Kai

Those wacky physicists...

Fri, 07 Apr 2006 04:08:50 GMT

From http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/312/5770/83 :

"We present a detailed experimental analysis of a free-propagating light pulse prepared in a "Schrödinger kitten" state, which is defined as a quantum superposition of "classical" coherent states with small amplitudes. This kitten state is generated by subtracting one photon from a squeezed vacuum beam, and it clearly presents a negative Wigner function. The predicted influence of the experimental parameters is in excellent agreement with the experimental results. The amplitude of the coherent states can be amplified to transform our "Schrödinger kittens" into bigger Schrödinger cats, providing an essential tool for quantum information processing."

Old school

Sat, 04 Jun 2005 03:11:09 GMT

Cleaning out a box of crap that was sitting in the garage, I found a copy of MS-DOS 6.2... 6.2! The package considerately notes: “Package contains 3.5" high-density disks and a coupon for low-density disks”

What technology that was - I can see why I kept it.

Star Wars Episode III (no spoilers)

Wed, 25 May 2005 06:34:19 GMT

I'd like to express my opinion of this (hopefully) final installment of something that is (apparently) related to movies of my childhood. However, I don't have the words to do so. Instead, I've devised a dance to fully express my scorn. This dance may be performed upon request, depending on inebriation levels. Beware however, the dance is powerful and filled with emotion - certainly more emotion than that abysmal travesty of a moving picture.

Sometimes I hate Python (Part 1)

Wed, 27 Apr 2005 05:55:20 GMT

>>> x = dict.fromkeys ([1,2,3], [])
>>> x
{1: [], 2: [], 3: []}
>>> x[1].append('Foo')
>>> x
{1: ['Foo'], 2: ['Foo'], 3: ['Foo']}

Now I understand why this happens, but there is no possible way that this is actually desired behaviour. Under what possible circumstances should you not invoke a copy-constructor in an object creation method like

fromkeys ()

Kai's food-related wisdom: Part 1

Mon, 18 Apr 2005 07:38:10 GMT

BBQ Pork

This product of joy has always eluded me. I'd sit outside BBQ shops in the valley being too scared of wizened Chinese women with machetes to go inside. Recently I plucked up my courage and faced said machete-wielding monster. From this I have ascertained:

The unit in which one buys it is the 'piece'. One piece appears to be about 0.5kg.
The cost of BBQ pork is about $16/kg. Therefore, one unit costs about $8.
One unit will provide four fairly generous servings.You should be able to eat it over 2-3 days (but probably not much more than that), so it makes a good meal for 2 days.
I believe that it should be freezable, but I haven't tried.
In order to make it hot again, you can:
- nuke it - if you're feeling blasphemous;
- fry it - this drys it out a bit;
- wrap it in foil and heat it in a 180 degree oven for about 10 minutes - this seems to be the way to go.

Oh - and it's good.

Wed, 30 Mar 2005 04:08:05 GMT

The best URL ever (today):
http://www.toiletmap.gov.au/

132 - The snake path.

Wed, 02 Feb 2005 04:18:06 GMT

Edit: I think that Sam's post might be better placed here.

Mon, 31 Jan 2005 08:22:02 GMT

It's like the car crash of foreign policy. I just can't look away.

MLP

Thu, 04 Nov 2004 02:16:38 GMT

Cooking For Engineers rocks my world.

Wed, 03 Nov 2004 13:42:41 GMT

At first, I thought that the new homeland security applet wasn't working properly. Then, I realised that the Australian national security website was down. Does this mean that we're about to be invaded? Possibly by a triumphant Dubya yelling 'suckers!' ?

MIA

Tue, 05 Oct 2004 12:48:57 GMT

This is a general distress call: I've lost my jacket.

If you're reading this, then you presumably know me, and therefore know the jacket I speak of, as I only really have one, and I wear it everywhere. Last known location is Amaya's place Friday before last (ie. the 24th). I know Amaya has hassled some people, but I thought that I'd just try a quick, desperate plea for help.

I need it - I'm going to a cold place soon... *sniff*

Update: Double-plus big thanks to Amaya and Dave, who found my lonely, unloved jacket. Relieved.

Thu, 30 Sep 2004 05:34:52 GMT

Apparently Bush-isms are contagious.

Thu, 16 Sep 2004 22:33:00 GMT

Because it's the sort of thing people should know, some background to Sam's last post can be found here and here.

Coming soon to Trash film club...

Tue, 07 Sep 2004 02:15:38 GMT

7pm Tuesday 21st September: FILIPINO MIDGET SPY FEST PART 2!

Come along - you want it... possibly

Election run-up

Fri, 03 Sep 2004 01:39:50 GMT

Swinging voters... this is a concept that I have amazing difficulty with.

I mean - I know that they exist, since they decide elections in this country, but I still have problems believing that there is a very significant proportion of the population who appear to have such an incredible lack convictions that they might actually be swayed by pre-election propaganda, economic incentives and similar tricks.

It's not just that I don't agree with the politics - it's that they don't have any. Just as a contrast: 'One Nation' voters. I think they're stupid (or at least horrendously small-minded), but at least I understand that they are, for the most part, taking part in the process of representative democracy. If 10% of the population are racist, homophobic fools, then we get to have 10% of our elected representatives be racist, homophobic fools. (Thankfully it doesn't work that way... at least, not openly.) However, the whole concept of the swinging voter just implies that there are people with no real allegiance or beliefs, except maybe to whoever offers them the biggest tax cut, or looks the best on TV.

The other side to this is that, even if their actions are different, the two major parties are generally indistinguishable from a rhetroic point-of-view, making the process of distinguishing between them pretty hard, if you're the sort of person to vote for a major party.

Of course, since I've been tracking some of the U.S. politics, I should simply be grateful that we're not that bad.

Thu, 26 Aug 2004 12:29:18 GMT

Because LJ is the ultimate social advertising tool:
Ponyloaf are playing at Rics every Thursday night in October. Come along - it will be fun. *nod*

Video cards

Tue, 17 Aug 2004 14:22:39 GMT

While contemplating just how much I can't afford a new video card for Total War: Rome, I stumbled upon a video card that I just can't pass up. It's the "Albatron 128MDDR FX5800 8X"... ALBATRON!

It's so obviously the name of our new robot master. I can just sense the plot of the next series of transformers unfolding before me, and it involves Albatron. These events were even predicted by... some guy who took way too many drugs, and allowed visitors.

At length did cross an Albatron,
Thorough the fog it came;
As if it had been a Christian soul,
We hailed it in God's name.

I don't allow visitors... but then, I don't partake of opium either, so maybe I'm being overly cautious.

Thu, 05 Aug 2004 23:29:03 GMT

Part of being on LJ is inevitably gaining a number of LJ buddies. Unfortunately, as time wears on, it's easy to forget who the fuck they all are. In fact, I believe that this whole "meme" is just a cunningly disguised attempt for all of you punks with 150 people on your friends list to figure out who everyone is, and why they're there at all. I, on the other hand, have about 20 people on my friends list, so I don't need to be reminded who they are. Watch me scorn your meme.

Thu, 22 Jul 2004 05:12:38 GMT

Bigger breasts offered as perk to US soldiers

I don't know whether to laugh or cry...

Wed, 30 Jun 2004 03:11:36 GMT

The monkeysphere

For some people I know....

Fri, 25 Jun 2004 04:01:46 GMT

...who don't subscribe to the Trash newsletter:

7pm Tuesday 13th July: JAPANEXTREME #1!

Lone Wolf & Cub 1-3 (70s) A Trash compilation of our favourite moments from the greatest, goriest Japanese samurai film series EVER. Narrated live by yours truly, PLUS a reprise screening of Suicide Circle (2002), the latest Battle Royale-style surreal apocalyptic splatter from Japan - it gets OUR HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION!!!

7pm Tuesday 27th July: JAPANEXTREME #2!

Lone Wolf & Cub 4-6 (70s) More highlights from the last three Shogun Assassin features, narrated by Andrew Leavold, plus... Ichi The Killer (2000) the ANIME VERSION of Takeshi Miikes brutal splatter-noir!!!

I take no responsibility for the previous screenings being good, bad or otherwise. However, if anyone (looks at deadpan) is interested, let me know.

Students' exams

Mon, 21 Jun 2004 06:45:20 GMT

AH-HA!

they're marked! all of them! fuckers.

at least I got to fail almost half of them for making me read the crap that most of them write. bastards.

now i need to sleep.

Because it's funny...

Tue, 08 Jun 2004 02:35:47 GMT

After reading this, I also want Hunter S. Thompson's version of Reagan's obituary.

Mon, 31 May 2004 01:00:43 GMT

Since there is, as far as I am aware, no collective noun for students, I've decided that a group of students should be termed an 'ignorance'.

Usage:

What are you doing this afternoon?
I'm tutoring some ignorances of students.

What's happening outside?
I'm not sure - there's an ignorance of students gathered in the courtyard.

Climbing

Mon, 24 May 2004 03:00:57 GMT

So... climbing is on for this Friday, with an attempt to make a mission of it, roping in various people who should obviously come along, but are usually either (a) too slack or (b) too broke.
If you're interested in coming indoor climbing at the new climbing gym in west-end this Friday, let me know. The place is called Urban Climb and is lots o' fun. Not entirely sure, but cost should be ~$20 for as long as you can stay on the walls.