Comments on: New Colleagues http://asymptotia.com/2006/10/17/new-colleagues/ Fri, 19 Mar 2010 07:53:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 By: The 2006 Nobel Prizes: Who, What and Why! - Asymptotia http://asymptotia.com/2006/10/17/new-colleagues/comment-page-1/#comment-4467 The 2006 Nobel Prizes: Who, What and Why! - Asymptotia Tue, 14 Nov 2006 05:33:47 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2006/10/17/new-colleagues/#comment-4467 [...] I already talked about her and her contribution here, the prize here, and there are several sites discussing the their work and the prize’s significance in more detail, such as here and here. Of course, the Nobel site itself has a splendid detailed description here. [...] [...] I already talked about her and her contribution here, the prize here, and there are several sites discussing the their work and the prize’s significance in more detail, such as here and here. Of course, the Nobel site itself has a splendid detailed description here. [...]

]]> By: Inside the Academics Studio - Asymptotia http://asymptotia.com/2006/10/17/new-colleagues/comment-page-1/#comment-3672 Inside the Academics Studio - Asymptotia Wed, 08 Nov 2006 08:13:27 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2006/10/17/new-colleagues/#comment-3672 [...] Imagine the same thing, but with an academic in the hot seat. This is what happens tomorrow, hence the title of this post. I will be the interviewer, and my new colleague cosmologist/astrophysicist Elena Pierpaoli will be the interviewee. It will be in front of a live audience. [...] [...] Imagine the same thing, but with an academic in the hot seat. This is what happens tomorrow, hence the title of this post. I will be the interviewer, and my new colleague cosmologist/astrophysicist Elena Pierpaoli will be the interviewee. It will be in front of a live audience. [...]

]]> By: Aaron F. http://asymptotia.com/2006/10/17/new-colleagues/comment-page-1/#comment-2453 Aaron F. Sun, 22 Oct 2006 19:28:17 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2006/10/17/new-colleagues/#comment-2453 <blockquote>Retractable pointing sticks can come with cool little magnets on the end...</blockquote> LOL... it's the MAGNETIC MEDIA ERASER STICK OF DOOOOM!

Retractable pointing sticks can come with cool little magnets on the end…

LOL… it’s the MAGNETIC MEDIA ERASER STICK OF DOOOOM!

]]> By: Clifford http://asymptotia.com/2006/10/17/new-colleagues/comment-page-1/#comment-2307 Clifford Thu, 19 Oct 2006 22:33:44 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2006/10/17/new-colleagues/#comment-2307 Thanks! Glad you liked it. I think we should make that one an annual event.... Will blog the Fields medal one in a short while.... too many fun things to blog about.... got to catch up.... -cvj Thanks!

Glad you liked it. I think we should make that one an annual event….

Will blog the Fields medal one in a short while…. too many fun things to blog about…. got to catch up….

-cvj

]]> By: Katie http://asymptotia.com/2006/10/17/new-colleagues/comment-page-1/#comment-2306 Katie Thu, 19 Oct 2006 21:13:37 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2006/10/17/new-colleagues/#comment-2306 Aside from the whole laser vs. pointy stick debate, I just have to mention that this colloquium was really great, as was the previous week's talk related to the Fields Medal. Great, well-implemented ideas. Thanks Clifford! And thanks also to the USC faculty members who gave the talks. Aside from the whole laser vs. pointy stick debate, I just have to mention that this colloquium was really great, as was the previous week’s talk related to the Fields Medal. Great, well-implemented ideas. Thanks Clifford! And thanks also to the USC faculty members who gave the talks.

]]> By: Rob Knop http://asymptotia.com/2006/10/17/new-colleagues/comment-page-1/#comment-2287 Rob Knop Thu, 19 Oct 2006 12:34:20 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2006/10/17/new-colleagues/#comment-2287 <i>Rob: One more use of laser pointers: to autofocus your DSLR in low light conditions.</i> Oh, I do that with a pointy stick. -Rob Rob: One more use of laser pointers: to autofocus your DSLR in low light conditions.

Oh, I do that with a pointy stick.

-Rob

]]> By: QuantumRevolution http://asymptotia.com/2006/10/17/new-colleagues/comment-page-1/#comment-2262 QuantumRevolution Wed, 18 Oct 2006 20:50:51 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2006/10/17/new-colleagues/#comment-2262 Sorry, I forgot the most important use of laser pointers. To paint with light in big letters something nice like "I love you" on a nightscape (talking about the landscape) scene like San Francisco's shoreline and giving the photo to your SO. Takes a rather long exposure and it's horribly kitsch but satisfaction is definitely guaranteed... Sorry, I forgot the most important use of laser pointers. To paint with light in big letters something nice like “I love you” on a nightscape (talking about the landscape) scene like San Francisco’s shoreline and giving the photo to your SO. Takes a rather long exposure and it’s horribly kitsch but satisfaction is definitely guaranteed…

]]> By: QuantumRevolution http://asymptotia.com/2006/10/17/new-colleagues/comment-page-1/#comment-2261 QuantumRevolution Wed, 18 Oct 2006 20:43:12 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2006/10/17/new-colleagues/#comment-2261 Clifford: My point was that from the photos that bamboo pointer looks rather enormous. I may be wrong, though. Rob: One more use of laser pointers: to autofocus your DSLR in low light conditions. You might even use it as a composition aid, too. Scott: Have you ever shone a laser pointer on a lizard or frog at night? The translucent ones, I mean. They glow in the dark like beacons. They also look rather perplexed... Clifford: My point was that from the photos that bamboo pointer looks rather enormous. I may be wrong, though.

Rob: One more use of laser pointers: to autofocus your DSLR in low light conditions. You might even use it as a composition aid, too.

Scott: Have you ever shone a laser pointer on a lizard or frog at night? The translucent ones, I mean. They glow in the dark like beacons. They also look rather perplexed…

]]> By: spyder http://asymptotia.com/2006/10/17/new-colleagues/comment-page-1/#comment-2249 spyder Wed, 18 Oct 2006 18:43:36 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2006/10/17/new-colleagues/#comment-2249 Retractable pointing sticks can come with cool little magnets on the end that can be most efficiently used to pick up pens and/or pen caps from across tables or down on the floor. They have great versatility, better than laser pointers, they dont need batteries, and if you really need a cat toy: tie a string on the end of the pointer that has a piece of cloth or some shiny mylar like material. Congrats on USC hiring new faculty, and not going down the adjunct path. Retractable pointing sticks can come with cool little magnets on the end that can be most efficiently used to pick up pens and/or pen caps from across tables or down on the floor. They have great versatility, better than laser pointers, they dont need batteries, and if you really need a cat toy: tie a string on the end of the pointer that has a piece of cloth or some shiny mylar like material.

Congrats on USC hiring new faculty, and not going down the adjunct path.

]]> By: Scott H. http://asymptotia.com/2006/10/17/new-colleagues/comment-page-1/#comment-2246 Scott H. Wed, 18 Oct 2006 18:15:41 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2006/10/17/new-colleagues/#comment-2246 <i>Laser pointers make excellent cat toys.</i> True that! The best part of babysitting our former landlord's kittens was driving them bonkers with the red dot. Our own cats are now far too "mature" to play like that. Laser pointers make excellent cat toys.

True that! The best part of babysitting our former landlord’s kittens was driving them bonkers with the red dot. Our own cats are now far too “mature” to play like that.

]]> By: Rob Knop http://asymptotia.com/2006/10/17/new-colleagues/comment-page-1/#comment-2245 Rob Knop Wed, 18 Oct 2006 17:53:53 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2006/10/17/new-colleagues/#comment-2245 Why Laser Pointers are Better Than Pointy Sticks : * They're cool, man. * Less likely to be confiscated at the airport * They're <i>way</I> cool. * They're newer. * Fit in your pocket better. * You can reach farther with a laser pointer. * You may be able to burn your retina if you stare into it long enough, but you sure won't poke out anybody's eye with a laser pointer. * Pointy sticks are just so 20th century. * Lasers are <i>cool</i>. But most importantly: * Laser pointers make <i>excellent</i> cat toys. Why Laser Pointers are Better Than Pointy Sticks :

* They’re cool, man.

* Less likely to be confiscated at the airport

* They’re way cool.

* They’re newer.

* Fit in your pocket better.

* You can reach farther with a laser pointer.

* You may be able to burn your retina if you stare into it long enough, but you sure won’t poke out anybody’s eye with a laser pointer.

* Pointy sticks are just so 20th century.

* Lasers are cool.

But most importantly:

* Laser pointers make excellent cat toys.

]]> By: Clifford http://asymptotia.com/2006/10/17/new-colleagues/comment-page-1/#comment-2242 Clifford Wed, 18 Oct 2006 16:40:56 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2006/10/17/new-colleagues/#comment-2242 QuantumRevolution... Hi. Not seeing your point here. Was the bamboo stick pointer failing in some way where a laser point would succeed? Please tell me how. :-) In fact, it is more often the other way around.... a lot of people find your typical laser pointer harder to see than a good old-fashioned stick. Technology for the sake of it is often a mistake. Cheers, -cvj QuantumRevolution… Hi. Not seeing your point here. Was the bamboo stick pointer failing in some way where a laser point would succeed? Please tell me how. :-) In fact, it is more often the other way around…. a lot of people find your typical laser pointer harder to see than a good old-fashioned stick. Technology for the sake of it is often a mistake.

Cheers,

-cvj

]]> By: Scott H. http://asymptotia.com/2006/10/17/new-colleagues/comment-page-1/#comment-2241 Scott H. Wed, 18 Oct 2006 16:39:32 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2006/10/17/new-colleagues/#comment-2241 Laser pointers are fine for large venues, but for something relatively small like this, nothing beats a big pointy stick. First, it's nice to have something to swing around and gesture with while talking; second, it's a fine tool for keeping the audience in line. (Kidding. Sort of.) Laser pointers are fine for large venues, but for something relatively small like this, nothing beats a big pointy stick. First, it’s nice to have something to swing around and gesture with while talking; second, it’s a fine tool for keeping the audience in line. (Kidding. Sort of.)

]]> By: QuantumRevolution http://asymptotia.com/2006/10/17/new-colleagues/comment-page-1/#comment-2236 QuantumRevolution Wed, 18 Oct 2006 15:39:05 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2006/10/17/new-colleagues/#comment-2236 Er... ever heard of laser pointers? :-) Er… ever heard of laser pointers? :-)

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