Notes

(Mostly notes to self)

Two interesting short papers today by Wung-Hong Huang. hep-th/0308094 is a short proof that if SUSY is unbroken at the classical level, then it can’t be broken at any level of perturbation theory, even if all the gauge symmetries are broken. Not an unexpected result, but it’s kinda stark – just more evidence of how powerful a symmetry SUSY really is. Need to think a bit about this issue, and what it means for SUSY breaking in the universe.

hep-th/0308095 is an analysis of the statistical mechanics of systems that allow boson-fermion transmuting processes. I need to think a bit about his result – there’s at least one subtle step there – but if it’s correct, then this would be a nice way to think about the stat mech of a supersymmetric gas. (To do: Figure out what the value to his α parameter would be for a given gas, say shydrogen.) I’m not sure if this is good for anything, but (a) imagining what the universe would look like if it were supersymmetric is fun, and (b) this seems like it might have some unexpected uses later, if nothing else in getting a solid feel for some weird kinds of statistical systems.

Published in: on August 14, 2003 at 18:58  Comments (6)  
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Rgh…

For the record: C++ has about half an ass worth of support for actual object-oriented behavior.

I miss Objective-C.

Published in: on August 13, 2003 at 10:39  Comments (8)  
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Damn.

I just got a phone call from one of my old students, who was in my Quantum class maybe 4 years ago. Apparently he’s visiting in town, along with another of my former students (who’s here now as a grad) and they wanted to take me out for a beer now that I’m no longer a TA.

You know, things like this just make me realize how cool teaching is. Especially when your students grow up and succeed.

Published in: on August 11, 2003 at 17:34  Comments (1)  
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Disturbing…

Apparently the people marketing this t-shirt are actually for Schwarzenegger’s candidacy.

Published in: on August 10, 2003 at 21:31  Comments (3)  
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Odd statement

From an article in today’s NY Times:

“I don’t cast my ballot based on learned behavior.”

I’ve been trying to come up with a rational explanation for this sentence, and so far this is the best I can do:

Mr. Eddings (the speaker) is part of a new breed of voter – literally. Thanks to the wonders of modern biotechnology, he has been designed since before birth to enter into a dramatic frenzy of hole-punching and button-pushing whenever shown his programmed party affiliation. These changes are revolutionizing the once-stuffy polling places of a generation ago; already voters are reporting the normal calm and poise of the booths as being replaced with a zoo-like atmosphere, punctuated by the hoots and howls of the major parties and accented by the spectacular plumage displays of the occasional Green Party member.

Party leaders are hopeful that these new technologies will help ensure high voter turnout in an age of increasing apathy. Reports of more extensive engineering — Democrats programmed to form protest marches and Republicans programmed to eat Democrats — have so far been fervently denied by both sides.

Other parties may soon enter the fray, as well. When asked about a rumored “Project Oompa-Loompa,” Ross Perot of the Reform Party answered “You can’t make hay and cut bait at the same time!” Analysts are still trying to determine whether this amounts to confirmation or denial.

Published in: on August 8, 2003 at 09:16  Comments (2)  
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rgh…

Code runs. Code reads in data. Code runs elaborate curve fits, parametric models, calculates useful parameters. Code then writes the input parameters to the output file, instead of the output data.

Of course, I only notice this after the code runs.

Sigh.

Published in: on August 7, 2003 at 17:00  Comments (3)  
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net.toy

This is an amusing toy. It assembles a random filename of the sort typically output by digital cameras, then does a Google image search for that. It’s called the “personal image finder.”

Not a Google product, btw, just something someone came up with which is getting passed around here.

(Hopefully coming soon: The amusing toy thought up by one of my officemates. I’ve informed him that he needs to get this up onto the Labs page, because it’s far, far too entertaining. Details to follow later, hopefully.)

Published in: on August 6, 2003 at 20:25  Comments Off on net.toy  

More on that thought…

Well, as of now it’s 0400, the code may be approaching functionality, and I’ve managed to be the last person here tonight. Hey, I wonder how long until the early-morning-type people show up…

To do: Go home and sleep. For a long time.

Published in: on August 6, 2003 at 04:00  Comments (1)  
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Side note

Coming in to work at 0100 to check on a compute job. Good thing I did; it was, in fact, not working, and right now I’m fixing it so it can run while I sleep.

But interesting to note that the place is still pretty much bustling at this hour, too. I’m not sure if people here ever sleep.

Come to think of it, I’m pretty sure I don’t, all that often, so maybe they don’t either.

Published in: on August 6, 2003 at 01:27  Comments (2)  
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The Lord’s our shepherd, says the psalm, but just in case….

[politics filter]

Interesting article in the NY Times today about the dawning of a second nuclear age, characterized by a much broader (although not as deep) proliferation and the new challenges posed. There’s nothing particularly new or earth-shattering in it, but it does bring up a point which hasn’t been discussed an awful lot, namely the effort the US government is putting in right now towards the design of low- to medium-yield, deep-earth-penetrating nuclear weapons.

It’s interesting because it’s the first design push for a new kind of nuke since the Cold War, and many people are concerned that it could lead to a new arms race, or lower the bar to first use of nuclear weapons, and so on. I’m curious to know what people here are thinking about this issue. I’ve got my own — tentative — opinion, but in the interest of not pre-emptively biasing the conversation, I’ll hide it behind a cut tag

Published in: on August 3, 2003 at 14:24  Comments (3)  
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