Category: Pop Culture

What Every Dog Should Know About Quantum Physics

A quick check-in from Tuscaloosa, where we’re getting ready to head out for the football tailgating. While I’ve got a minute, though, here are the slides from my public lecture, via SlideShare: What Every Dog Should Know About Quantum Physics View more presentations from Chad Orzel. These are probably less comprehensible that some of my… Continue reading What Every Dog Should Know About Quantum Physics

How to Teach Physics to Your Dog in the South

I am in Alabama at the moment, the temporary owner of a ginormous Ford SUV and a hotel room that even I think is a little more air-conditioned than strictly necessary. Which means that it’s time for the How to Teach Physics to Your Dog mini-tour of the Southland. On Wednesday, I’ll be driving to… Continue reading How to Teach Physics to Your Dog in the South

Nobel Prize Betting Pool

It’s that time of year again– the Swedes will be handing out money to famous scientists, with the announcements of who’s getting what starting one week from today. Thus, the traditional Uncertain Principles Nobel Prize Picking Contest: Leave a comment on this post predicting the winner(s) of one of this year’s Nobel Prizes. Anyone who… Continue reading Nobel Prize Betting Pool

Short Story Club: “Second Journey of the Magus” by Ian R MacLeod

I’m way, way behind the discussion of this week’s story, but having read it, I thought I’d post a couple of comments. This will be short, because there isn’t a lot to say. This is a sort of alternate Christianity story, a story in which Jesus gave in to the temptations offered by the devil… Continue reading Short Story Club: “Second Journey of the Magus” by Ian R MacLeod

How to Teach Physics to Your Dog in the South

One of the things I’ve been stressed about lately is next week, when I’m making a trip to the South, specifically Georgia and Alabama. As I mentioned here earlier, the original inspiration was a get-together with friends from college for the Florida-Alabama football game next Saturday, but it seems a shame to go all that… Continue reading How to Teach Physics to Your Dog in the South

How to Teach Physics to Your Chinese Dog

Got a big box in the mail today, which included author copies of two Asian editions: the Japanese edition, which I had seen before, and this: That is, obviously, the Chinese edition of How to Teach Physics to Your Dog. I say “obviously” mostly because I know that edition was about ready to roll out–… Continue reading How to Teach Physics to Your Chinese Dog

Short Story Club: “Elegy for a Young Elk” by Hannu Rajaniemi

Hannu Ranjaniemi’s The Quantrum Thief has generated a lot of buzz, but doesn’t seem to be available on this side of the Atlantic (not without exorbitant shipping charges, anyway). As a result, I haven’t read anything of his, so I was happy to see “Elegy for a Young Elk on the Short Story Club list.… Continue reading Short Story Club: “Elegy for a Young Elk” by Hannu Rajaniemi

Now THAT’S a Noble Cause: Restoring Truthiness

Via Tom, the folks pushing for a Stephen Colbert rally on the Mall in DC (because if a clown like Glen Beck can do it, why not an actual comedian?) have found a uniquely useful way to try to boost their signal: encouraging charitable donations: See, anyone can join a reddit or Facebook group or… Continue reading Now THAT’S a Noble Cause: Restoring Truthiness

Short Story Club: “A Serpent in the Gears” by Margaret Ronald

I do intend to keep reading and commenting on the stories for Torque Control’s Short Story Club, but I missed last week’s because I couldn’t really think of anything to say about it. The story was nicely written, and all, but it’s just kind of… there. This week’s post was delayed by my annual day… Continue reading Short Story Club: “A Serpent in the Gears” by Margaret Ronald