xkcd

Having worked in the HEP lab, I've been exposed to a substantial amount of webcomics and videos and the like. Most highly respected of these is xkcd. It's proven itself worthy to stay on my google tiled top sites homepage even. You can find most answers you're looking for about the artist at http://xkcd.com/about/ such as what his favorite astronomical entity is. He also hosts a picture gallery of people on roller coasters playing chess inspired by this comic. A recent comic win:

1 year

"Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. (Proverbs 31:30)"

I picked this verse because I don't use cliche verses often, so when I do, I mean it.

I adore this girl. She's more beautiful with each day.

The Particle Zoo

On the 10/30/09 colloquium talk at the University of Louisville, Heidi Schellman came discussing her research on the Higgs particle at Fermilab. I had the privilege to eat lunch with her at the Speed Art museum with a group of students and faculty, as well as listen to her talk about particle physics at SPS and talk on her research at the colloquium.

Then opening her treasures, she offered us gifts of many flavors (see Matthew 2:11). Bearing gifts, meaning she brought in products from the particle zoo, a self-proclaimed "sweatshop of one" dedicated to making plush particle confections. Below is the dark matter being presented in a display of the piping at CERN.

A description of the Higgs on the particle zoo:

The Higgs Boson is the theoretical particle of the Higgs mechanism, which physicists believe will reveal how all matter in the universe get its mass. Many scientists hope that the Large Hadron Collider in Geneva, Switzerland will detect the elusive Higgs Boson when it begins colliding particles at 99.99% the speed of light. Wool felt with gravel fill for maximum mass. $9.75 plus shipping.

my lab website

Enjoy my HEP(high energy physics) lab website ... complete with contact information, tutorials and kitty cats. Oh and sorry ... no high energy physics just yet. BUT WAIT! THERE'S MORE! (Dr. B reference), I'll be sure to get up some high energy things before too long. I know you're all waiting very patiently.

Sufjan Stevens is the one I love

"All good naysayers" is a great site for tracking anything sufjan related. They didn't have much to say for a while due to sufjan's ability to avoid the limelight, but alas, he's on tour again and performing new songs along with the BQE, which releases next tuesday, October 20th, 2009. It's a must have, and a great present for good friends who love sufjan.

The One I Love from: All the Way from Michigan Not Mars from factory twenty five on Vimeo.

Designated Deriver

So with the help of jarboe and tyler deeb this is what will be going on the math tee shirt. I was pleased with it. Jarboe and I drew on a chalkboard and then Tyler edited it. Ever since I bought this interstates shirt, I have continually enjoyed and appreciated the aesthetic of words being too long to fit on one line. Tyler is great at this. It'll be cool to represent the math department, while appreciating the shirt. i.e. it'll be cool to be in denial about being a nerd.

10 Months