Everything I’ve read about the Hold Steady says that they’re a great bar band, which always seems a little improbable. I mean, the songs are complicated, with tons of words and odd subject matter (“I dig those awkward silences, ’cause I grew up in denial, and I went to school in Massachusetts”), and Craig Finn… Continue reading The Hold Steady at Valentine’s, Albany
Author: Chad Orzel
links for 2009-04-01
Setshot: Basketball for the Aging and Infirm: "Worse than he thinks": Self-image versus ability "To me, the worst players to run with (aside from the belligerent and insane) are those with drastically inflated self-images. You know these players. They’re the ones who think that they’re the best on the court, the ones who think they… Continue reading links for 2009-04-01
Course Report: Nuclei and Particles in 3+1 Classes
This is the final report on my modern physics class from last term, covering the last week of classes, which generally deal with nuclear and particle physics. This was actually three-and-a-bit classes, because I lost one class to a nasty cold a few weeks earlier, and used part of the lab period to make up… Continue reading Course Report: Nuclei and Particles in 3+1 Classes
Course Report: Solid State Physics in Three Classes
In the last course report post, we dispensed of atomic and molecular physics in just three classes. The next three classes do the same for solid state physics. Class 25 picks up on the idea of basic molecular potentials from the end of the previous class, and uses that to introduce energy bands in a… Continue reading Course Report: Solid State Physics in Three Classes
Course Report: Atoms and Molecules in Three Classes
I got way behind on my reports from my Modern Physics class– the last one was over month ago, and the class has since ended. There’s enough material left to be really awkward as a single post, though, so I’m going to take my cue from Brandon Sanderson and split it into three parts. The… Continue reading Course Report: Atoms and Molecules in Three Classes
Academic Poll: Mind Like a Steel… Thingy
Today is the first day of Spring term classes, which means there’s one obvious question to ask: What am I forgetting? I’ve spent the last few days alternating baby duty with frantic class prep, and I think I’ve got everything ready. I’m bound to be forgetting something, though. So what is it? What’s the thing… Continue reading Academic Poll: Mind Like a Steel… Thingy
Final Four Thoughts
Last week, the more annoying yelling heads on ESPN and its affiliates were all making a big show of brushing off the complaints of NCAA fans who felt the tournament was missing something due to the lack of a “Cinderella” team from a small conference making it to the round of 16. This was just… Continue reading Final Four Thoughts
links for 2009-03-30
The Washington Monthly "I wonder why people are so angry about bonuses. Do they hate the rich? Do they want to punish success?Are they eaten up inside with resentment? Do they just not want to admit that some people work harder and are more talented than they are? Or could it be one too many… Continue reading links for 2009-03-30
Social Media and the Animal Kingdom
I’m putting the finishing touches on Monday’s lecture notes when the dog comes into the library, looking concerned. “Shouldn’t I be doing something to promote the book?” she asks. “Since it won’t be out for another nine months, I don’t think it’s that urgent.” “But aren’t there more Internetty things I could be doing?” “Well,… Continue reading Social Media and the Animal Kingdom
Tolkien, Religion, and the Death of Western Culture
I was rather surprised when Friday’s quick post about Tolkien spawned a lengthy comment thread full of people arguing against the suggestion that The Lord of the Rings is affected by Tolkien’s Catholic faith. I’m no Tolkien scholar, but my impression of the field is that this is simply not a controversial statement, that there… Continue reading Tolkien, Religion, and the Death of Western Culture