Well, as Summer wedding season is almost upon us, I’d like to urge all of the readers out there, who might be still dithering over what wedding dress to choose, to consider Eri Matsui’s zero gravity wedding dress design, pictured on the right. There it is with gravity, and with no gravity. I suppose you’ll have to also work on how to get all the guests -and the ceremony- at zero gravity as well.

To solve the latter problem, consider booking tickets on the Rocketplane, which will be taking tourists up to space for 15 miutes for about $250,000 each. This will start next year though, so hold those wedding plans.

But wait. While you have this extra time to wait for the Rocketplane ride, get your invited guests to start designing their own space fashion designs. They can enter their sketches into a contest (closing date August 15th), and maybe get them made in time to wear to the wedding, since, as I learned from Dennis Overbye’s article in the New York Times science section, while waiting for a flight on Tuesday**:

[...] the Japanese space agency, JAXA, and Rocketplane Ltd., a space tourism company in Oklahoma, are sponsoring a space fashion contest for clothes that look good in zero gravity. The best designs will appear in a fashion show in Tokyo this fall.

(No, I don’t know what it was doing in the science section either, but, well… just go with the flow, cvj…go with the flow.)

Notable quote:

“I hope ‘fashion in space’ makes everybody happy,” said Eri Matsui, a Tokyo fashion designer who presides over the Hyper Space Couture Design Contest.

Seriously…get sketching! It can add a new dimension to your doodles during those not-so-interesting parts of the meetings at work. Also, designing clothes can be fun, whether you’re entering it into a contest or not.

-cvj

(**Also: Thanks for the reminder, John Branch.)

Ahhh….London. All of a sudden, here I am in South London. It is early in the morning, and everyone is still asleep. I’m sitting here with an excellent cup of tea (title of this post refers to this other post) and a plate of Jacob’s cream crackers (since I’m desperately hungry and it was the only thing I could find without disturbing my host’s kitchen cupboards) and looking at lovely cloud patterns through the window, and some beautiful shafts of morning sunlight from time to time. And I’m listening to the birds…. and some seriously loud snoring from upstairs.

Would not have predicted that I’d be here at this time. Tuesday saw me doing hectic things at work back in LA, as usual. Then I decided. I called the airline, got a seat, and that afternoon (after a mad dash across town, making it to the gate one minute before the flight closed) saw me in the air, headed to London.

And here I am. Purpose of trip? Just to be there for my sister, Carol, who yesterday was giving birth to her first child. All went well. Hurrah! We are an Uncle, again.

What else shall I do while here? Well, I’ve got jetlag, my laptop, and a wireless connection and I’ve three more papers to be working on, using this convenient setup - one came out last week; I’ll be telling you about that physics very soon - and I’ve got several other writing projects to work on…. and I will probably be helping out with things like shopping and other errands from time to time.

And then, when I can get away, I think I’ll go to some old haunts to drink it all in, such as South Kensington, Bloomsbury, and Soho. I’ll go to a John Lewis to buy some household items like one or two more pieces of the Denby Greenwich dining set and a set of placemats and coasters, have a look in some museums and bookshops, and -oh yes- I’ll definitely buy some essential food items to take back with me: Green and Black’s chocolates, Maldon Sea Salt, good English Breakfast tea, etc, etc. (Must also remember to get some Hendrick’s gin on the way back through Heathrow.) See here for a previous haul my mum brought me when she visited last.

Sure, I could get all that latter stuff (but not the gin) from one of the English shops in Santa Monica. But it is such an effort to go all the way over to the West Side. If I’m going to go all the way over there, might as well go all the way to London.

Time for another cup of tea.

-cvj

Immigration has been in the news quite a bit recently, as certain political factions (we are so fair and balanced that we won’t say which ones) are looking to score some cheap points at the expense of immigrants. They will even go so far as to deploy the National Guard at our border with Mexico, since those Guard folks have more or less been sitting around with nothing to do for the last three years.

Alex Tabarrok, who blogs at Marginal Revolution, is attempting to inject some facts into the debate. He is basically libertarian/conservative himself, but there is consensus among economists from either side of the political spectrum on the basic realities of immigration, and he has written an open letter to the President and Congress urging them to take these realties into account. It’s been signed by professional social scientists of all political persuasions (including Brad DeLong on the left); if there are any experts reading, they are welcome to sign it themselves.

Dear President George W. Bush and All Members of Congress:

People from around the world are drawn to America for its promise of freedom and opportunity. That promise has been fulfilled for the tens of millions of immigrants who came here in the twentieth century.

Throughout our history as an immigrant nation, those who are already here worry about the impact of newcomers. Yet, over time, immigrants have become part of a richer America, richer both economically and culturally. The current debate over immigration is a healthy part of a democratic society, but as economists and other social scientists we are concerned that some of the fundamental economics of immigration are too often obscured by misguided commentary.

Overall, immigration has been a net gain for existing American citizens, though a modest one in proportion to the size of our 13 trillion-dollar economy.

Immigrants do not take American jobs. The American economy can create as many jobs as there are workers willing to work so long as labor markets remain free, flexible and open to all workers on an equal basis.

Immigration in recent decades of low-skilled workers may have lowered the wages of domestic low-skilled workers, but the effect is likely to be small, with estimates of wage reductions for high-school dropouts ranging from eight percent to as little as zero percent.

While a small percentage of native-born Americans may be harmed by immigration, vastly more Americans benefit from the contributions that immigrants make to our economy, including lower consumer prices. As with trade in goods and services, the gains from immigration outweigh the losses. The effect of all immigration on low-skilled workers is very likely positive as many immigrants bring skills, capital and entrepreneurship to the American economy.

Legitimate concerns about the impact of immigration on the poorest Americans should not be addressed by penalizing even poorer immigrants. Instead, we should promote policies, such as improving our education system that enables Americans to be more productive with high-wage skills.

We must not forget that the gains to immigrants from coming to the United States are immense. Immigration is the greatest anti-poverty program ever devised. The American dream is a reality for many immigrants who not only increase their own living standards but who also send billions of dollars of their money back to their families in their home countries—a form of truly effective foreign aid..

America is a generous and open country and these qualities make America a beacon to the world. We should not let exaggerated fears dim that beacon.

You’ll read on a blog or hear on the news that it is Bike to Work Day in California on Thursday May 18th. On your way to buy that pint of milk, you’ll smile indulgently at the well-meaning cyclists out there during the whole of California’s Bike to Work Week, trying not to curse them (as perhaps you usually do at other times of the year) for getting in your way as you pilot your nice comfortable car past them, probably over-revving the engine and driving way too close to them as you do so.

You click on one of the websites of a participating local transport organisation and cleverly remark to yourself how amusing it is that the prize you could win for bringing your bike onto their subway, train, or bus system that special day is…. a bike. So if you don’t have a bike, you can’t participate, and so can’t win a bike….which would allow you to participate. Well, maybe you could borrow one and give it a try…..? Anyway…..

You’ll agree that it is in principle a good thing that those cyclists do (and you noted before that you’ve seen many more of them in the last few weeks due to the rising gas prices), and that it is a pity that your own special situation makes it impossible for you to join them, or perhaps use the bus or train, or some combination of them. Or does it? You make a mental note to try it next year. Or perhaps the year after…..

Happy Bike to Work Day!

-cvj

Again, apologies to Girls Are Pretty.

The Bible, whatever it’s other flaws or virtues, is undeniably an impressive compendium of entertaining stories. Of course, it can be tough slogging to read the whole thing from start to finish, suffused as it is with miscellaneous begats and exhortations against the eating of shellfish.

Fortunately, you can now get your Bible stories in easily-digestible comic form, from Holy Bibble. Cannan and Lucas have set themselves the task of rewriting the entire bible as humorous sequential art. Admittedly, some poetic license is occasionally taken with the material — I’m pretty sure there was no trip to Japan in the original Scriptures. But all of the stories are based on real Bible narratives, and you do learn a lot by reading them.

For example, we’ve all heard the story of Lot and his wife. Yahweh had decided to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah for their various sinful activities. Lot, being virtuous, was given advance warning, and fled with his wife and two daughters. But his wife couldn’t resist looking back one last time, and was turned into a pillar of salt. God works in mysterious ways.

But the afterstory is so much more interesting. Lot and his daughters apparently thought they were completely alone, and there was some question as to how the family line would be able to continue. The women decided to take matters into their own hands — they got their father drunk and raped him in order to get themselves pregnant. The scheme worked, and they eventually gave birth to sons who fathered the Moabites and the Ammonites, two rival tribes to Israel.

The unwitting seductions actually happened on two successive nights, so one may question whether Lot shouldn’t have figured out what was going on. On the other hand, his daughters may have had some issues, as Lot had previously offered them up to a rampaging mob of Sodomites. At least, that’s what I gather from the comics; but apparently it’s all in the book.

Cain’s trip to Japan, though — pretty sure they made that up.

Update: David Plotz at Slate blogs the Bible!

I’ve always had a soft spot for Sussex University. When I was an undergraduate and a beginning cosmologist at Cambridge, Sussex had (and continues to have) one of the country’s best cosmology groups, and its members would always give some of the most interesting talks at the U.K. Cosmology Meetings. As a graduate student, postdoc and faculty member in the U.S., I have had a great time visiting Sussex and I have been involved in successful collaborations with several people there. Furthermore, my last Ph.D. student is now a postdoc there.

I have therefore followed with interest the plans to close its Nobel Prize winner-producing and 5-ranked (almost the top grade in the U.K.) chemistry department. It is unthinkable to me that an excellent university like Sussex could contemplate running without a chemistry department, but this is precisely what was proposed by the vice-chancellor. I don’t see how one can claim to have a proper science curriculum, or claim to be an institution that takes science seriously while casting aside one of the pillars of modern scientific knowledge.

So I am delighted to read in The Guardian that a final decision has been made to keep Sussex chemistry, and in fact to strengthen it.

At an extraordinary university council meeting today, members voted to adopt a recommendation from the vice-chancellor, Alasdair Smith, which will see the respected chemistry department retained and expanded to include biochemistry.

Prof Smith had wanted to scrap chemistry and merge it with biology, but his proposal was widely condemned by academics, the Royal Society and the House of Commons science and technology select committee.

The professor maintained that dwindling student numbers had made the chemistry department unviable in its present form, but the head of chemistry, Gerry Lawless, and the Commons committee, which held an emergency hearing into the university’s plans, rejected Prof Smith’s claims.

The article contains the scraps of what must have been some fairly furious academic infighting, with interesting doublespeak like

Earlier this month, the Commons committee described the proposal to close the department as “seriously flawed” and said the decision was handled “particularly ineptly”.

The committee’s highly critical report also accused the Sussex vice-chancellor of failing to make any attempt to save chemistry.

juxtaposed with

Prof Smith, said: “I have always made clear that I hoped the outcome of the process will be to secure a strong future for chemistry at Sussex, as part of the range of excellent academic activities in our school of life sciences.”

But whatever the history, this seems like an excellent outcome for a good institution. Congratulations Sussex!

Hot from the news wires: Tonight, Albert Pujols became the fastest player in major league history to reach 19 home runs during the start of the season. He has 19 home runs in 37 games, breaking the record set by Mickey Mantle in 1956 by 3 games. Can’t wait to see the rest of his season! Barry Bonds and Mark McGwire, eat your heart out - records are made to be broken. (BTW: for the uninitiated, this is serious baseball.)

Today you go outside and find that several of your roses are blooming splendidly, just in time for Mother’s Day. You decide to post a photograph of one of them on the blog, to send good wishes to all mothers everywhere (even where it is not officially Mother’s Day):

Happy Mother’s Day!

-cvj

The Jasmine hedge is in full flower now, and the smell is gorgeous. It is trachelospermum jasminoides (”Star Jasmine”), really. Not a true Jasmine at all, but very reminiscent of Jasmine. I have a true Jasmine vine nearby and there are several similarities. Lots of lovely small scented flowers, looking like stars. See the comparison shot. (On the left is an actual Jasmine. Our friend is on the right.)

Here’s the hedge in full bloom:

You know, I was thinking…

If I ever have a daughter, perhaps I will call her Jasmine. With the agreement of the mother, of course.

Yes…. Jasmine.

Such a lovely name. Such a lovely scent.

Such a lovely flower.

-cvj

Twice in four months. Can’t complain.

Perhaps because (I like to think…not really beleiving it) someone heard about my vision to have more physics out there in the mainstream, and part of the popular culture, there’s been some progress. The New Yorker (and other publications) has had advertisements featuring lots of equations straight from your garden variety theoretical physics notebook. We are not talking about a little postage stamp sized occurence, but a full glossy page of the magazine. This means that somebody realized that one can use physics equations to catch the eye of the general reader and bring them in (to buy your product) rather than frighten them away, which is what is usually assumed by the people who decide on these things.

I think this is progress. See also my recent observation of the appearance of equations being written by the lead in a recent blockbuster movie and you’ll get to thinking that my topsy-turvy reverse-universe I have fun imagining from time to time, where science is part of mainstream popular culture, is starting to become true. Well…. maybe not…but it is nice to imagine.

Here are the two sightings:
Continue reading ‘Theoretical Physics Goes Corporate?’

Wanna smell like dirty socks? Old fashioned folks may opt to forego doing their laundry, or wear weeks-old clothes from a gym locker. But the in crowd has a new option: a perfume based on the aroma of Stilton cheese! Yep, kid you not, the Stilton Cheese Makers Association commissioned an aromatics firm to create Eau de Stilton. It is part of their Stick on the Stilton 2006 campaign, to encourage people to eat more Stilton cheese. The perfume is described as featuring a

symphony of natural base notes including Yarrow, Angelica seed, Clary Sage and Valerian

And the manufacturer claims the scent is more “earthy and fruity” and not like “old socks.” A Stilton association spokesman was quoted as saying:

Blue Stilton cheese has a very distinctive mellow aroma and our perfumer was able to capture the key essence of that scent and recreate it in an unusual but highly wearable perfume

A rather brave female employee of the manufacturer tried out the product and noted

I’ve had the perfume on all day and none of the men complained.

I don’t know about you, but on the rare occasion I sport perfume, I’m looking for a little more than “nobody complained.” I wonder if it makes people hungry? Perhaps a new form of aromatherapy - a perfume that makes you eat cheese?

The cheesemakers are approaching a British model/actress Cat Deeley to hawk the product, with the theme The Cat that got the Cheese (groan…). For those cheese-lovers out there , the perfume will be available on the official Stilton cheese website above. Personally, I’m holding out for Eau d’Epoisse - if you’re going to smell like dirty socks, you might as well go all the way!

Oddly enough, a huge number of people really thought that the utterly hilarious show Down the Line (see here), airing on Tuesdays at 11:00pm on the BBC’s Radio 4, was actually a real phone-in! Rather than seeing it as a wonderful spoof, parody, and commentary (which it clearly is), they thought it was a crass attempt by Radio 4 to broaden the scope of its programming. Angry of Tunbridge Wells got out the pen and paper to write a letter……

For a full discussion, see this lovely Guardian article [update: and this from their blog]. Don’t forget to listen to the episode I posted about.

-cvj

(Thanks Samantha, donncha.)

The weather forecast for the peninsula region of the Bay Area, taken from the National Weather Service webpage:

Looks like the cold spell will be with us for some time:

Anyone doing a low-temperature experiment should head to the Bay Area for the weekend and leave your cryostat systems at home!

PS: Sorry these images are rather blurry - best I could do!

“Fusion” is an important concept in nearly all artistic fields — music, cooking, painting, what have you. Each endeavor tends to feature multiple strongly-identified styles — Mexican food, Japanese food, Ethiopian food…; Jazz, Classical, Rock…; Impressionism, Abstract Expressionism, Pop… — and it is fun to mix and match to obtain exciting new combinations. Here in Chicago, you can visit SushiSamba for Latin/Japanese cuisine, then head over to the Empty Bottle to listen to some jazz/rock hybrid.

Despite the excitement, however, genres do not just blend together to form one homogeneous goop. While styles evolve, they are typically held together by distinct aspects setting them apart from other approaches. (Latin/Japanese fusion will never grow in popularity to displace the authentic cuisines of either region.) This can be informally understood through the concept of a fitness landscape, a function of the underlying variables that describes how successful a certain approach ultimately is. A typical fitness landscape has peaks and valleys, indicating that particular combinations work well together, much better than a random mish-mash. Imagine setting aside our delicate sensibilities for a moment to contemplate a giant “food machine” (or “music machine” or whatever) that can create any dish we want, simply by adjusting the position of a large set of dials. (A thought experiment, okay?) There’s a dial for the amount of jalapeno peppers, another dial for how long the food should be cooked, and so forth. There is a region of dial settings that corresponds roughly to “Japanese food” and another that corresponds to “Latin food.” If we simply adjust the dial setting to be a linear combination of the Japanese and Latin settings, the likely outcome is — some sort of horrifying mush. We would find ourselves in a valley of the fitness landscape where nobody would want to live. In other words, different approaches to cuisine (or other artistic endeavors) tend to cohere into sensible and distinct groupings, and random mixtures between them are unlikely to be an improvement; successful fusion is a delicate art.

Interestingly, however, there is a well-known counterexample to the peaks-and-valleys structure of aesthetic fitness landscapes: human faces. It’s been known for a while now that if you take a selection of randomly-chosen people, and construct a picture by averaging their features together, the result is typically a more attractive person. The phenomenon is extremely easy to notice in examples. Alex Tabarrok at Marginal Revolution writes about an experiment that tested this conclusion. He extracted this figure from Judith Rich Harris’s book No Two Alike. From top to bottom, it shows some actual faces, then the average of two faces, four faces, and so on up to 32 faces.

For an even more striking demonstration, see The Face of Tomorrow, a photography project that takes portraits of random people in certain cities around the world and blends them together (city by city), with the idea that these composite portraits will resemble future citizens in an increasingly interconnected world. (Alas, real heredity doesn’t work that way — stupid discretized genetic code.) Go to The Faces and click on a city to see the composites decomposed into the individual people. The future, I have to say, looks pretty hot.

Finally, the semester is essentially over. Two weeks ago I gave my last class, last week was the final for my Physics 408b class, and yesterday, the students on my Physics 151 class sat their final exam, and except for the final assignment of class grades, which we’ll do on Friday, everything is done. Done Done Done. I can start getting on with more Physics! More on that later.

There’s always one thing or other which is unusual about the events surrounding the final exam for the big (151) class. Last year, one guy -who was always firmly in contact with his sense of humour all through the semester- arrived at the exam room and walked straight up to the front desk and firmly and wordlessly presented me with an apple! He then went and sat down, ready to take the exam. Such dead-pan conjuring up of the classic image is just funny, and he knew it. Picture above. By the way, does anyone know the origin of the student-giving-teacher-an-apple
motif? I don’t actually know.

This year, the unusual event was a bit sad. One student was just overcome by the whole event, and ran out of the exam after forty-five minutes and threw up just outside! I won’t show you any pictures of that, you’ll be pleased to know, but I’m happy to report that it was not gory. He’d only had water that morning. Poor guy just could not get himself settled. I let him sit outside for a bit, to get some fresh air, and reassured him that I’d give him extra time. He eventually went back in, but half an hour later he was back outside again….. He was unable to finish the exam. He kept saying that he was frustrated because he really wanted to finish it because he could see that it was a very do-able exam….but his stomach seemed to think otherwise. Poor guy!

But the main memory from every year -but especially so this year it seems- is the number of students who came up after the final and told me what felt like a heart-felt “thanks for the class this semester”. A number of them said that they really had a great semester because of my class. It’s touching to be told that, I’m happy to admit. And it really makes a difference to hear that, as it encourages one to keep the course fresh every year, knowing that a significant number of students really care, and enjoy it. They are first year students, so this can really help positively launch their four years of learning.

Continue reading ‘Finally’