I wish I could sing. I wish I could act. I wish I could dance. What’s my talent? I don’t count “studying” as a talent haha. And, I need to come up with better titles to my posts! I just picked this title because I like to listen to music while I work on things. The singer is korean, and she is not good at all. I think I’ll be in the korean craze until I finish watching Cinderella Man. I’m on episode 10.

So, I’ve been very stressed…to the point of tears! I hate spending my time on physics theory. It’s just annoying, and it consumes me! It’s turning me in insane. Oh well, like I told a friend, I have to just suck it up. I have 4 more problems left and a few more from Chapter 19. Did I mention that it’s almost 4 am This is what vivarin does to me…I’m going to feel the full effects of not sleeping in a few hours. I don’t even know what the point of sleep is because there’s always so much to do in life. But whatever, I still love to sleep! That’s my talent lol.

I wish I had more self-confidence in myself (i.e. my body image). Not really physically…but in the way that I dress or just how others view me on the outside. I am so superficial. boo! Well, I’m going to treat myself this weekend and go a  mini-shopping spree to buy new clothes. Let’s see how that goes…I think I hate shopping now in general because it’s so boring. It’s always the same type of clothes…

I hope I do well tomorrow on my first physics theory 2 exam. I’m so tired now…I think it’s time for a nap

<3 hellokittyprincess

ISSUE
Quantum entanglement may provide a way to overcome the aliention which many philosophical and psychological writers have claimed has adversely affected humans ever since the copernican revolution. By demonstrating the interconnectedness humans with the universe, quantum entanglement provides an empirical basis for the feeling of oneness with the universe which is often associated with various forms of mystical or religious thought.

BACKGROUND
The last 500 years of western thought, from the enlightenment through modernism and on into post-modernism, has often been read as leading to the conclusion that humanity is alienated from each other and the universe.

Copernicus proposed that we are part of the universe and therefore we must understand what we see, such as the movement of the stars, as what is passing before us as we move through the universe rather than revolving around us as the center of the universe. This has been seen as a displacement of humanity from the center of creation and and therefore from meaning.

Descartes created the schism between mind and body, us and the world, by arguing that we cannot be certain of anything we are told, only what we can establish through reason, by moving from one logical proposition to the next, through the cogito as he put it. These arguments were extended by Hume who argued that not only can we not be sure of our assumptions, we cannot be sure of the evidence of the senses, so arguing from observations is dubious.

Similarly, Darwin and Einstein have been read as downgrading our place in the universe. Darwin tells us we are just a small part of a very long evolution here on earth, and Einstein that this in turn is only a part of a huge process of universe expansion. The conclusion some have drawn from these developments is that we are an insignificant part of a universe and that this is a cause for concern.

Then in the early 20th century it was found that at the quantum, or sub-atomic level, particles are wave mechanicss and the outcome of events cannot be known, only estimated as a probability, furthermore, the outcome of such events is not determined until it is observed by us, the conscious observer. This means the very foundation of our world is strange and uncertain, alien.

Worse still the post-modernists have argued that not only are we an insignificant part of the universe but we cannot know anything about the universe with certainty because there is no reliable basis for knowledge, as all truth is relative.

These conclusions seem to alienate us from each other and nature, and it has been argued they contributed to the atomisation and individualistion of life in the late 20th century.

COMMENT
This post will argue the opposite, that in fact they provide the physical basis for universalist philosophies that emphasise the interconnectedness of all things in the universe. Far from alienating, us these discoveries bring us more into relation with the world.

It will seek to demonstrate that each of these arguments can be reworked to form the opposite finding, that each in their own way, Copernicus, Descartes, Darwin, Einstein and quantum physics theory show that we are part of creation. In addition it will argues that when added to another insight of quantum mechanics, quantum entanglement, these arguments collectively demonstrate that humanity is the opposite of aliented. Rather, we are literally made of the stars and integrated with the universe more profoundly than envisaged even by the most mystical of religious traditions.

Copernicus
As Copernicus argued, and Galileo found, the world is not be the center of the universe but it, and us, are part of it, we move to the same forces as it and are therefore seamlessly integrated within the cosmic dance. The harmony of the spheres as the ancient greeks would have called it.

Descartes
If the mind is a product of the working of the body and the world, then the mind is part of creation. The mind cannot be some disembodied cogito seeking to understand creation with no access any certain information about creation because it is a product of creation. What we establish by thought is as much a part of creation as creation itself.

Darwin
We may not be different from animals, or even the pinnacle of ongoing evolution, but we are sisters and brothers of our fellow creatures. One with them as products as the same ongoing process of evolution.

Einstein and quantum physics theory
There is no escaping that we are tiny in the context of the scale of the Einsteinian universe. However, firstly we are part of it, and being conscious, able to learn about it and understand it to some extent which is remarkable. Secondly, quantum physics theory has demonstrated that the outcome of events at the quantum, or sub-atomic, scale is not determined until it is observed by us, the conscious observer. This means that although the very foundation of our world is strange and uncertain, we conscious observers are far from alien, in contrast we are central to it.

Post-modernism
Rather than seeing uncertainty as alienating us from each other, due to lack of certainty about our knowledge and therefore uncertainty about our connection to the world and each other, we can now celebrate that each of us has a subjective experience of the universe and to some extent therefore lives in a different universe but we can share our separate experience. We could conclude from this that subjectivity confirms our connection rather than disconnection to the world and each other.

Quantum entanglement

An empirical basis for mysticism
The universe may be inhuman but humanity is of the universe. Therefore, we do not need to search for unity with the cosmos, we cannot escape it. We simply need open our arms and breathe in. Our unity with the universe is physical not metaphysical, or metaphorical.

RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that
- religious thinkers and theologians no longer propose spiritual paths as the way to oneness with the universe as it is now known to be physical fact rather than than a religious teaching, and
- political commentators and psycologists refrain from claiming that feelings of aliention are a necessary consequence of western philosophical thought, but look rather to the socio-economic condition of those in society that act and feel alienated.

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Song of the moment: “Voodoo Child” by Rogue Traders

Today started much too early (as anything involving my parents is wont to do). We drove down to Thermopolis, which is arguably one of the prettiest areas in Wyoming- it actually bears a striking resemblance to the southwest portion of the US, with rich red soil and gorgeous mesas. There, we wandered through the Wyoming Dinosaur Center. The place itself is not much to look at. Observe:

Yes, it's really that ugly on the outside

Inside, however, it’s a different story:

It looks like something out of a science fiction movie

Oh shit, son

Yes, those are my parents in the corner… YES, they are like that all the time

Siblings

That's called acting, children

You can almost smell the science

Industrial. Kitchens.

After that exciting jaunt, we went to Hot Springs State Park. I almost fell in the gross hot springs (yeah, I’m just that good), I got a sunburn, and the air reeked of horse dung and sulphur. Overall, a pretty good time, actually.

Upon returning home, I returned to my lacy heaven of two days ago… turns out, the Victoria’s Secret sale included online purchases. I bought more lingerie. I cannot wait for it to arrive. Despite the fact that I know these purchases are frivolous and that nobody but me is seeing this shit anyway, I’m a sucker for sexy underthings. Oh well.

Then, it was time for dinner with Vlad. Drove over to Cody, where Tatyana greeted me at the door. She speaks broken English, so understanding one another was sometimes a little tricky. Vlad, on the other hand, is fluent in both Russian and English, so he helped out the few times we hit a serious snag.

Let me tell you this: these two were absolutely wonderful. I had the best time with them. Vlad told me about his father, who served in the Red Army during the Bolshevik Revolution and in WWII (which I’m actually reading about right now, so I was doubly fascinated). He had this amazing collection of old photographs of Moscow, Leningrad (now St. Petersburg), and Voronezh (where his family was originally from). Tatyana’s family was from somewhere in the Urals (I can’t remember where, exactly- remember, I’m not familiar with Russian history/geography or the language, so I have a hard time with the names and places).

Anyway, I could blather on about them all day. Suffice to say, they are extraordinary people. Vlad is actually a nuclear physicist (which, naturally, sparked one hell of a scientific conversation- I have never been able to relate to someone on that level, scientifically, before). How fantastic is that?

Tatyana is also an amazing cook. Now, I’ve never had any authentic Russian cuisine before, but I can’t imagine it getting much better than this. We had borsch and Studen’ with carrots, a simple green salad, and for dessert, this totally delicious cake-like thing called (get this) a Charlotte Russe.

That’s right. For years now I’ve been shopping at a store named after a Russian dessert. That’s pretty strange.

The food was phenomenal, but the meal was really heavy. There’s no way I could eat like that all the time (especially during the summer, when I’m prone to eat one tiny meal a day). Still… hot damn, Tatyana can cook. I wish I was sticking around here longer, as she wanted me to come over and help her make pirozhki one night. It would be so much fun to cook with her.

And yes, I had to look up all the names of those dishes, so that I spelled them correctly.

Bonus link of the day: An extraordinarily cute and sad little comic. It’s true, though. Sometimes, we do get lonely.

D – Drew. My name. Also the the past form of the verb meaning to produce a picture or diagram by making lines and marks.

D – Dennis. The best name ever. Might I go as far as to say Best name EVAR? I JUST MIGHT.

Q – Queer Quark. Not only is it a subatomic particle, but it was also the name of the dog in Honey, I Shrunk the Kids! Wow! You learn something new every day, don’t ya?

5 – Um… the number of… fingers… on Batman’s left hand. And 99% of everyone else’s, but Batman really works it, you know?

The article “Minds on Fire” suggests that traditional idea of lecture-based learning needs to be re-thought given the current technological advances. Learning needs to be viewed as participation in a community which allows students to acquire knowledge  when the need arises. This new approach to learning is not so new as many teachers have used labs and projects to encourage student interaction but not necessarily using the internet. Let me provide an example of how the web 2.0 of blogs and Facebook has opened up new learning opportunities.

As a young high school running coach, I don’t have much knowledge when it comes to planning running workouts, injury prevention and various the components which go into coaching a cross country or track team. Books, websites and videos have provided me with information but it is difficult for me to apply it to my particular situation. Unfortunately, I am the only distance running coach in my school so the opportunities for collaboration are few. The best resource I have found so far is a blog by professional running coach, Jay Johnson. Jay posts his workouts, strength routines and everything else that goes into training his runners on his blog. On top of that, he engages in dialogue through the comment section, direct email and Twitter with other athletes and coaches around the country. Being able to participate in this dialogue and email Coach Jay has helped me grow immensely as a coach. I can get affirmation and guidance from him and other coaches without ever meeting them face to face. Jay uses a variety of mediums such as slide presentations, online videos as well as the blog and Twitter mentioned above.

In a high school science classroom, I foresee this new approach to learning helping in areas such as using equations to solve story problems. One of the biggest problems students have in physics theory is knowing when to use which equation and how. There are a lot of tricks and exceptions in physics theory which make this a difficult process. I demonstrate these problems in class but students usually write down a few steps and the answer without the explanation. If I uploaded a few example problems to a website using VoiceThread, students could have that as a resource. Students could also be required to write and solve their own story problems and then critique someone else’s. I could monitor these discussions and provide information or clarity when needed.

Socially constructed learning involves learning in an online or physical community. Information is provided when it is needed and learning is achieved through collaboration. By using blogs, VoiceThreads and other media, learning can take place in a guided environment outside of the classroom and at the student’s own pace.

Coach Jay Johnson

Two UQ Science researchers have proved two famous physical laws that have been widely used for the past 25 years do not always work.

Dr Tony Roberts and PhD student Christophe P. Haynes, from the School of Maths and physics theory, showed the fractal-Einstein and Alexander-Orbach laws can fail in some instances, and have derived a new law to replace them.

Dr Roberts said this new discovery had implications for predicting material properties; how disease spreads through society; mapping how wild animals forage for food; and improving the internet.

“We demonstrated unequivocally that two ‘exact’ foundational laws of fractal science, which have been cited over 2000 times in the scientific literature, can fail for a class of fractals,” he said.

“These are the first definitive counter examples to these laws.

“Given that our key equation solves a number of old and new problems, we believe we have discovered a ‘missing’ equation from fractal physics theory that will have important implications.”

Dr Roberts said the laws in question were used to describe how particles diffuse in complex environments, which lies at the heart of range of big scientific questions.

“Imagine you have an animal that can search for food in one of two valleys, one narrow, with many side branches, and the other wide, with only a few side tracks,” he said.

“Under the old laws, the probability of the animal locating food in either valley was equal, regardless of which was easier. Intuitively we can see that this just isn’t the case.

“But our new law takes into account the differences in the valleys, predicting the time it takes for the animal to find food is significantly longer in the difficult valley.”

via UQ researchers break the law — of physics theory.

(Mad Lib Quip:) Ah, the well known fractal-Einstein law …  I was kind of hoping they’d break the law of ________ .

The scientists at a local research institute (that shall remain nameless) spent the last couple of weeks calculating their h-indices. Some of them are probably still doing it.

While the impetus for this research came from the top — they were asked to submit their h-index, citations and total impact factor every year for the last five years — it seems that many if not all took a real interest in calculating their own h-indices and everybody else’s, too. And comparing them, of course.

The h-index was of course at the centre of discussions. Few of the scientists knew the definition of the thing, and often misunderstood the definition even when it was explained to them. Not that it is particularly difficult — your h-index is the largest number n such that you have n papers with n or more citations each.  The way to calculate this is to arrange one’s papers in descending order of citations. Then your h-index is n if at the n-th place in this list you find a paper with n or more citations, and at the (n+1)st place you find  a paper with less than (n+1) citations. So if your h-index is 10, that means you  have 10 papers with 10 or more citations, but not 11 papers with 11 or more citations.

Of course you need to know the citations of your papers in order to do this. For high-energy physics theory, gravitation and cosmology or astrophysics theory, there is SPIRES. Or you could go to Google Scholar. There are also a couple of expensive options, the ISI Web of Science (WoS) and SCOPUS, neither of which may be accessed without an institutional subscription of about Rs.10 lakhs per year.

Of these SPIRES is undoubtedly the best in many ways, if — and that is indeed a big if — you stick to only high-energy physics theory, and maybe gravitation and cosmology. Astrophysics theory was included in their database comparatively recently, I am not sure how well astro papers are covered. But if your paper is cited by mathematicians — not particularly unusual — that citation is unlikely to get into SPIRES. Google records almost all papers and citations (yes, `almost’), but records many things more than once, so it is considered rather unreliable. WoS does not record citations from conference papers or unpublished preprints. I have not used SCOPUS, but I have been told by those who have that it is not better (in the sense of being more inclusive) than WoS.

The bosses generally prefer WoS, because a) they don’t do high-energy physics theory, and b) like many people they believe that if you pay lots of money for something, what you get is worth the money you pay for it. What they want is not just a number, they want to feel good about themselves, and they want something to boast about. If they have a high h-index or citation count, they feel comfortable advising the (relatively) junior scientists what they should work on, with whom, and so on, without being told to jump into the nearest body of water. Of course they are mostly safe from such abuse anyway, since the Indian middle class is unduly polite to people in power, and service rules of government scientists can be used to take disciplinary action against those who dare utter such things. In fact at the institute of this story the scientists were threatened with disciplinary action if they failed to submit the numbers. So the bosses don’t bat an eyelid when told that they have to squander millions of rupees of public money in order to get a boost to their vanity.

And they groom the next rung of scientists into this habit of comparing their h-indices the lengths of their citation lists.