the upward motion as well as the downward motion of the plane: you feel the down more than the up, but for each down there is also an up, and it calms you down about not falling out of the sky). Flight 2: Madrid --> Frankfurt. There was a thunderstorm, and the pilot couldn't land the plane, so we circled the airport at 4500m for 35 minutes with the pilot tilting left and right trying to find a safe approach angle. Man that was scary. Flight 3: Frankfurt --> Vienna, taking off in the same thunderstorm, plane struck by lightning. But, here I am, quite fine, a few weeks later. Immediately after that I felt that no flight could scare me, and I took a few more "Normal" ones in between then and now. Of course, with time that fades and one gets nervous again. How was your transatlantic flight? :) I know what you mean: I was in 3 flights a couple of weeks ago, in quick succession, that went something like this:

Flight 1: San Sebastian –> Madrid in a Dash 8 300 series, over the mountains, it shook sooo badly. I was belted tightly in and still had to hold on to the seat in front of me for dear life. (In severe turbulence, I recommend paying attention to the upward motion as well as the downward motion of the plane: you feel the down more than the up, but for each down there is also an up, and it calms you down about not falling out of the sky).

Flight 2: Madrid –> Frankfurt. There was a thunderstorm, and the pilot couldn’t land the plane, so we circled the airport at 4500m for 35 minutes with the pilot tilting left and right trying to find a safe approach angle. Man that was scary.

Flight 3: Frankfurt –> Vienna, taking off in the same thunderstorm, plane struck by lightning. But, here I am, quite fine, a few weeks later. Immediately after that I felt that no flight could scare me, and I took a few more “Normal” ones in between then and now. Of course, with time that fades and one gets nervous again.

How was your transatlantic flight? :)

]]> Comment on It’s about the work, dummy by anon http://gordonwatts.wordpress.com/2009/06/18/its-about-the-work-dummy/#comment-30259 anon Mon, 29 Jun 2009 11:41:12 +0000 http://gordonwatts.wordpress.com/2009/06/18/its-about-the-work-dummy/#comment-30259 I don't see how seeing the solution to a problem stops learning. When I was an undergraduate working on problem sheets if I got totally stuck, then I went to the library and looked in textbooks for similar problems. Usually I would find one, see the solution to the bit of the problem I was stuck on and be able to solve the rest of the problem on my own. And of course I would remember how I solved the problem the next time and not need a textbook to help, so I had learnt something! Obviously if you just copy the solution blindly without understanding what you are writing you don't learn much, but thats the students choice and probably they will then fail the exam at the end of the course. I guess if the problems are assessed and count towards the final mark doing this is cheating (but in my degree the only assessment was the exam at the end of the course, so actually simply copying the entire solution would be a complete waste of time, as you might as well just not bother doing the problem sheet!). I don’t see how seeing the solution to a problem stops learning. When I was an undergraduate working on problem sheets if I got totally stuck, then I went to the library and looked in textbooks for similar problems. Usually I would find one, see the solution to the bit of the problem I was stuck on and be able to solve the rest of the problem on my own.

And of course I would remember how I solved the problem the next time and not need a textbook to help, so I had learnt something!

Obviously if you just copy the solution blindly without understanding what you are writing you don’t learn much, but thats the students choice and probably they will then fail the exam at the end of the course. I guess if the problems are assessed and count towards the final mark doing this is cheating (but in my degree the only assessment was the exam at the end of the course, so actually simply copying the entire solution would be a complete waste of time, as you might as well just not bother doing the problem sheet!).

]]> Comment on It’s about the work, dummy by Can students post their homework on internet before due date? « Paviavio           http://gordonwatts.wordpress.com/2009/06/18/its-about-the-work-dummy/#comment-30251 Can students post their homework on internet before due date? « Paviavio           Sat, 27 Jun 2009 14:19:30 +0000 http://gordonwatts.wordpress.com/2009/06/18/its-about-the-work-dummy/#comment-30251 [...] write about this incident. Google search, however, still led me to few of them. Here is one of few: It’s about the work, dummy. From Lightspeed, I found the student’s blog posting CS146 Code Issues that indicated he [...] [...] write about this incident. Google search, however, still led me to few of them. Here is one of few: It’s about the work, dummy. From Lightspeed, I found the student’s blog posting CS146 Code Issues that indicated he [...]

]]> Comment on California… off a cliff by gordonwatts http://gordonwatts.wordpress.com/2009/06/22/california-off-a-cliff/#comment-30236 gordonwatts Wed, 24 Jun 2009 07:42:05 +0000 http://gordonwatts.wordpress.com/2009/06/22/california-off-a-cliff/#comment-30236 Recv'd by private communication: "Although the CA budget is not final yet, no-one thinks the cuts will be less than 20% to UC, or less than 8% pay cuts. We are in one big hole! From this year's cuts (before the 20%) we have already lost the photocopier, telephones, voicemail, all supplies etc in Physics. There's nothing left to cut but people." Recv’d by private communication: “Although the CA budget is not final yet, no-one thinks the cuts will be less than 20% to UC, or less than 8% pay cuts. We are in one big hole! From this year’s cuts (before the 20%) we have already lost the photocopier, telephones, voicemail, all supplies etc in Physics. There’s nothing left to cut but people.”

]]> Comment on Back To Marseille by Robert Cudmore http://gordonwatts.wordpress.com/2009/06/20/back-to-marseille/#comment-30233 Robert Cudmore Mon, 22 Jun 2009 22:31:03 +0000 http://gordonwatts.wordpress.com/2009/06/20/back-to-marseille/#comment-30233 Hi Gordon, Lucky guy. I am flying out on July 21 (one way, paris to JFK). In the meantime I am in and out of Marseille: Berlin: June 27 - July 10 (25 euro / night in a sublet!!!) Edinburgh July 10 - July 13 Marseille July 13 - July 19 Paris July 19 - July 21 Email when you get normal side and this time I might be able to meet up with you. Congrats on your 3 months on Marseille!!! Hi Gordon,

Lucky guy. I am flying out on July 21 (one way, paris to JFK). In the meantime I am in and out of Marseille:

Berlin: June 27 – July 10 (25 euro / night in a sublet!!!)
Edinburgh July 10 – July 13
Marseille July 13 – July 19
Paris July 19 – July 21

Email when you get normal side and this time I might be able to meet up with you.

Congrats on your 3 months on Marseille!!!

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