View Thread
 The Prodigal Boson Returns!
|
|
| Photon |
Posted on 09/09/2008 00:57
|
 Super Member  Posts: 164 Joined: 09/06/2008 |
Hello you godless heathens! It's been a very hectic last couple months, and with our atheist websites with the stamina of a 18-year-old virgin, I haven't been around these parts much. House and yard renovations took up most of the summer, and fundraising for a local greyhound association took up some valuable weekends. I'm settling into the second week of the new semester as well, students are the usual pains in the ass, though occasionally entertaining. I told an anecdote and did a demonstration about Xeno's paradox (the race between Achilles and the Tortoise) and its connection to limits and calculus and one student asked if the "tortoise would be on the test". I told him that he needed to be prepared for all the Testudines. No one laughed. Well, I thought it was hilarious. Apparently not a biologist-sympathizer in the crowd. And there I thought I was being clever. Thanks to everyone who has mentioned looking forward to my posts. Way to put the pressure on me to perform adequately. I've enough performance anxiety in...other...areas of life, actually. But, as usual, I'll try to not disappoint. I'd like to say hi to the new members I haven't met as well. For example, Bob of QF's signature had me thinking about a Robert Frost poem, and I couldn't help modifying it. "Two roads departed in silent aether, And happy that I could travel both At the same time along path either And until observed along neither To where I bend, wavelength under growth; Reflection beyond for all to see Some interference with me alone One packet diverged in air, and we - I took both simultaneously, And left striations in lighted tone." Anyway, I hope to be around more often. I have extended breaks in a rather shitty teaching schedule, so I may be around on weekdays, FSM willing. BTW, This site interface is very nice. Thanks to the powers that be in providing this bounty that we can receive. Edited by Photon on 09/09/2008 01:15 |
|
|
|
| neilmarr |
Posted on 09/09/2008 01:04
|
 Major Member  Posts: 749 Joined: 08/04/2008 |
***Reflection beyond for all to see Some interference with me alone One packet diverged in the air, and we - I took both simultaneously, And left striations in lighted tone."*** Superb stuff, Photon. Grand to see you back -- and on such good form. Cheers. Neil |
|
|
|
| catman |
Posted on 09/09/2008 01:48
|
  Posts: 3621 Joined: 08/03/2008 |
Very nicely done, Photon. It's good to see a post from you again.;cat;
"If I owned both Hell and Texas, I'd live in Hell and rent out Texas." - General Sheridan
|
|
|
|
| Skeeve |
Posted on 09/09/2008 07:26
|
  Posts: 2742 Joined: 08/01/2008 |
Yay! Photon! And with your avatar! ;dancejig;
Edited by Skeeve on 09/09/2008 07:26 "The world is my country, and do good is my religion." - Thomas Paine
|
|
|
|
| seeker |
Posted on 09/09/2008 12:22
|
 Posts: 2115 Joined: 08/02/2008 |
Way to live up to the hype;congrats; Glad to see you made it. |
|
|
|
| Doubting Thomas |
Posted on 09/09/2008 13:44
|
 Senior Member  Posts: 1223 Joined: 08/22/2008 |
Good to see you back, Photon.
You're just jealous because the voices are talking to me and not you.
|
|
|
|
| RayvenAlandria |
Posted on 09/09/2008 14:11
|
 Major Member Posts: 978 Joined: 08/02/2008 |
Hi, glad to see you here. |
|
|
|
| Theory_Execution |
Posted on 09/09/2008 14:18
|
|
Senior Member Posts: 1478 Joined: 08/30/2008 |
Welcome back Photon. I actually thought about you today as I was reading The Sun - a trashy British tabloid. The large hadron collider is about to go active and people are fearing the end of the world via a black hole. I was disgusted by the poor knowledge of physics demonstrated in the article, I mean a simple look on wikipedia would have solved the problems of his piece. I nearly picked up a pen and formulated a response to the author, but alas my laziness has grown somewhat. Again, good to see you. |
|
|
|
| Photon |
Posted on 09/09/2008 14:50
|
|
Super Member Posts: 164 Joined: 09/06/2008 |
Thanks everybody for the welcome (back)! Theory_Execution wrote: Welcome back Photon. I actually thought about you today as I was reading The Sun - a trashy British tabloid. The large hadron collider is about to go active and people are fearing the end of the world via a black hole. I was disgusted by the poor knowledge of physics demonstrated in the article, I mean a simple look on wikipedia would have solved the problems of his piece. I nearly picked up a pen and formulated a response to the author, but alas my laziness has grown somewhat. You aren't the first person to associate either trashiness or laziness with dear old Photon. I grew up in a trailer, you know. I should tell you about the time when my father, suitably soused, was showing me some baseball pitching tips in the living room of the trailer, while he had on a bandage on his hand from blood-poisoning contracted after a (drunken) self-inflicted wound with a chain saw, which inevitably led to non-tempered glass all over hell, and a screaming mother. That's a nice picture, huh? And I am a devout follower of the Lord of Procrastination. I've been told I'm his earthly avatar, actually. I'd pray to him about your large hadron collider response issue, but I'll do it later. |
|
|
|
| Hypatia |
Posted on 09/09/2008 17:53
|
 Posts: 2398 Joined: 08/04/2008 |
Frost? That's it? After waiting all this time we get Frost? ;5kidding; Awesome selection Photon, and great to see you here. Hope the kiddies minds and senses will expand and warm up soon. |
|
|
|
| Photon |
Posted on 09/09/2008 19:00
|
|
Super Member Posts: 164 Joined: 09/06/2008 |
Hey, blame Bob of QF. It was his signature that prompted the whole thing. I like the idea of quantum faith. Either you have it or you don't, and until the end wherein it's measured, it matters not one jot or tittle what state it was in during the journey. If I were a deist, that sentiment would fit nicely. Or it could mean that the current position of faith and where the faith position is leading you can never be simultaneously determined with certainty. That wishy-washedness describes most Christian sects, where matters of faith polymorph to the favoured faith-based talking point of the day, regardless of previous arguments or positions. Or maybe it means that "God DOES play dice with the universe", and consequently, you takes your chances with the whole shebang. Or possibly, I've thought about it more than intended, and instead of making you wonder whether I was an ass, I've gone and removed all doubt. Edited by Photon on 09/09/2008 19:03 |
|
|
|
| derF |
Posted on 09/10/2008 00:44
|
 Major Member Posts: 1143 Joined: 08/04/2008 |
So pleased to have you back in the fold Photon. The place finally seems to be shaping up again. Look forward to getting things back to normal. W E L C O M E ! ! !
I'll drink to that. Or anything else for that matter.
|
|
|
|
| catman |
Posted on 09/10/2008 01:40
|
|
Posts: 3621 Joined: 08/03/2008 |
Things were never "normal", and that's definitely a good thing! For some brain-damaged reason, I find myself thinking of "Perry Meson, the Sub-Atomic Attorney". "If I owned both Hell and Texas, I'd live in Hell and rent out Texas." - General Sheridan
|
|
|
|
| derF |
Posted on 09/10/2008 02:24
|
|
Major Member Posts: 1143 Joined: 08/04/2008 |
Normal, was met in context with the way people or our ILK conduct themselves. (Which is definitlely not considered normal by the hierarchy that passes itself off as the right wing zealots who leagally pass themselves off as our political leadership. )
I'll drink to that. Or anything else for that matter.
|
|
|
|
| Jump to Forum: |
