BAGHDAD (AP) -- Iraq's prime minister vowed Thursday to fight ''until the end'' against Shiite militias in Basra despite protests by tens of thousands of followers of a radical cleric in Baghdad and deadly clashes in the capital and the oil-rich south.
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Thursday, March 27, 2008
Iraq and the American Election
You can read below two articles on the war in Iraq. The US is getting ready to elect a president in November. As I have noted here the last few days, the American economy is in disrepair. Here I write as simple as possible as to the development of events in the US from now to November regarding the election.
If the Bush administration lied about the extent of the economic collapse, the US response to Sadr's challenge can only be limited. According to Joseph E. Stiglitz the US is committed to three trillion dollars already in this effort. The US is fighting the war practically alone, Mexico during the Fox administration, did not support this adventure, and very few did. Anthony Blair from England and José María Aznar from Spain did, and as a consequence they lost their power. Fox's party, Partido de Acción Nacional, is still in power.
After reading Patrick Cockburn's piece in The Independent from London, appears to me that General Petraeus, even with his Ph.D. degree, does not understand poor Third World people. According to Cockburn, the Americans have been unable to control Moktada al-Sadr, because they did not expect a poor cleric to be much of an enemy. Saddam Hussein made the same mistake.
If there is not much money for that war, as seems to be the case, events in Iraq will affect the American election.
Who is more likely to be elected?
Counting on past experience, fear is likely to be a factor. If the American people want to be protected from al-Sadr, McCain will win. If the electorate is wise and wants to save money, Obama will be the next President of the United States. If they do not know what to do, four more years of Clinton are in the offing.
Whoever reads my blog, should know by now, that I have very little regard for predictions, even less about the future. In any case, there you have it.
If the Bush administration lied about the extent of the economic collapse, the US response to Sadr's challenge can only be limited. According to Joseph E. Stiglitz the US is committed to three trillion dollars already in this effort. The US is fighting the war practically alone, Mexico during the Fox administration, did not support this adventure, and very few did. Anthony Blair from England and José María Aznar from Spain did, and as a consequence they lost their power. Fox's party, Partido de Acción Nacional, is still in power.
After reading Patrick Cockburn's piece in The Independent from London, appears to me that General Petraeus, even with his Ph.D. degree, does not understand poor Third World people. According to Cockburn, the Americans have been unable to control Moktada al-Sadr, because they did not expect a poor cleric to be much of an enemy. Saddam Hussein made the same mistake.
If there is not much money for that war, as seems to be the case, events in Iraq will affect the American election.
Who is more likely to be elected?
Counting on past experience, fear is likely to be a factor. If the American people want to be protected from al-Sadr, McCain will win. If the electorate is wise and wants to save money, Obama will be the next President of the United States. If they do not know what to do, four more years of Clinton are in the offing.
Whoever reads my blog, should know by now, that I have very little regard for predictions, even less about the future. In any case, there you have it.
Who is Muqtada al-Sadr?
As Iraq dissolves into civil war, few men wield more power on its bloodstained streets than Muqtada al-Sadr. In just four years, his potent blend of Shia nationalism, enforced by the 70,000-strong Mehdi Army, has made him a hero to millions - and put him top of America's hit list. But does the future rest in his hands? Patrick Cockburn reports
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Thousands in Baghdad Protest Basra Assault
BAGHDAD — Thousands of supporters of the powerful Shiite cleric Moktada al-Sadr and his Mahdi Army militia took to the streets of Baghdad on Thursday to protest the Iraqi Army’s assault on the southern port city of Basra, as intense fighting continued there for a third day.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
López Obrador returns to Mexican spotligh
Flags are waving in the warm evening light in the Zócalo, Mexico City’s main square, and thousands of people have gathered to hear Andrés Manuel López Obrador, leader of the country’s left, speak out against the government’s imminent energy reform proposals.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
God Damn America Especially Pennsylvania By Greg Palast
The kids were snoozing so I drove along the back roads skirting the Lackawanna River on a dawn hunt for black coffee and a newspaper.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Monday, March 24, 2008
‘Minister of Ideas’ Tries to Put Brazil’
BrasíliaWHEN Roberto Mangabeira Unger looks at Brazil, the country of his birth, he sees a “big, seething caldron of life, whose most salient characteristic is its vitality.”
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read more | digg story
Plebanski Action
When we again do the compactification trick we find the Plebanski action
S = ∫T4d4xϵabcd[BcdKFKab + ΦIJBIabBJcd]
You can read this new derivation of the Plebanski action in the recent article by Lee Smolin Matrix universality of gauge and gravitational dynamics.
Smolin ends his article with the following:
"Conjecture: There is a universality class of cutoff background independent theories of connections, which are all equivalent to each other in the sense that there are transformations that map the degrees of freedom of any one into the degrees of freedom of the other, preserving the equations of motion. Representatives of this equivalence class include general relativity in d = 4 coupled to Yang-Mills theory for any U (N ) (plus certain degrees of freedom required to complete the unification) as well as Chern-Simons theory, matrix Chern-simons theory, as well as the matrix model (2)."
Where (2) is:
S = TrM3
His final conclusion is:
"If true, this hypothesis imply that the question of why particular laws and degrees of freedom are observed in our universe is just part of the question of what chooses the initial conditions in cosmology. A universality of dynamics such as conjectured here would mean that the question of what is the ”ultimate theory” may play as minor a role in physics as the choice of physical computer plays in computer science."
The ideas in this article have been discussed with Roberto Mangabeira Unger, one of the leading thinkers of our time.
S = ∫T4d4xϵabcd[BcdKFKab + ΦIJBIabBJcd]
You can read this new derivation of the Plebanski action in the recent article by Lee Smolin Matrix universality of gauge and gravitational dynamics.
Smolin ends his article with the following:
"Conjecture: There is a universality class of cutoff background independent theories of connections, which are all equivalent to each other in the sense that there are transformations that map the degrees of freedom of any one into the degrees of freedom of the other, preserving the equations of motion. Representatives of this equivalence class include general relativity in d = 4 coupled to Yang-Mills theory for any U (N ) (plus certain degrees of freedom required to complete the unification) as well as Chern-Simons theory, matrix Chern-simons theory, as well as the matrix model (2)."
Where (2) is:
S = TrM3
His final conclusion is:
"If true, this hypothesis imply that the question of why particular laws and degrees of freedom are observed in our universe is just part of the question of what chooses the initial conditions in cosmology. A universality of dynamics such as conjectured here would mean that the question of what is the ”ultimate theory” may play as minor a role in physics as the choice of physical computer plays in computer science."
The ideas in this article have been discussed with Roberto Mangabeira Unger, one of the leading thinkers of our time.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Rickard Falkvinge
Rick Falkvinge is a swedish businessman. Very young and original. Below you can read his analysis of our economic situation. He is no Stilgitz, nor Krugman, but at least he has money in the economics game, unlike me. Maybe you can learn from his insights.
Mr. Falkvinge has jewels like:
"One prominent US economics professor recommends immediate investments in precious metals: "gold, silver, and copper-jacketed lead"."
I myself do not know what to do, even less what advice can I give you.
Mr. Falkvinge has jewels like:
"One prominent US economics professor recommends immediate investments in precious metals: "gold, silver, and copper-jacketed lead"."
I myself do not know what to do, even less what advice can I give you.
Why the US is collapsing.
Swedish Pirate Party leader Rick Falkvinge predicts impending doom for US economy and status as a super-power in an analysis from a historical perspective. Also ties to IP framework.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
The Republican Resurrection By FRANK RICH
THE day before Barack Obama gave The Speech, Hillary Clinton gave a big speech of her own, billed by her campaign as a “major policy address on the war in Iraq.” What, you didn’t hear about it?
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read more | digg story
Friday, March 21, 2008
I leave Economics to the Pros
Yesterday I posted Stiglitz, now Krugman. They do a better job than I do. Krugman tells us today that we had it coming. More regulation is needed, and I feel it coming. Of course John McCain can still win, and then I guess 2012 will be our end.
Partying Like It’s 1929 By PAUL KRUGMAN
If Ben Bernanke manages to save the financial system from collapse, he will — rightly — be praised for his heroic efforts.
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read more | digg story
Thursday, March 20, 2008
State of the Economy
I leave it to the pros. Read Stiglitz's views in the note below. I like his clear and precise language. Obviously he is in our side, not in the side of the rich people that got bail out in Bear Stearns.
US economist calls financial crisis worst since 1930s
"They didn't want Americans to know exactly how bad the war was for the economy so they flooded it with liquidity, they looked the other way with regulations and they deliberately, I think, postponed the problem into the future and now we're paying the price."says Stiglitz,Nobel winner in economics
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Economic Prediction
I give up.
Gold and Oil down (See below).
Some agents are behind these developments. I am not them, I cannot predict what they will do tomorrow, anymore that I know what you reader are thinking right now. All I know, is that I am out of the loop.
Gold and Oil down (See below).
Some agents are behind these developments. I am not them, I cannot predict what they will do tomorrow, anymore that I know what you reader are thinking right now. All I know, is that I am out of the loop.
Oil and Gold Prices Continue to Plummet
The plummeting price of oil and gold on Thursday provided relief for consumers concerned about inflation, even as some investors wondered whether one of the last safe spots in a tumultuous market was beginning to collapse.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Arthur C. Clarke, Writer, Dies at 90
Clarke is the author of more than 100 books, including "2001: A Space Odyssey."
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Arthur C. Clarke
This great man is dead. If he would have lived until 2045 maybe he could have lived forever. Ray Kurzweil is doing all that is possible in his life to get to that Singularity when we will join the highest forms of life in the Universe.
As Clarke and Kubrick presented in their classic film 2001, there is a time when we can move towards eternal future. Maybe that time is 2045.
I will be 96 that year. Maybe I can make it.
As Clarke and Kubrick presented in their classic film 2001, there is a time when we can move towards eternal future. Maybe that time is 2045.
I will be 96 that year. Maybe I can make it.
Life From Star to Star
I am reading Chris Impey's book "The Living Cosmos". He writes that for a rock to go from star to star it only takes a few hundred thousand years, as opposed to the millions of years it takes the same rock to go from Mars to the Earth. The difference is the big number of collisions the second trip has, compared to almost no collisions in the interstellar space.
Maybe our life came from another star, or maybe we can send life to another star. One just needs to plan.
Professor Jay Melosh researched this proposal and called it Transpermia. Now it is known as Panspermia.
Maybe our life came from another star, or maybe we can send life to another star. One just needs to plan.
Professor Jay Melosh researched this proposal and called it Transpermia. Now it is known as Panspermia.
Gold, Up or Down?
Today gold went down. I give up. This prediction in economics is impossible. If I knew I would be a millionaire. Only if one has as much money as Warren Buffet, can one play in this big roulette game we call the economy.
Five Years of War
Robert Fisk writes:
"How easily the little men took us into the inferno, with no knowledge or, at least, interest in history. None of them read of the 1920 Iraqi insurgency against British occupation, nor of Churchill's brusque and brutal settlement of Iraq the following year."
Translation in Mexico City's La Jornada:
"Con cuánta facilidad los hombrecitos nos llevaron al infierno, sin ningún conocimiento de historia o al menos sin ningún interés por ella. Ninguno leyó de la insurgencia iraquí contra la ocupación británica de 1920, ni del brusco y brutal arreglo que dio Churchill al conflicto el año siguiente."
You can read his piece in the note below.
"How easily the little men took us into the inferno, with no knowledge or, at least, interest in history. None of them read of the 1920 Iraqi insurgency against British occupation, nor of Churchill's brusque and brutal settlement of Iraq the following year."
Translation in Mexico City's La Jornada:
"Con cuánta facilidad los hombrecitos nos llevaron al infierno, sin ningún conocimiento de historia o al menos sin ningún interés por ella. Ninguno leyó de la insurgencia iraquí contra la ocupación británica de 1920, ni del brusco y brutal arreglo que dio Churchill al conflicto el año siguiente."
You can read his piece in the note below.
The only lesson we ever learn is that we never learn
An article by the great journalist Robert Fisk. Of course you never find his articles in the US media.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Gold Towards $1000 Again
As I predicted yesterday, gold went up.
Ben Bernanke's gimmicks did not work. Sure, investors sent the Dow soaring, but to me that looks more like taking advantage of the gift, than a real change in fundamentals. As Paul Volcker said yesterday in Charlie Rose's program: Fanny Mae and Freddie Mac have to take care of this mess with government control. The private sector has failed to manage the mortgage industry.
Now all of us have to act more rational and stop spending money we do not have. Party is over.
Ben Bernanke's gimmicks did not work. Sure, investors sent the Dow soaring, but to me that looks more like taking advantage of the gift, than a real change in fundamentals. As Paul Volcker said yesterday in Charlie Rose's program: Fanny Mae and Freddie Mac have to take care of this mess with government control. The private sector has failed to manage the mortgage industry.
Now all of us have to act more rational and stop spending money we do not have. Party is over.
The REAL Eliot Spitzer Story No One Is Talking About
While Eliot Spitzer was paying an escort, Ben Bernanke was handing over $200 billion to mortgage bank industry speculators—handing windfalls to the banking predators who have brought two million families to the edge of foreclosure. There was one single, lonely politician who stood in the way of this happening: Eliot Spitzer.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
What Does Dow Surge 420 Points Mean?
Is it consistent with my prediction that today the Dow Index went up 3.5% ?
I am predicting an increase in the price of gold for lack of confidence on the Bush team. This good news for investors in the short term means that they got what they wanted, as Greg Palast explains in the piece above, following the money, one can see that these actors are very much active indeed. They got the cash they wanted to keep playing roulette with our money and today they are happy. I am still expecting as the Bush administration starts to pack at the end of this year, that these same investors will start moving where they feel safer,to gold. For how long? I really don't know.
I am predicting an increase in the price of gold for lack of confidence on the Bush team. This good news for investors in the short term means that they got what they wanted, as Greg Palast explains in the piece above, following the money, one can see that these actors are very much active indeed. They got the cash they wanted to keep playing roulette with our money and today they are happy. I am still expecting as the Bush administration starts to pack at the end of this year, that these same investors will start moving where they feel safer,to gold. For how long? I really don't know.
Dow Surges 420 Points on Fed Rate Cut and Earnings
Casting aside any hesitation about an aggressive interest rate cut, investors sent stocks soaring to their highest gains in five years on Tuesday as shares of financial firms surged in the hopes that the Federal Reserve has finally taken hold of the credit crisis. The Dow Jones industrial average gained 420 points.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
What Does 0.75 Percent Mean?
In the note below you can read about the historic decision by the Federal Reserve in its meeting today to DECREASE the interest rate 3/4 percentage points below of its previous value.
What does this mean?
I assiduously read Paul Krugman's analyses on fundamental economic events in the New York Times. But today I prefer to put my mind around this historic event.
If you look at the chart the NYT presents with these news, the interest rate went down faster than it went up from 2004 to 2006. Collapses are almost always faster than climaxes in coming. This must be a law of economics. It is harder to build than to destroy.
At the risk of sounding like a Monday morning sport analyst, here is my assessment:
I will try a physicist analysis, even economists have tried this method in the past. In my view, money is like heat, and public confidence like information or negative entropy. Energy is more akin to an ounce of gold in this analogy, or nowadays a barrel of oil. This first take on the problem assumes that there is little gold coming into the system, or oil for that matter. That is, we have a closed system.
As you can see here today the price of gold went down. It was already at $1000.00 per ounce, now it is at $976.00.
According to the Second law of Thermodynamics, for a closed system, all thermodynamic processes increase entropy.
In my analogy, or metaphor, I take this to mean that most of the time agents loose credibility. An increase in entropy is equivalent to a loss of credibility. The graph I refer to above, can be taken as a measure of public confidence in the economic management team of the Bush administration. It took them a lot of time, two years, to achieve what they just lost in a few months. One can request more money from investors, if they trust the team selling the product, in this case loans in American dollars. The US seems to be in an out of business sale!
In real dollars, taking inflation into account, the US rate is negative. The US government is paying customers to get its product. Customers would not even have it for free, the US has to pay them to borrow dollars!
As I see this rate drop, this marks the beginning of the decline of the US Empire.
I predict that today's movement in the gold market is going to reverse itself when the Bush Administration runs out of gimmicks to save the day.
What does this mean?
I assiduously read Paul Krugman's analyses on fundamental economic events in the New York Times. But today I prefer to put my mind around this historic event.
If you look at the chart the NYT presents with these news, the interest rate went down faster than it went up from 2004 to 2006. Collapses are almost always faster than climaxes in coming. This must be a law of economics. It is harder to build than to destroy.
At the risk of sounding like a Monday morning sport analyst, here is my assessment:
I will try a physicist analysis, even economists have tried this method in the past. In my view, money is like heat, and public confidence like information or negative entropy. Energy is more akin to an ounce of gold in this analogy, or nowadays a barrel of oil. This first take on the problem assumes that there is little gold coming into the system, or oil for that matter. That is, we have a closed system.
As you can see here today the price of gold went down. It was already at $1000.00 per ounce, now it is at $976.00.
According to the Second law of Thermodynamics, for a closed system, all thermodynamic processes increase entropy.
In my analogy, or metaphor, I take this to mean that most of the time agents loose credibility. An increase in entropy is equivalent to a loss of credibility. The graph I refer to above, can be taken as a measure of public confidence in the economic management team of the Bush administration. It took them a lot of time, two years, to achieve what they just lost in a few months. One can request more money from investors, if they trust the team selling the product, in this case loans in American dollars. The US seems to be in an out of business sale!
In real dollars, taking inflation into account, the US rate is negative. The US government is paying customers to get its product. Customers would not even have it for free, the US has to pay them to borrow dollars!
As I see this rate drop, this marks the beginning of the decline of the US Empire.
I predict that today's movement in the gold market is going to reverse itself when the Bush Administration runs out of gimmicks to save the day.
Federal Reserve Cuts Key Rate by 0.75 Percent
WASHINGTON — The Federal Reserve reduced its benchmark interest rate by three-quarters of a percentage point on Tuesday, to 2.25 percent, a cut that was less than investors had been hoping for even though it was one of the deepest in Fed history.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Monday, March 17, 2008
"My job's been eliminated,"
"The mood among U.S. staff was similarly solemn. "My job's been eliminated," said one male employee arriving for work in New York. He'd been given 90 days' notice."
I got this comment from the note below on Bear Stearns. It reminded me when in December of 2001, my supervisor at Lucent, announced to me that "My job's been eliminated".
I am trying to go back to Mexico. Maybe there is life after downsizing.
I got this comment from the note below on Bear Stearns. It reminded me when in December of 2001, my supervisor at Lucent, announced to me that "My job's been eliminated".
I am trying to go back to Mexico. Maybe there is life after downsizing.
Bear Fire Sale Sparks Rout
NEW YORK (Reuters)- A fire sale of Bear Stearns Cos Inc stunned Wall Street and pummeled global financial stocks on Monday on fears that few banks are safe from deepening market turmoil.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Soft Shoe in Hard Times - bush goes LOCO!!!
George W. Bush crashed the family station wagon into the globe and now the global economy. Yet the more terrified Americans get, the more bizarrely carefree he seems.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Water
Today I read concerns by UN officials and activists like Lester Brown on glaciers rate of destruction.
We are running out of fresh water.
Also I read Jeffrey Sachs' piece in Time Magazine on the way out.
If we are to survive Sachs is saying, we have to help each other; if we start a fight, it seems to me catastrophe may be near the corner.
George W. Bush is out to lunch, as you can read in the piece by Maureen Dowd above.
We are running out of fresh water.
Also I read Jeffrey Sachs' piece in Time Magazine on the way out.
If we are to survive Sachs is saying, we have to help each other; if we start a fight, it seems to me catastrophe may be near the corner.
George W. Bush is out to lunch, as you can read in the piece by Maureen Dowd above.
Melting glaciers start countdown to climate chaos
For centuries, writers, painters and photographers have been drawn to the wild and seemingly indestructible beauty of glaciers. More practically, they are a vital part of the planet's system for collecting, storing and delivering the fresh water that billions of people depend on for washing, drinking, agriculture and power.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
1. Common Wealth By JEFFREY D. SACHS
The 21st century will overturn many of our basic assumptions about economic life. The 20th century saw the end of European dominance of global politics and economics. The 21st century will see the end of American dominance too, as new powers, including China, India and Brazil, continue to grow and make their voices heard on the world stage...
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
A bag full of sunshine
Energy: A combination of flexible solar cells and low-energy lighting provides a way to bring electric light to isolated communities
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Yesterday Mexican Oil $90.78
If you can read in Spanish, here you can read that yesterday Mexican oil reached a record of $90.78 a barrel. That is a lot of money down there.
Oil Rises to Record $109.85 as the Dollar Falls Against Euro
March 12 (Bloomberg) -- Crude oil rose to a record $109.85 a barrel in New York after the dollar weakened to an all-time low verses the euro, prompting investors to purchase commodities.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
The Mexicans
Documentary Made in 1980 by John PilgerMexico - a country rich in oil resources but heavily influenced by the policies and politics of its near neighbour, the USA. In a country dominated by the thought that the revolution is only half over, is Mexico a potential Iran on American doorsteps?
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Monday, March 10, 2008
Brian Fagan
Prof. Fagan from UCSB recently published the book: "The Great Warming".
He discusses the great droughts of a thousand years ago, likely the Mayas and other peoples in fragile ecosystems suffered collapses of their civilizations. Nowadays the world environment is likely to witness instead big migrations, like we are already seeing in Darfur and other dry places.
This is a timely book, from thinkers that have been worried about water shortages since a long time ago. Santa Barbara County residents have tried for many years to limit growth. Maybe now people will listen.
He discusses the great droughts of a thousand years ago, likely the Mayas and other peoples in fragile ecosystems suffered collapses of their civilizations. Nowadays the world environment is likely to witness instead big migrations, like we are already seeing in Darfur and other dry places.
This is a timely book, from thinkers that have been worried about water shortages since a long time ago. Santa Barbara County residents have tried for many years to limit growth. Maybe now people will listen.
Camera that sees through clothes.
Bill Foster of Thermal Matrix as a costumer of this technology had this to say:
"One of the customers, Bill Foster, the president of Thermal Matrix, an American defence contractor specialising in imaging systems for the US military, said : "This could be deployed at major sporting events, concerts and rail stations as well as for military use."
Curiouser, and curiouser.
"One of the customers, Bill Foster, the president of Thermal Matrix, an American defence contractor specialising in imaging systems for the US military, said : "This could be deployed at major sporting events, concerts and rail stations as well as for military use."
Curiouser, and curiouser.
sports@movies: A camera that can see through people's clothi
: Surveillance at railway stations, shopping centres and other public spaces in the UK could soon become more high-tech, with the development of cameras that can see through people's clothing
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Thermal Matrix's Bill Foster
Is Bill Foster the new Illinois 14th District Representative, the same as the Bill Foster the ex-President of Thermal Matrix?
Check for yourself, here is the new contact page of that company, and here the cached version.
I haven't found any announcement by that Defense Contractor of the change in leadership.
Check for yourself, here is the new contact page of that company, and here the cached version.
I haven't found any announcement by that Defense Contractor of the change in leadership.
Sunday, March 09, 2008
A Science Prodigy in an Unlikely Place
BAYONNE, N.J.ERIC DELGADO is what those in research call an outlier — an anomaly, a deviation from the typical.
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read more | digg story
Fermilab's Foster
Bill Foster is a scientist that entered politics because the politicians failed Fermilab. Is this good or bad?
I rather scientist concentrate on science, and leave politics to politicians. I like division of labor. Nevertheless these are trying times. If we want to do science, we have to fight for that right.
You can read about Foster's win in the note below.
I rather scientist concentrate on science, and leave politics to politicians. I like division of labor. Nevertheless these are trying times. If we want to do science, we have to fight for that right.
You can read about Foster's win in the note below.
Democrat Wins Hastert's Seat in Illinois
CHICAGO - Nearly two years after taking control of Congress, the Democrats have claimed another prize by capturing former GOP House Speaker Dennis Hastert's seat -- a development that Republicans say is not a harbinger of things to come.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Thursday, March 06, 2008
Liars, lovers, and heroes.
I believe that the book "Liars, Lovers, and Heroes", by Terry Sejnowski and Steve Quartz, deserves more attention.
It is based on scientific research and presented by two scientists that know. If we are to live in a better world it is essential that we understand the origin of our "Nature". Sejnowski et al. write that our mind is inside our brain, and outside our brain. After we are born we spend an extraordinary amount of time figuring out the environment we happen to be born into. It is this dance between our brain and our surroundings that produces our "Nature".
It is based on scientific research and presented by two scientists that know. If we are to live in a better world it is essential that we understand the origin of our "Nature". Sejnowski et al. write that our mind is inside our brain, and outside our brain. After we are born we spend an extraordinary amount of time figuring out the environment we happen to be born into. It is this dance between our brain and our surroundings that produces our "Nature".
2012 1
I wrote something about this here.
Now I want to ask myself a question.
Will I die in 2012?
Nobody can predict the future, besides there are different ways I can die in 2012, or any other moment, for that matter.
Still since some people are talking about this "new" End of the World. I want to comment on Patrick Geryl's version, since so far his, has been the most catastrophic prediction I have read.
The Sun changes its north and south magnetic poles every twelve years or so. It stands to reason that sometimes that may induce our own magnetic field to shift. What if it does? According to this Belgian, Geryl, Earth will rotate backwards!
I have no clue if something like that could happen; but according to this imaginative thinker all hell will break loose. Tsunamis, earthquakes, and all sort of catastrophes await for us in four years.
Will I die? According to our seer, if I go to South Africa, maybe I will survive. Billions are going to die.
I just hope he is wrong.
Now I want to ask myself a question.
Will I die in 2012?
Nobody can predict the future, besides there are different ways I can die in 2012, or any other moment, for that matter.
Still since some people are talking about this "new" End of the World. I want to comment on Patrick Geryl's version, since so far his, has been the most catastrophic prediction I have read.
The Sun changes its north and south magnetic poles every twelve years or so. It stands to reason that sometimes that may induce our own magnetic field to shift. What if it does? According to this Belgian, Geryl, Earth will rotate backwards!
I have no clue if something like that could happen; but according to this imaginative thinker all hell will break loose. Tsunamis, earthquakes, and all sort of catastrophes await for us in four years.
Will I die? According to our seer, if I go to South Africa, maybe I will survive. Billions are going to die.
I just hope he is wrong.
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
How is the World Changing?
I recently learned that Alejandro Corichi is working in Morelia, Michoacán, México.
He is an up and coming theoretical physicist working on the Holy Grail of this field. The Quantum Theory of Gravity.
No American University could get this star.
The World is Changing.
I hope I can make it back to México.
He is an up and coming theoretical physicist working on the Holy Grail of this field. The Quantum Theory of Gravity.
No American University could get this star.
The World is Changing.
I hope I can make it back to México.
Monday, March 03, 2008
Hidden Variables?
Many years ago David Bohm pursued an important idea. Is Quantum Mechanics complete? John von Neuman had "proven" that hidden variable theories were impossible. What Bohm did was to construct one of those "impossible" theories.
Now Y. Jack Ng tells us:
"Infinite statistics can be thought of as corresponding to the statistics of identical particles with an infinite number of internal degrees of freedom, which is equivalent to the statistics of nonidentical particles since they are distinguishable by their internal states."
This rings another bell, recently Gia Dvali proposed a solution to the strong CP problem with a big number of "hidden" particles. You can read his paper here
Now Y. Jack Ng tells us:
"Infinite statistics can be thought of as corresponding to the statistics of identical particles with an infinite number of internal degrees of freedom, which is equivalent to the statistics of nonidentical particles since they are distinguishable by their internal states."
This rings another bell, recently Gia Dvali proposed a solution to the strong CP problem with a big number of "hidden" particles. You can read his paper here
Terry Sejnowski
I met Professor Sejnowski many years ago. He organized a General Relativity Seminar at the University of California at Santa Barbara when I was a student there. I only remember a few of the names: Bob Lewis, Vinod B. Jhangiani, Augusto Sabbatini, and Terry.
Searching for my friends I only found:
Neutrinos and Long Range Weak Forces in Cosmology (Jhangiani's PhD Thesis)
At least the ones I remember are not in the field of General Relativity. Terry became a distinguished Neural Scientist. I will write about his book in another occasion.
You can find a link to his book here .
Searching for my friends I only found:
Neutrinos and Long Range Weak Forces in Cosmology (Jhangiani's PhD Thesis)
At least the ones I remember are not in the field of General Relativity. Terry became a distinguished Neural Scientist. I will write about his book in another occasion.
You can find a link to his book here .
Saturday, March 01, 2008
Aide not Bush Resigned.
If you click the link below now you get the truth. What a word makes. Language, you got to love it.
Friday, February 29, 2008
KILL BULLETIN?
I caught this in the online edition of the New York Times. I believe it must have been a note for internal consumption that got out. Somehow they wrote a headline that implied the President had resigned!
Funny.
Funny.
BULLETIN KILL
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSPublished: February 29, 2008Filed at 7:34 p.m. ETWASHINGTON -- Kill the short headline in BC-White House-Plagiarism, 9th Ld, which moved at 6:35 p.m. EST. A presidential aide resigned, not Bush.The AP
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Non-Local Quantum Gravity
Greenwood et al., have studied a simple model of Quantum Gravity, they observe:
"If the singularity at the origin is really erased, then most of the assumed properties of the black holes need to be re-thought. In particular, once we include quantum radiation, a collapsing object (or a black hole) will lose all of its energy in finite time. However, in the absence of the true singularity at the center, a horizon formed during the collapse can not be a true global event horizon. In other words, in the absence of the singularity, a “black hole” may trap the light and other particles for some finite amount of time, but not forever (nor is the information lost down the singularity). This has profound implications for black hole physics. "
I believe that a crucial element of this solution is the non-locality introduced by Quantum Mechanics. This seems to take care of Penrose-Hawking singularity problems.
They also write:
"Second, the quantum equation that governs physics near the classical singularity seems to be non-local. The Schrodinger equation describing the collapsing ob ject contains an infinite number of derivatives. The dynam- ics of the wave function at certain point near the origin depends on the value of the wave function at some dis- tant point. While these non-local effects were absent at large distances far from the origin, they become unsuppressed in the near origin regime. Non-local effects we are finding in our approach may signal two things. It may be that it is a simple consequence of the fact that the Wheeler-de Witt (or functional Schrodinger) formal- ism is only an approximation of some more fundamental local theory. After all, effective low energy actions are often non-local. The other possibility is that the quantum description of the black hole physics requires inherently non-local physics. Answer to this question requires further investigation."
"If the singularity at the origin is really erased, then most of the assumed properties of the black holes need to be re-thought. In particular, once we include quantum radiation, a collapsing object (or a black hole) will lose all of its energy in finite time. However, in the absence of the true singularity at the center, a horizon formed during the collapse can not be a true global event horizon. In other words, in the absence of the singularity, a “black hole” may trap the light and other particles for some finite amount of time, but not forever (nor is the information lost down the singularity). This has profound implications for black hole physics. "
I believe that a crucial element of this solution is the non-locality introduced by Quantum Mechanics. This seems to take care of Penrose-Hawking singularity problems.
They also write:
"Second, the quantum equation that governs physics near the classical singularity seems to be non-local. The Schrodinger equation describing the collapsing ob ject contains an infinite number of derivatives. The dynam- ics of the wave function at certain point near the origin depends on the value of the wave function at some dis- tant point. While these non-local effects were absent at large distances far from the origin, they become unsuppressed in the near origin regime. Non-local effects we are finding in our approach may signal two things. It may be that it is a simple consequence of the fact that the Wheeler-de Witt (or functional Schrodinger) formal- ism is only an approximation of some more fundamental local theory. After all, effective low energy actions are often non-local. The other possibility is that the quantum description of the black hole physics requires inherently non-local physics. Answer to this question requires further investigation."
Boskop
Boskop is a place in South Africa. Many years ago remains of a big skulled primate were discovered there. One can read about this find and its implications in the book;Big Brain by Gary Lynch et al..
The authors seem to believe that this cranial capacity gave these primates, consciousness; maybe more than their contemporaries that survived them, Homo sapiens.
If it was not their time, maybe now they would be more appreciated.
I am considering a trip back to Mexico. I hope this time around I will be more appreciated there.
The authors seem to believe that this cranial capacity gave these primates, consciousness; maybe more than their contemporaries that survived them, Homo sapiens.
If it was not their time, maybe now they would be more appreciated.
I am considering a trip back to Mexico. I hope this time around I will be more appreciated there.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Mexican Mobile Consulates around Chicago
Mexican President Felipe Calderon, allocated money to serve Mexicans in this area. As you can read in the note below, the Mexican Consul in Chicago visited the Elgin Mobile Consulate recently. The waiting list in Chicago can be as long as four months to renew a passport. Some of us cannot wait that long. It was the protests of Mexicans in Chicago, that convinced Calderon of the benefits of this move.
Mexican Mobile Consulate visits Channing School
ELGIN – Manuel Rodriguez Arriaga, Consul General of Mexico, Chicago Office, visited Elgin for the first time at a Mobile Consulate services event on Saturday, Feb. 16, at Channing Elementary School.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Towards a Quantum Theory of Gravity?
Recently Brown et al., proposed a series of observations that can teach us a lot about the behavior of matter in extreme conditions.
I believe that they have opened a door to build a Theory of Quantum Gravity.
One incompatibility between General Relativity and Quantum Mechanics are the so-called Singularity Theorems. If the speed of light is the maximum speed of transmission of information, then matter must collapse to a state contradictory with the known laws of Physics. The fundamental contradiction with Quantum Theory is non-locality.
It is known, barring loop-holes, that the Aspect like experiments imply non-locality. This itself implies some "Quantum Information" faster than light signal. If this behavior is accepted, as I believe it must, then classical collapse à la Hawking-Penrose, must stop. In my mind this way out of the Singularity Theorems' conclusion, points toward a Quantum Theory of Gravity.
I believe that they have opened a door to build a Theory of Quantum Gravity.
One incompatibility between General Relativity and Quantum Mechanics are the so-called Singularity Theorems. If the speed of light is the maximum speed of transmission of information, then matter must collapse to a state contradictory with the known laws of Physics. The fundamental contradiction with Quantum Theory is non-locality.
It is known, barring loop-holes, that the Aspect like experiments imply non-locality. This itself implies some "Quantum Information" faster than light signal. If this behavior is accepted, as I believe it must, then classical collapse à la Hawking-Penrose, must stop. In my mind this way out of the Singularity Theorems' conclusion, points toward a Quantum Theory of Gravity.
Friday, February 22, 2008
More Thoughts on Bohm
I am reading John S. Bell's; the John S. Bell on the Foundations of Quantum Mechanics. The problem that Bohm kept alive against all odds is important. Do we have a Quantum Theory or not?
It seems to me that the non-locality inherent in the present version of the mechanics of small objects, at the very least, needs a more open recognition of its structure. Based on Aspect's experiments, I will like to see more clearly stated, that the theory is non local. Previous physical theories were local. The non-locality of Quantum Mechanics, has to be openly acknowledged, and better yet, used as much as possible.
It seems to me that the non-locality inherent in the present version of the mechanics of small objects, at the very least, needs a more open recognition of its structure. Based on Aspect's experiments, I will like to see more clearly stated, that the theory is non local. Previous physical theories were local. The non-locality of Quantum Mechanics, has to be openly acknowledged, and better yet, used as much as possible.
Dark Matter
I just read Very weak lensing in the CFHTLS Wide: Cosmology from cosmic shear in the linear regime⋆.
This is the most obscure paper I have read. True, I am not an Astronomer, but still, I did not feel any effort on the part of the authors, to be understood outside of their field.
All I could gather is that the amount of Dark Matter in the Universe was measured with small errors.
Ωm=0.248±0.019 and σ8=0.771±0.029.
Nevertheless, the paper also proved that there is a huge region in the Universe, a few Mpc in size filled with dark matter. This is the biggest region, with just dark matter, ever observed, and the authors do not emphasize that in their conclusions!
Maybe because they are French.
This is the most obscure paper I have read. True, I am not an Astronomer, but still, I did not feel any effort on the part of the authors, to be understood outside of their field.
All I could gather is that the amount of Dark Matter in the Universe was measured with small errors.
Ωm=0.248±0.019 and σ8=0.771±0.029.
Nevertheless, the paper also proved that there is a huge region in the Universe, a few Mpc in size filled with dark matter. This is the biggest region, with just dark matter, ever observed, and the authors do not emphasize that in their conclusions!
Maybe because they are French.
Quantum Mechanics Phase Space
Number of degrees of freedom is an important concept in Physics. A single point moving in three dimensions can be located in a six dimensional phase space. Three for position and three for velocity or momentum. Two points need twelve. That does not mean that we perceive at once all those dimensions. We do projections to comprehend, in this case, both particle's motion.
What happens when we have 1023 particles?
We can either use Statistical Mechanics, or Quantum Mechanics; or better yet Quantum Statistical Mechanics. In this case we definitely need a projection to a more manageable set of variables to comprehend the reality of the object we see. Imagine a grain of salt, we do not use this humongous set of variables, to taste the grain of salt. We believe though, that whatever sensation we get from this tiny object, depends on those known variables, and maybe some hidden variables.
David Bohm taught us, that if we try to understand the Quantum World around us, we better pay attention to as many variables as possible, and consequently to as many projections as we can manage.
In Bohm's Universe, points far in time and space, do affect what happens near us. Locality, as proven by Aspect, guided by Bell, is gone.
What happens when we have 1023 particles?
We can either use Statistical Mechanics, or Quantum Mechanics; or better yet Quantum Statistical Mechanics. In this case we definitely need a projection to a more manageable set of variables to comprehend the reality of the object we see. Imagine a grain of salt, we do not use this humongous set of variables, to taste the grain of salt. We believe though, that whatever sensation we get from this tiny object, depends on those known variables, and maybe some hidden variables.
David Bohm taught us, that if we try to understand the Quantum World around us, we better pay attention to as many variables as possible, and consequently to as many projections as we can manage.
In Bohm's Universe, points far in time and space, do affect what happens near us. Locality, as proven by Aspect, guided by Bell, is gone.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Mathematics Education
According to Wigner it is an odd fact of our Universe that it can be understood with Mathematics. He wrote a classic paper called "The Unreasonable Effectiveness of Mathematics in the Natural Sciences".
With Bohm's Holomovement, it is a little less "unreasonable". We are all moving in some kind of synchrony.
I feel that this insight can be used to improve the methods of Mathematics Education.
With Bohm's Holomovement, it is a little less "unreasonable". We are all moving in some kind of synchrony.
I feel that this insight can be used to improve the methods of Mathematics Education.
David Bohm
I just finished reading "Wholeness and the implicate order". I feel that David Bohm had insight. I try here to state what I understood.
John Stewart Bell, brought to fruition a long line of ideas about the meaning of Quantum Mechanics. In particular, Bohm's ideas about the nature of reality lead him to precise statements, later experimentally demonstrated by Alain Aspect.
According to Bell's interpretation, Aspect demonstrated that the world is not local. There are long distance correlations coming from the holistic Universe, according to Bohm.
Bohm presents in this book a notion of a multidimensional Universe. He calls this the holomovement. I visualize it like a fluid stream, everything are ripples on this medium, some last more and some less, but we are all participants in this dance. I used terms here, like fluid, and medium, that may not be necessary. Just like a fermion can turn into a boson, with a supersymmetric transformation, particles become forces, and vice-versa. What I feel, is here to stay, is the idea of multidimensions, and the consequent projections to lower dimensions that we experience.
If at some level all is connected. The Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen non-locality is the least of this wholeness.
John Stewart Bell, brought to fruition a long line of ideas about the meaning of Quantum Mechanics. In particular, Bohm's ideas about the nature of reality lead him to precise statements, later experimentally demonstrated by Alain Aspect.
According to Bell's interpretation, Aspect demonstrated that the world is not local. There are long distance correlations coming from the holistic Universe, according to Bohm.
Bohm presents in this book a notion of a multidimensional Universe. He calls this the holomovement. I visualize it like a fluid stream, everything are ripples on this medium, some last more and some less, but we are all participants in this dance. I used terms here, like fluid, and medium, that may not be necessary. Just like a fermion can turn into a boson, with a supersymmetric transformation, particles become forces, and vice-versa. What I feel, is here to stay, is the idea of multidimensions, and the consequent projections to lower dimensions that we experience.
If at some level all is connected. The Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen non-locality is the least of this wholeness.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Causes of Toxic Noosphere
In the political realm it is clear why the view of an event or person changes with the country or region considered. In Miami Fidel Castro is not well perceived, in Havana it is better perceived, at least by himself. Where is the truth. Is there an effort to distort his image by the CIA? Is the Communist Party of Cuba trying to present a lie?
I have my opinion on this man, but my point here is that different forces produce different versions of the truth.
Does this happens with scientific ideas also?
I believe so.
The Copenhagen interpretation of Quantum Mechanics was "cooked" by Bohr, and his followers. Alternative views like that of David Bohm, were discarded.
It did not help that Bohr had power, since he helped the US to build a nuclear bomb, and Bohm did not have power because he did not help building the bomb.
I have my opinion on this man, but my point here is that different forces produce different versions of the truth.
Does this happens with scientific ideas also?
I believe so.
The Copenhagen interpretation of Quantum Mechanics was "cooked" by Bohr, and his followers. Alternative views like that of David Bohm, were discarded.
It did not help that Bohr had power, since he helped the US to build a nuclear bomb, and Bohm did not have power because he did not help building the bomb.
A Profile of Cuba's Fidel Castro
HAVANA (AP) -- Fidel Castro defied America for nearly half a century, resisting U.S. attempts to topple him while wielding almost absolute control over the communist state he built just 90 miles south of Florida. He resigned as president Tuesday, two years after falling ill and temporarily ceding power.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Monday, February 18, 2008
Toxic Noosphere
We live inside a polluted environment. Pierre Teihlard de Chardin, introduced the concept of a sphere of ideas produced by human beings in their march from the Alpha point to the Omega point, to a destination close to God. This sphere is called Noosphere.
I believe this sphere is polluted.
There is a concerted effort by the powers that control human knowledge to keep people confused. After so much "manufactured consent", we reached a point of utter confusion, that threatens the life of all human beings on Earth.
It is the purpose of teachers, Rabbis, Immams, Priests, Ministers, and other thinkers, to present a clear view of the state of the World. Without that clear view, we won't address the grave problems confronting us.
I believe this sphere is polluted.
There is a concerted effort by the powers that control human knowledge to keep people confused. After so much "manufactured consent", we reached a point of utter confusion, that threatens the life of all human beings on Earth.
It is the purpose of teachers, Rabbis, Immams, Priests, Ministers, and other thinkers, to present a clear view of the state of the World. Without that clear view, we won't address the grave problems confronting us.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Were the First Stars Powered by Dark Matter?
When scientists look at what makes a star and what makes it burn, they turn to fusion. However, according to new research, dark matter annihilation was the source of energy for the earliest stars, rather than fusion, when the universe was only 100 to 200 million years young.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
NFW Profile
The Navarro-Frenk-White (NFW) profile is the basic assumption for galactic phenomenology. It is used both, for matter, and dark matter, because so little is known about the 22% or so of the dark matter in the Universe. The Lambda-CDM model posits that there is a 74% part dark energy, 22% dark matter, and the rest, 4% the baryonic matter we are familiar with.
Recently Spolyar et al. published in Physical Review Letters a new model for the first stars formed after the Big Bang (See note above), they call these "dark stars". They claim that the annihilation of dark matter provided the energy that we may see as light with the successor of the Hubble Space Telescope, the so-called James Webb Space Telescope. They use the NVR profile to make their predictions. Since Carlos Frenk is Mexican, I want to acknowledge here the contribution of this gifted scientist.
You can read here a clear description of Prof. Frenk's computational work.
Spolyar et al. end their paper with this paragraph:
"What are other observational consequences of a “dark star”? If these objects are luminous but differ from ordinary stars (e.g. shine at lower temperatures), then James Webb Space Telescope could in principle find them (at z∼10) and differentiate their spectra from those expected in the standard first star formation scenarios. In addition, one might hope to detect the DM annihilation products such as neutrinos and γ-rays. However, the angular resolution of current and planned detectors (AMANDA, ICECUBE, GLAST, HESS, VERITAS, MAGIC) is not good enough to identify an individual dark star source at z > 10, so that the ν and γ s would add to the extragalactic backgrounds and could provide limits at best. Remnants today of the dark star phase would be more testable, such as stellar remnants still in enhanced DM distributions. Today’s remnant 106 DM halos that were once the site of star formation may be modified due to the adiabatic contraction that took place earlier, so that enhanced DM annihilation might still occur today and these objects could be identified in upcoming experiments as individual ν or γ sources."
Recently Spolyar et al. published in Physical Review Letters a new model for the first stars formed after the Big Bang (See note above), they call these "dark stars". They claim that the annihilation of dark matter provided the energy that we may see as light with the successor of the Hubble Space Telescope, the so-called James Webb Space Telescope. They use the NVR profile to make their predictions. Since Carlos Frenk is Mexican, I want to acknowledge here the contribution of this gifted scientist.
You can read here a clear description of Prof. Frenk's computational work.
Spolyar et al. end their paper with this paragraph:
"What are other observational consequences of a “dark star”? If these objects are luminous but differ from ordinary stars (e.g. shine at lower temperatures), then James Webb Space Telescope could in principle find them (at z∼10) and differentiate their spectra from those expected in the standard first star formation scenarios. In addition, one might hope to detect the DM annihilation products such as neutrinos and γ-rays. However, the angular resolution of current and planned detectors (AMANDA, ICECUBE, GLAST, HESS, VERITAS, MAGIC) is not good enough to identify an individual dark star source at z > 10, so that the ν and γ s would add to the extragalactic backgrounds and could provide limits at best. Remnants today of the dark star phase would be more testable, such as stellar remnants still in enhanced DM distributions. Today’s remnant 106 DM halos that were once the site of star formation may be modified due to the adiabatic contraction that took place earlier, so that enhanced DM annihilation might still occur today and these objects could be identified in upcoming experiments as individual ν or γ sources."
Mexican President Wants Scientists Back
Today I read in "La Jornada", a Mexico City newspaper, the following:
"Argumentó que “sí es posible transformar a México en una nación que dé a sus niños y jóvenes una educación artística de calidad y sólidos conocimientos en ciencias, en física, en matemáticas. Sí es posible lograr que los jóvenes creadores y científicos cuenten con oportunidades para desarrollar su talento sin más restricciones que su ambición y creatividad. Sí es posible que nuestro país alcance un grado mayor de desarrollo, de la mano de su comunidad artística y científica”.
"He argued that it is possible to transform Mexico in a nation that gives the children and youngsters a quality artistic education, and sound knowledge in sciences, in physics, and mathematics. It is possible to give opportunities to young creators and scientists to develop their talents with the only restriction being their ambition and creativity. It is possible that our country reach a higher degree of development, with the help of the artistic and scientific communities."
I may be going back to Mexico soon.
"Argumentó que “sí es posible transformar a México en una nación que dé a sus niños y jóvenes una educación artística de calidad y sólidos conocimientos en ciencias, en física, en matemáticas. Sí es posible lograr que los jóvenes creadores y científicos cuenten con oportunidades para desarrollar su talento sin más restricciones que su ambición y creatividad. Sí es posible que nuestro país alcance un grado mayor de desarrollo, de la mano de su comunidad artística y científica”.
"He argued that it is possible to transform Mexico in a nation that gives the children and youngsters a quality artistic education, and sound knowledge in sciences, in physics, and mathematics. It is possible to give opportunities to young creators and scientists to develop their talents with the only restriction being their ambition and creativity. It is possible that our country reach a higher degree of development, with the help of the artistic and scientific communities."
I may be going back to Mexico soon.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Open Source Astronomy?
Recently two amateur astronomers from New Zealand, found more information from observations than the professionals in the team. Their collaboration, MicroFun, from the OGLE collaboration, that recently found a dwarf solar system (see below), provided an important input to the paper.
Do more eyeballs see more planets?
For software development, Eric Raymond used to say that more eyeballs see more bugs. More precisely, Linus's Law, states:"Given enough eyeballs, all bugs are shallow"
A new era in Astronomy is upon us.
Do more eyeballs see more planets?
For software development, Eric Raymond used to say that more eyeballs see more bugs. More precisely, Linus's Law, states:"Given enough eyeballs, all bugs are shallow"
A new era in Astronomy is upon us.
Smaller Version of the Solar System Is Discovered
Astronomers said Wednesday that they had found a miniature version of our own solar system 5,000 light-years across the galaxy — the first planetary system that really looks like our own, with outer giant planets and room for smaller inner planets.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Solar System Like Ours Found
The newfound worlds both appear to be gaseous and are about 80 percent the sizes of Jupiter and Saturn, the astronomers said today. They orbit a star that is about half the size of our sun and is dimmer and much cooler.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Dwarf Solar System
Gaudi et al. have discovered a solar system with a sun, half as massive as our own. They found it in a region with more metals (atoms with masses of three and more than that of Hydrogen) than here where we live. According to Guillermo González, that can be a bad thing for life, because there may be more comets, and more big planets destabilizing little ones. In a system like that, Earth's orbit could get destabilized.
In any case all the "planet builders"(like Alan Boss) on Earth must be getting very excited.
One can read in the New York Times article above:
"Alan Boss, a theorist at the Carnegie Institution of Washington, said, “The fact that these are hard to detect by microlensing means there must be a good number of them — solar system analogues are not rare.”
Notwithstanding this expert opinion, one should remember González's caution.
In any case all the "planet builders"(like Alan Boss) on Earth must be getting very excited.
One can read in the New York Times article above:
"Alan Boss, a theorist at the Carnegie Institution of Washington, said, “The fact that these are hard to detect by microlensing means there must be a good number of them — solar system analogues are not rare.”
Notwithstanding this expert opinion, one should remember González's caution.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Dark Vision for the World Economy
Far from a world moving toward global world government and co-operation Connolly describes a world perilously at odds with itself, fracturing along old pre-World War II fault lines, and heading toward a catastrophic inflation in all three nations.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Family and Community
Whenever one is failing, it is our community and family that know what to do, and how to do it. It is not foolproof. Sometimes everything fails, and we go down. That is a collapse. Fortunately I do not see a collapse right now.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Condition 4
Lenton et al., of the tipping elements article below define:
4. A significant number of people care about the fate of the component Σ, because it contributes significantly to the overall mode of operation of the Earth system (such that tipping it modifies the qualitative state of the whole system), it contributes significantly to human welfare (such that tipping it impacts on many people), or it has great value in itself as a unique feature of the biosphere. A qualitative change
should correspondingly be defined in terms of impacts.
They state:
"Our collective judgement was used to evaluate condition 4."
They did not ask me. I feel somehow comfortable with a group of scientists as this; but when the shit hits the fan, I am afraid it will be the "Decider" and his advisor Karl Rove, who decide, then I will not like it.
So it goes.
4. A significant number of people care about the fate of the component Σ, because it contributes significantly to the overall mode of operation of the Earth system (such that tipping it modifies the qualitative state of the whole system), it contributes significantly to human welfare (such that tipping it impacts on many people), or it has great value in itself as a unique feature of the biosphere. A qualitative change
should correspondingly be defined in terms of impacts.
They state:
"Our collective judgement was used to evaluate condition 4."
They did not ask me. I feel somehow comfortable with a group of scientists as this; but when the shit hits the fan, I am afraid it will be the "Decider" and his advisor Karl Rove, who decide, then I will not like it.
So it goes.
Nine Tipping Points
Lenton et al., published a paper in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Here they identify nine man made possible collapses of our environment. They are:
Greenland Ice Sheet
Arctic sea-ice
West Antarctic Ice Sheet
Boreal forest
Amazon rainforest
El Niño Southern Oscillation
Sahara/Sahel- and West African monsoon
Indian summer monsoon
Atlantic thermohaline circulation
The last one has a 10% chance to occur this century, is the least damaging, and was the basis for the movie, "The Day After Tomorrow"
Click here to get the article:
Tipping elements in the Earth's climate system
Author's Comments:
Statements:
Hans Joachim Schellnhuber:
"This is the first systematic analysis of the tipping elements issue. We have developed a mathematical formalism for describing tipping elements and we have reviewed the complete pertinent literature. We have also identified the tipping elements in the Earth’s climate systems with regard to their relevance for climate policy. One could look at this paper as a “mini-IPCC-report” focusing on tipping elements."
Stefan Rahmstorf on effects on Europe:
"Of the described tipping elements the Greenland ice sheet, the Arctic sea-ice and the Atlantic thermohaline circulation (THC) have the greatest potential to affect Europe directly. Some models suggest that abrupt THC transitions could lead to regional cooling in Europe, though the popular idea of an “ice age” is incorrect. Greenhouse warming would very likely more than compensate for the reduced ocean heat transport for one or two centuries. This would result in reduced warming in Europe rather than cooling below present temperatures. There would be a number of other serious consequences of an abrupt ocean circulation change: additional sea level rise in the northern Atlantic region for example, and a major upheaval in northern Atlantic marine ecosystems.
As our paper shows, most experts judge the risk of passing the tipping point of the element Greenland ice sheet as higher. The risk for going beyond the tipping point of the Arctic sea-ice is judged as being at least as high, whereas this proposition is based on the pertinent literature and computer models. Greenland melting would raise sea level globally by meters. Loss of Arctic sea ice would transform the Arctic Ocean ecosystem and likely have a major effect on atmospheric circulation, which would affect the kind of weather and extremes we get in Europe. Both the loss of Greenland ice and Arctic sea-ice would increase freshwater input to the North Atlantic, which would weaken the THC. This could result in a chain reaction: vanishing Arctic sea ice leads to amplified high-latitude warming and accelerates loss of Greenland ice. The large freshwater input could then at some point shut off the Atlantic deep-water formation and disrupt the North Atlantic current which is part of the THC."
They disagree with the IPCC report late last year, they write:
"Given that the IPCC models significantly underestimate the observed rate of Arctic sea-ice decline (17), a summer ice-loss threshold, if not already passed, may be very close and a transition could occur well within this century."
We may be closer to a tipping point than we were told just a few months ago.
The last one has a 10% chance to occur this century, is the least damaging, and was the basis for the movie, "The Day After Tomorrow"
Click here to get the article:
Tipping elements in the Earth's climate system
Author's Comments:
Statements:
Hans Joachim Schellnhuber:
"This is the first systematic analysis of the tipping elements issue. We have developed a mathematical formalism for describing tipping elements and we have reviewed the complete pertinent literature. We have also identified the tipping elements in the Earth’s climate systems with regard to their relevance for climate policy. One could look at this paper as a “mini-IPCC-report” focusing on tipping elements."
Stefan Rahmstorf on effects on Europe:
"Of the described tipping elements the Greenland ice sheet, the Arctic sea-ice and the Atlantic thermohaline circulation (THC) have the greatest potential to affect Europe directly. Some models suggest that abrupt THC transitions could lead to regional cooling in Europe, though the popular idea of an “ice age” is incorrect. Greenhouse warming would very likely more than compensate for the reduced ocean heat transport for one or two centuries. This would result in reduced warming in Europe rather than cooling below present temperatures. There would be a number of other serious consequences of an abrupt ocean circulation change: additional sea level rise in the northern Atlantic region for example, and a major upheaval in northern Atlantic marine ecosystems.
As our paper shows, most experts judge the risk of passing the tipping point of the element Greenland ice sheet as higher. The risk for going beyond the tipping point of the Arctic sea-ice is judged as being at least as high, whereas this proposition is based on the pertinent literature and computer models. Greenland melting would raise sea level globally by meters. Loss of Arctic sea ice would transform the Arctic Ocean ecosystem and likely have a major effect on atmospheric circulation, which would affect the kind of weather and extremes we get in Europe. Both the loss of Greenland ice and Arctic sea-ice would increase freshwater input to the North Atlantic, which would weaken the THC. This could result in a chain reaction: vanishing Arctic sea ice leads to amplified high-latitude warming and accelerates loss of Greenland ice. The large freshwater input could then at some point shut off the Atlantic deep-water formation and disrupt the North Atlantic current which is part of the THC."
They disagree with the IPCC report late last year, they write:
"Given that the IPCC models significantly underestimate the observed rate of Arctic sea-ice decline (17), a summer ice-loss threshold, if not already passed, may be very close and a transition could occur well within this century."
We may be closer to a tipping point than we were told just a few months ago.
New Complex Numbers
Authors: L. N. Lipatov, M. Rausch de Traubenberg, G. G. Volkov
Title: On the ternary complex analysis and its applications
Link: http://lanl.arxiv.org/abs/0711.0809
Professor Lev Lipatov, together with Rausch de Traubenberg, and Volkov, have accomplished the construction of generalized complex numbers. Instead of the algebraic equation:
x2 + y2 = z2 (Pythagoras Theorem)
they consider:
x13 + x23 + x33 - 3x1x2x3 = z3
With this new structure they solved exactly for the motion of a magnetic monopole, and obtain the transversal cross section of two monopoles colliding.
I can think of at least two other problems to consider with this new structure, hidden variable correlations with three variables in Quantum Mechanics, and three body problems in this same context.
Title: On the ternary complex analysis and its applications
Link: http://lanl.arxiv.org/abs/0711.0809
Professor Lev Lipatov, together with Rausch de Traubenberg, and Volkov, have accomplished the construction of generalized complex numbers. Instead of the algebraic equation:
x2 + y2 = z2 (Pythagoras Theorem)
they consider:
x13 + x23 + x33 - 3x1x2x3 = z3
With this new structure they solved exactly for the motion of a magnetic monopole, and obtain the transversal cross section of two monopoles colliding.
I can think of at least two other problems to consider with this new structure, hidden variable correlations with three variables in Quantum Mechanics, and three body problems in this same context.
Tipping elements in the Earth's climate system
Anthropogenic forcing could push the Earth’s climate system past critical thresholds, so that important components may “tip” into qualitatively different modes of operation. In the renowned magazine “Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences” (PNAS) an international team of researchers describes, where small changes can have ...
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Monday, February 11, 2008
From Migrants to Immigrants - Jorge Castañeda on the ...
The ever-raging national immigration debate may draw opinions from myriad corners of U.S. society, but it continues to lack a perspective from south of the border, a Mexican scholar and author said Tuesday. Jorge Castañeda, former foreign minister under President Vicente Fox, wrote a book, “Ex Mex: From Migrants to Immigrants,” for those ..
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read more | digg story
Recent Human Migrations
The presidential election in the US, has brought to light a worldwide phenomenon in this country. It is not only Mexicans that move to another country for better job opportunities, more people and from more countries, are leaving their places of birth to improve their lives in many ways. As crime increases in poor areas, peaceful people move out. Resource scarcity is also driving these migrations.
I believe we are witnessing one of the biggest migrations in human history.
This means that big changes are just around the corner.
I believe we are witnessing one of the biggest migrations in human history.
This means that big changes are just around the corner.
Immigrants Come Here Because Globalization Took Their Jobs
Seal-the-border hysteria is everywhere. Instead of blaming immigrants for America's problems, let's look at executives on both sides of the border.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Saturday, February 09, 2008
Bohm-de Broglie's Time
I am reading "Wholeness and the Implicate Order". David Bohm presents an idea originally due to Louis-Victor-Pierre-Raymond, 7th duc de Broglie. There are many coupled oscillators at many scales, with coupled non-linear oscillators there is bound to be synchronicity. According to these two thinkers, that is the origin of time. At all scales matter synchronizes, and thus time is kept.
We know the Earth takes a year to go one exact turn around the Sun. It seemed to Bohm and de Broigle, that in a fractal way, that process was occurring at all scales.
This idea is not so different as the idea we have of space. To know how far α Centauri A is, we first have to know how far the Sun is; to know that, we first have to know Earth's radius, and the distance to the Sun, better known as one Astronomical Unit.
We know the Earth takes a year to go one exact turn around the Sun. It seemed to Bohm and de Broigle, that in a fractal way, that process was occurring at all scales.
This idea is not so different as the idea we have of space. To know how far α Centauri A is, we first have to know how far the Sun is; to know that, we first have to know Earth's radius, and the distance to the Sun, better known as one Astronomical Unit.
Limits to Growth, 36 Years Later
In 1972 a group of concerned scientists and citizens warned us of a kind of End of the World, if we kept going with business as usual. Well as Koïchiro Matsuura, UNESCO's Secretary General, is telling us (see note below). That time has come.
What are we going to do?
As far as I'm concerned, I'll keep my eyes open, for the next Darfur, Kenya, or Alabama conflict hits. I hope it is not in Warrenville.
What are we going to do?
As far as I'm concerned, I'll keep my eyes open, for the next Darfur, Kenya, or Alabama conflict hits. I hope it is not in Warrenville.
Can humanity still be saved?
Koïchiro Matsuura31 January 2008 01:54We have inherited a single planet. But what have we made of it? The Earth is today an endangered heritage, and the species itself is at risk.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Friday, February 08, 2008
Information and the Open Source Movement
I am not a contributor to Richard Stallman's effort to free software, but I deeply sympathize with his efforts. I was in charge of inviting him to Lucent Technologies to give a talk on open source. He wanted pay, and I was not allowed to offer him that. I ended up inviting Eric Raymond. He gave a very nice and informative conference and the free software movement in exchange of a free lunch and hotel accommodations.
There is a lot of information available for all of us to know. We should take advantage, and be responsible. I see storms ahead in the near future, somehow I fell safer if more of us know the way out, than if just a few "think" they know the way out.
There is a lot of information available for all of us to know. We should take advantage, and be responsible. I see storms ahead in the near future, somehow I fell safer if more of us know the way out, than if just a few "think" they know the way out.
Francis Halzen
I have read the papers of this phenomenologist for a long time now. He works at the University of Wisconsin, and together with Vernon Barger, author of the book, Collider Physics, have made that University one of the centers of particle phenomenology in the world.
Now Prof. Halzen just posted an analysis on line, with Aongus O'Murchadha, on neutrinos reaching Earth.
This is a very important window into the Universe. So far neutrinos have been observed coming from Supernova explosions, unfortunately these explosions are not planned nor frequent. Recently the Auger collaboration has tentatively identified Active Galactic Nuclei (AGNs), as huge accelerators in space producing the highest energy cosmic rays detected so far. Halzen and O'Murchadha, analyze in this paper the likelihood of detecting these neutrinos. According to them, all that is needed is bigger neutrino detector, twice as big as the ones now running.
Halzen et al. conclude:
"IceCube should be able to detect with 5σ confidence a flux at the predicted level within 3 years[16]."
Now Prof. Halzen just posted an analysis on line, with Aongus O'Murchadha, on neutrinos reaching Earth.
This is a very important window into the Universe. So far neutrinos have been observed coming from Supernova explosions, unfortunately these explosions are not planned nor frequent. Recently the Auger collaboration has tentatively identified Active Galactic Nuclei (AGNs), as huge accelerators in space producing the highest energy cosmic rays detected so far. Halzen and O'Murchadha, analyze in this paper the likelihood of detecting these neutrinos. According to them, all that is needed is bigger neutrino detector, twice as big as the ones now running.
Halzen et al. conclude:
"IceCube should be able to detect with 5σ confidence a flux at the predicted level within 3 years[16]."
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Storms Across 5 States Leave at Least 50 Dead
About 50 people were killed and at least 100 were injured after a wide swath of thunderstorms packing tornadoes, high winds and hail swept through the South on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Tornadoes in Winter?
Tornadoes are not supposed to happen in Winter. I think this is strange.
"Forecasters said the unusual winter tornadoes were caused by unusually warm temperatures in the region. But cold weather, possibly with snow and sleet, was expected to follow the line of thunderstorms."
John Holusha, NYT writer.
"Forecasters said the unusual winter tornadoes were caused by unusually warm temperatures in the region. But cold weather, possibly with snow and sleet, was expected to follow the line of thunderstorms."
John Holusha, NYT writer.
Storms Across 5 States Leave at Least 50 Dead
About 50 people were killed and at least 100 were injured after a wide swath of thunderstorms packing tornadoes, high winds and hail swept through the South on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Memo From Mexico
Those who practice it today are heretical “Fundamentalist Mormons", not part of the LDS church. But in the late 1800s, some Mormons who wanted to continue practicing polygamy fled to Mexico, among them ancestors of Mitt Romney. That’s why Mitt’s father George was actually born in Mexico.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Allan Wall
Today I add Allan Wall's WebPage from Mexico to my links here, "An American in Mexico". He wrote a comprehensive "Memo from Mexico", on "Mitt Romney and the Mormon Question".
It is very interesting how our two countries are getting intertwined, despite all the negative attitudes towards Mexicans in the US.
It is very interesting how our two countries are getting intertwined, despite all the negative attitudes towards Mexicans in the US.
Monday, February 04, 2008
Fermilab Gets a Boost, or Does It?
Reading the article below by Kenneth Chang of the New York Times, one gets the impression first that everything is okey, and then that it isn't. It seems that Dr. Piermaria Oddone, does not believe that everything will be all right next year.
Who is right?
We will know next year.
Who is right?
We will know next year.
Physicists Hope U.S. Budget Will Mean an End to Research Cut
Under President Bush’s proposed federal budget announced on Monday, research in the physical sciences would receive a hefty boost.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Future
There are at least two reasons why we do not know the future. One is lack of information, and the other is instability. Even if everything we can know about something is known, still it is possible that very small changes in the conditions can change the outcome in a big way. That is what I call instability.
Seymour Hersh tells us today that Syria, Israel, North Korea, and the US, are withholding information on the attack late last year by Israel on Syria.
In that case somebody knows.
On the other hand Patrick Geryl claims that there is not much we can do to stop the Sun from bathing us in 2012 with a beam of electrons and protons. That event in turn will reverse the polarity of the magnetic field of the Earth, and kill most of us in the process.
Because of both types of situations, we do not know the future.
Seymour Hersh tells us today that Syria, Israel, North Korea, and the US, are withholding information on the attack late last year by Israel on Syria.
In that case somebody knows.
On the other hand Patrick Geryl claims that there is not much we can do to stop the Sun from bathing us in 2012 with a beam of electrons and protons. That event in turn will reverse the polarity of the magnetic field of the Earth, and kill most of us in the process.
Because of both types of situations, we do not know the future.
A Strike in the Dark: What did Israel bomb in Syria?
Sometime after midnight on September 6, 2007, low‒flying Israeli Air Force fighters crossed into Syrian airspace and carried out a secret bombing mission on the banks of the Euphrates River, about ninety miles north of the Iraq border…
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Sunday, February 03, 2008
Freakish Weather
If there is more heat in the atmosphere, then the weather is "freakish". We have this report from China:
"The freakish weather is now in its fourth week, throttling the country's densely populated central and eastern regions as tens of millions of travelers scramble to board trains and buses to return home for this month's Lunar New Year holiday."
AP February 3, 2008
"The freakish weather is now in its fourth week, throttling the country's densely populated central and eastern regions as tens of millions of travelers scramble to board trains and buses to return home for this month's Lunar New Year holiday."
AP February 3, 2008
Train Woes Ease in Snow - Wary China
BEIJING (AP) -- Railway service inched back to normal Sunday in southern China, a day after one person died in a stampede by frustrated train passengers who were stranded for days because of snow ahead of an important holiday.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
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