There’s no place like home.
ø
“>Third Light
“>A Chabadnik prepares the Menorah in front of Houston City Hall for the Third Light.
Some time ago, I met a rabbi of Chabad
in front of the Science Center. I told him that while I am not Jewish,
my Pennsylvania Dutch heritage was also a guilt based religion with bad
experience in Germany. I thought it was funny. The rabbi repeated my
remark. He seemed contemplative. I did not know what Chabad was. I
asked him a few questions. Unsurprisingly, each one was answered with a
question. Having lived on the lower east side, I had a vague idea about
the Chassidim. I learned that Chabad is a branch of Chassidism.
in front of the Science Center. I told him that while I am not Jewish,
my Pennsylvania Dutch heritage was also a guilt based religion with bad
experience in Germany. I thought it was funny. The rabbi repeated my
remark. He seemed contemplative. I did not know what Chabad was. I
asked him a few questions. Unsurprisingly, each one was answered with a
question. Having lived on the lower east side, I had a vague idea about
the Chassidim. I learned that Chabad is a branch of Chassidism.
On a later day, I met the rabbi walking across the Yard. I asked him if
I had offended him with my remark about my heritage. He said, “Oh, God
no!” My relief was seasoned with a pinch of surprise.What? A rabbi
shouldn’t say ‘Oh, God’?
My third encounter with Chabad occurred before the Third Light of Chanukah. Not by design. At least not mine.
“>
“>
“>Nature smiles on Wikipedia
ø
|
The British carbon-cellulose journal of the sciences Nature did a comparison study of the accuracy of the silicon-based Wikipedia vs. the carbon-cellulose Britannica. Fifty pairs of articles from the two paedias were sent to accredited experts. A Hitchhiker’s Guide* of article pairs were found to be suitable for the sample. In an article posted Wednesday December 14, 2005 Nature noted that both paedias had errors, but Wikipedia only slightly more than Britannica. The Associated Press sent out an article the next morning, picked up by Information Week which was then reported by CNN. As far as I can tell, it was first brought to the Harvardlibrarysphere by j’s scratchpad ahead of IW and CNN. j is active in the Berkman Thursday Blog Group. |
 |
*42 in S.I. units.
Abridged Edition?
ø
“>Are they still using Cliff Notes?
Dudes! Dudesses*! Sometimes you really gotta do the whole thing. I understand. Cooperative work is hard. Just ask the Trots. On second thought, don’t ask them. Or these folks either.
*Did I fail Cambridge political correctness?
Abridged Edition?
ø
“>Are they still using Cliff Notes?
Dudes! Dudesses! Sometimes you really have to do the whole thing. I understand. Cooperative work is hard. Just ask the Trots. On second thought don’t ask them.
Professor Lisa: An Unambiguous Gift
ø
“>Jefferson Starship where Professor Lisa builds her models*.
“Warped Passages: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Universe’s Hidden Dimensions.”
What? Twice I told you! But did you go?
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
8:00 PM Science Center D
What? Twice I told you! But did you go?
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
8:00 PM Science Center D
I promised you a review of her new book, “Warped Passages: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Universe’s Hidden Dimensions.” I wanted to convince you to go to her talk, but I forgot how slowly I read. But I can recommend the talk based on other talks I’ve heard.
Recently I went to her talk at MIT. I was on time to Building 6. It was boarded up with a big “Hard Hat Area” sign. Her old office where [in part] she built her warped model* is now under construction and covered with gypsum dust. Anyway, I found the retail space where CTP now lives, for the time being. She spoke on ‘Relaxing to Three Dimensions”. She was proposing yet another way to understand why the space around us appears to have three dimensions while progress in theoretical physics suggest there are more than that. This is a recent trend. Physics call such trends “cottage industries”. Professor Lisa did not start this trend, but she certainly catapaulted it into high gear.
For Newton, space was the vast immutable stage on which all the action unfolded. Time was the vehicle of change. Einstein’s special insight was that space and time are aspects of one bigger thing. His general insight was that that thing is itself flexibility and changeable. That flexibility IS gravity – at least if you don’t have a really big [virtural] magnifying glass. Kaluza and Klein almost realized part of Einstein’s dream by showing that one extra dimenion could give gravity and electromagnetism. But the extra dimension had to be curved [which Einstein would certainly allow] up into a teeny tiny circle, too small to see [otherwise wouldn’t we have seen it?] But the extra dimensional circle was fixed which Einstein would not allow.
You’ve all heard that String Theory only makes sense in 10 dimensions. I think the folks could do better explaining this point. [I’m hoping Professor Lisa has something new on this.] Anyway, you’ve also heard that the Uncertainly Principle prohibits a point particle from standing absolutely still. It must have zero-point motion. Fields have zero-point motion associated with each and every of their infinite wiggles. That can lead to really big [if not infinite energies]. That’s not a good thing.
Zero-point energies can be tamed by pitting them against each other. Supersymmetry [SUSY], the idea that every particle that constitutes ‘matter’ has a partner that carries ‘force’ [and conversely], does that, which is one reason why folks like Professor Lisa like it so much. That’s not the whole story though. Strings whose vibrations can only make force particles [bosonic strings] live in 26 dimensions. SUSY allows strings to live in 10. [This is why “The Fisrt Three Minutes” appeared to be confused.] I need the brilliant young Professor Lumidek to help me figure out how to describe the cancellation that allows bosonic strings to live in 26.
If the idea of extra dimensions make sense, why don’t we see them? Before Professor Lisa and Professor Raman did the warp, everybody borrowed the idea that Kaluza and Klein had used. The extra dimensions are curled up too small to see. Professors Lisa and Raman showed that there is an alternative. Stephen Hawking thought it was a good idea. When he spoke in Sanders Theatre, he put their paper up on the jumbotron.
The talk was everything I thought it would be. There is one thing I can tell you about the book from the bit that I have read. She has a very pleasant writing voice – a gentle authority, comforting. She has/is an unambiguous gift.
Recently I went to her talk at MIT. I was on time to Building 6. It was boarded up with a big “Hard Hat Area” sign. Her old office where [in part] she built her warped model* is now under construction and covered with gypsum dust. Anyway, I found the retail space where CTP now lives, for the time being. She spoke on ‘Relaxing to Three Dimensions”. She was proposing yet another way to understand why the space around us appears to have three dimensions while progress in theoretical physics suggest there are more than that. This is a recent trend. Physics call such trends “cottage industries”. Professor Lisa did not start this trend, but she certainly catapaulted it into high gear.
For Newton, space was the vast immutable stage on which all the action unfolded. Time was the vehicle of change. Einstein’s special insight was that space and time are aspects of one bigger thing. His general insight was that that thing is itself flexibility and changeable. That flexibility IS gravity – at least if you don’t have a really big [virtural] magnifying glass. Kaluza and Klein almost realized part of Einstein’s dream by showing that one extra dimenion could give gravity and electromagnetism. But the extra dimension had to be curved [which Einstein would certainly allow] up into a teeny tiny circle, too small to see [otherwise wouldn’t we have seen it?] But the extra dimensional circle was fixed which Einstein would not allow.
You’ve all heard that String Theory only makes sense in 10 dimensions. I think the folks could do better explaining this point. [I’m hoping Professor Lisa has something new on this.] Anyway, you’ve also heard that the Uncertainly Principle prohibits a point particle from standing absolutely still. It must have zero-point motion. Fields have zero-point motion associated with each and every of their infinite wiggles. That can lead to really big [if not infinite energies]. That’s not a good thing.
Zero-point energies can be tamed by pitting them against each other. Supersymmetry [SUSY], the idea that every particle that constitutes ‘matter’ has a partner that carries ‘force’ [and conversely], does that, which is one reason why folks like Professor Lisa like it so much. That’s not the whole story though. Strings whose vibrations can only make force particles [bosonic strings] live in 26 dimensions. SUSY allows strings to live in 10. [This is why “The Fisrt Three Minutes” appeared to be confused.] I need the brilliant young Professor Lumidek to help me figure out how to describe the cancellation that allows bosonic strings to live in 26.
If the idea of extra dimensions make sense, why don’t we see them? Before Professor Lisa and Professor Raman did the warp, everybody borrowed the idea that Kaluza and Klein had used. The extra dimensions are curled up too small to see. Professors Lisa and Raman showed that there is an alternative. Stephen Hawking thought it was a good idea. When he spoke in Sanders Theatre, he put their paper up on the jumbotron.
The talk was everything I thought it would be. There is one thing I can tell you about the book from the bit that I have read. She has a very pleasant writing voice – a gentle authority, comforting. She has/is an unambiguous gift.
“>
“>
“>
Holiday Gift Picks I: This One’s for YOU!
ø
For all you folks that found physics more or less like chewing glass*,
give YOURSELF a treat. On Wednesday December 14, 2005 at 8:00 PM
in Science Center D, Professor Lisa Randall
will speak on “Warped Passages: Unraveling the Mysteries of the
Universe’s Hidden Dimensions”. It will, no doubt, be about her new book
by the same title. Go to the talk and decide if you want to give the
book as a gift. I don’t know if Harper Collins will be at the
SciCenter Wednesday night. They certainly don’t know who’s truly
important at Harvard. I had to BUY my own copy to review. Anyway, you
can buy a copy at the one remaining independent bookstore in Harvard
Square i.e. The Harvard Bookstore. [The Coop is Barnes and Noble now!
They’re outsourcing everything. 🙁 ] My review to appear.
*I stole this phrase from plama physicist David Montgomery. He was
referring to a standard and abstruse text on Kinetic Theory. I think it
was Cowles, but everything past Bogoliubov-Born-Green-Kirkwood and
Yvonne is a blur. I have no idea where David stole the phrase, but I
bet he did.
Red Line: Alternate transportation; Park Kendall
ø
“>Alternate transportation: labor by Carmen’s Local 589, capital from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
If you were planning to take the Red Line across the Charles this
weekend, allow at least 40 min. extra for the bus ride between Park and Kendall stations. The T’s contractor, Barletta Heavy
Division will be working on the stone viaduct through the end of
service on Sunday Dec. 11, 2005. The men and women of Carmen’s Local 589
will help you find the buses and drive you to the other side. Say hi
for me. Dealing with the general public is not an easy job.
weekend, allow at least 40 min. extra for the bus ride between Park and Kendall stations. The T’s contractor, Barletta Heavy
Division will be working on the stone viaduct through the end of
service on Sunday Dec. 11, 2005. The men and women of Carmen’s Local 589
will help you find the buses and drive you to the other side. Say hi
for me. Dealing with the general public is not an easy job.
Ever wonder why it’s called the Red Line?
“>
Thundersnow
ø
If you were at or near Harvard at about 2:00 PM today, you were
undoubtedly aware of heavy snowfall. You may also have seen a bright
flash followed by a loud bang. At 2:10 PM the National Weather Service
advised that thundersnow is possible this afternoon. Nothing quite like post-mortem prognostication.
Thunder and lightning during a snowstorm, while rare, obviously can
occur. The makings of any thunderstorm is cold air at altitude lying
over warm moist air at ground level. While it is easy to see how this
can occur over a lake on a hot summer’s day, extreme cold air at
altitude can provide adequate temperature contrast in winter.
Thundersnow is more likely to be associated with large snowstorms than
small. It is also more likely near water. Very rapid heavy snowfall
usually accompanies thundersnow.
The question of early closing of the libraries may well be moot. This
thing will probably dump a bunch of snow and be over before we can
clear out.
Update [2:49 PM] : In fact, the predicted mixing to rain appears to occurring.
Stay tuned if you’re interested in convection and charge separation.
Human Rights Day: The Right to Organize I
ø
 “> | sponsors a march and rally supporting |  “> |
But you say, “we marched in commemoration of Human Rights and Rosa Parks on December 1, 2005” [scroll down 4 stories]. True, but humans have lots of rights that are unrecognized.or in retreat. The rally is on Boston Common at 3:30 PM and the march is at 4:00 PM. The website linked above also has a flyer and the route.
Some folks from SLAM were planning to go. Amanda is bottom lining. [Her cell # on open internet? Not without asking. -r]. I hope, “We’ll meet at 3:00 pm in the downstairs section of the Harvard T station,” is clear to y’all.
HUCTW Election 2005: First not quite live web report.
ø
The count is on. We have occupied the basement seminar room of Robinson Hall. The first boxes are counted.
 “> |
 “> |
| Bob Rush surveys the manifest. | Bill Jaeger and Martha Fuller count Box #1 |
Update 10:00 P.M.: Well, it wasn’t all that
photogenic. Counting Boxes 2-15 looked pretty much the same as Box 1.
Preliminary results: No big surprises. Final results will be posted at
the OpenHUCTW website. Oh and Crimsonites, maybe the Establishment Mediards was a little over the top. Sorry.
HUCTW Elections Dec. 6
ø
The Harvard Union of Clerical and Technical Workers is holding an election on Dec. 6 2005, to fill vacancies on the Executive Board, some Joint Councils, and some Union Representatives. I cannot tell you all that is going on Union wide because that information is not routinely provided by the Union Office.
I believe that a healthy Union would.
FAS Arts: Fenstermacher casts support to Butler:
The Guy by the Door nominated himself for Executive Board from the Arts Region of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. While I have worked with the Reform slate in the past, I felt then and still feel that their campaign approach is rigid and narrow. The issues are good, but the presentation is a tedious monotone. I think their are people who would vote the platform if arguments were less didactic and more dialectical . However, I have been unable to execute the kind of campaign I think the HUCTW rank and file deserve. My clear second choice is Genevieve Butler who while less experienced in campaigning than I am, is younger and stronger than I am. Further, she has more time to learn. I ask anyone who had considered voting for me to consider voting for her. If you do vote for her based on my suggestion, you are welcome to ask me to intervene if you feel that, in the excercise of her office, she is not communicating with you as well as she should. Hopefully, this will not be necessary.
Harvard College Library Joint Council
My hat is still in the ring for the Harvard College Joint Council. If you are tired of figuring out which way to swipe your card on the way into Widener and/or Lamont, vote for me. It’s just one example silly 🙂 [I mentioned it to Lynn 2 or more years ago. Nada!]
Union Participation
HUCTW has been a very low participation Union for as long as I have been a member. In the last election, only eight people from the Medical School voted. I spoke with Scott Morley, now at MIT, who formerly worked there. He said that he had been barely aware of any activity in the Union. Elections can be an important part of keeping a Union active and strong. Yet they aren’t.
The Election Process
I claim that the administration of the elections contributes to low voter turnout. The rigid control of information about the elections discourages greater involvement in the Union. As mentioned above, I think Union members ought to be aware of what’s going on in other regions of Harvard. For example, we on the Cambridge Campus ought to know what the issues are facing the folks who work in the Med School. At the SEIU 615 rally at the Harvard Club, I saw many familar faces from previous campaigns. They were not just from Cambridge. Some were from the B school, and some from the Med School. In my mind, that is a sign of a better organized Union.
Tomorrow, as in previous elections, the polling will take place in an elaborate checker board of locations. Polling places pop up in places for an hour or two and are gone. You have to know the schedule to vote. I am told that the schedule was mailed to all members homes. I haven’t seen it yet. I did get the nomination annoucement, so my address entry in Union database was correct at one point.
We could get better turnout if the the schedule were, in addition to being mailed, also posted to the Union website. The word processor that was used to prepare the hard copy of the schedule can not doubt be induced to emit crude HTML. Besides, we’re supposed to be the CLERICAL and TECHNICAL Union. Surely we can do it. Right now I have to go check in with SLAM and later Dorchester People for Peace, but I will post the Polling Schedule to the OpenHUCTW website later tonight.
First Light on Weihnachtszeit…
ø
… or more accurately [and less poetically] the first illuminated
decorations for the winter holiday appeared in the Yard sometime last
week. Hollis North [left]is readily apparent to anyone passing through
the Yard at night. Lionel A [right], however, is cozily nestled behind
Harvard Hall. There are three edits in this picture. Can you find them?
For all that the holiday claims to be, but isn’t, my almost abandoned
inner child still stirs a little.
 “> |
 “> |
Rosa Parks: Human Rights Day
ø
“>Gathering At Dudley Common, South Park
“>
Rosa’s people, a salt and pepper crowd, pause for remembrance at Dudley Station. The Orange Line – elevated at the time – came through here.
It was the most connected pointed in the MBTA system. It served/serves
working people. The Orange Line was moved to whiter ground and the
Silver Line is not quite the same. “There were a lot of broken promises on this project,” said Representative Byron Rushing.
Rosa Parks Day: Turning North
Rosa Parks Day: Turning North
“>
Turning North at Roxbury Crossing. Rosa’s people leave Malcolm X Boulevard and turn onto Tremont St. The Mosque is nearing completion.
The Reggie Lewis Center has been a part of Roxbury Community
College for a while.
More pictures to come. Y’all come back now. Hear?
Perhaps I was too terse.
ø
Chancellor James Moeser
University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill
Mr. Chancellor:
“Do it,” in this case is devoid of sexual connotation. “Do it” means:
�The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill will adopt a policy of noninterference in any unionization process and will require all contractors to adopt the same policy. The University affirms the right of workers to democratically organize unions by a method of their own choosing. We will honor any agreement negotiated between contractors and their employees.�
Your young folks told you that they would be getting hungry and go home. Here’s the thing. You can’t always count on it. Trust me. Or ask Sally Zeckhauser.
Here’s an idea! Why don’t we “do it” at UNC-CH and HU! I don’t think we have a Chancellor. Maybe the Provost is your counterpart. [From the foot of the mount it’s all clouds to me. Eg. I don’t understand how a Provost-Director-Professor-Doctor of Psychiatry could let a disturbed alumna shiver in the gateway for a year and half. Good thing the folks like me were on the case. She woulda froze to death. That Mr. Chancellor is why you need to treat the workers [and alumnae] with dignity.] Maybe you should schmooze with him?
-r
Students Occupy Administration Building at UNC- Chapel Hill
ø
Here’s a message from students at UNC Chapel Hill:
Tell the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill to Publicly Support the Right of Workers to Organize!
Members of UNC-CH Student Action with Workers are currently camped out in South Building, home of the university administration, with a guerilla art exhibition on the history of labor rights at UNC-CH.
Students set up the exhibit Monday morning, November 21st with the demand that Chancellor James Moeser publicly affirm the following statement:
�The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill will adopt a policy of noninterference in any unionization process and will require all contractors to adopt the same policy. The University affirms the right of workers to democratically organize unions by a method of their own choosing. We will honor any agreement negotiated between contractors and their employees.�
So far the Chancellor has refused to support this statement or enter into a dialogue with us about the issue. Email or call him and let him know that you support the right of UNC workers to a democratic union organization process!
Contact: Chancellor James Moeser, UNC Chapel Hill:
1-919-962-1365
jcmoese at imap.unc.edu
Tell him to support the statement and enter a dialogue with his students!
Ask why he won�t support the internationally recognized right to organize
At UNC Chapel Hill.
——-
Forwarded by:
Max Toth
National Organizer
United Students Against Sweatshops
http://www.studentsagainstsweatshops.org/
415-577-1188 * 202-NO-SWEAT
max at usasnet.org
——-
For the record:
In May of 2001, I did not know what was to happen. I was told only to be in the Yard late in the afternoon. I didn’t question it. I had seen them lay the groundwork. So far in 2005, I have seen only the beginnings.
I NEVER accused anyone of being too radical. I was accused of suggesting things that were somehow not radical enough. I was attacked again for defending myself. Tabling somehow seems to qualify as radical, figuring out who can actually get a room somehow doesn’t.
-r
Concerted labor activity: HUCTW elections in the FAS Arts Region
ø
Mr. Stephen Marley
Director of Human Resources
Harvard College Library
Sir:
I am told that Ms. Genevieve Butler – one of my opponents in the upcomimg HUCTW election for Executive Board in the FAS Arts region – asked for upaid leave to campaign. I am told that her request was denied. If true, it is deeply disturbing. While I cannot speak for the courts, I can speak for myself. This looks to me like management interference in concerted labor activity.
In the past, HUCTW Elections have typically turned out only 1/3 of the membership. The recent S.E.I.U. election turned out 2/3 of their Union. Obviously, HUCTW has been a less participatory Union and the legitimacy of its representation open to question. That must change. In the past, Union elections have taken place with a minimum of notification or less. It appeared that, due in large part to advocacy on my part and others, we were doing better this time. You have undermined that progress. We as Union members may differ about who and how this is to be done, but we agree about what is to be done. The Union must be more participatory. Hampering campaign efforts of any Union member through an arbitrary excercise of management privilege is unacceptable. It shows a lack of respect for and trust in all Union members. And it is not for the good of Harvard.
I urge you to reverse this decision immediately so that she, Ms. Delacey and I can get on with the business of communicating with our colleagues. While I cannot speak for Ms. Delacey, I have every confidence that she will join in this.
Sincerely,
Philip R. Fenstermacher
Doorchecker (HUCTW)
To my new old friend Joe who knows more than I do about the situation in Syria…
ø
 “> |
Dear Joe,
Since it took me 16 years to learn your name, I guess I shouldn’t be suprised. I took a quick look at Juan Cole’s Blog. I couldn’t find the article I read last summer, about the time I read Scott Ritter’s article about U.S. overflights of Iran. It would have made more sense for you just to explain it to me. I speak only English. I only know that you speak more languages than me. I couldn’t stay. I had to get back to guard the library, but I was a little presumptuous. I’m sorry. |
| Joe is in there somewhere, but you have to ask. | I’m on vacation now. I’ll be in for the usual and some education. -r |
Wikimania Meetup: Naked WiFi @ O’Naturals
ø
Boston and most likely Harvard will be host to a wealth of Wikipedians* this summer. I found local Wikipedians [& Berkobloggers] j and Brett camped out in the flesh at O’Naturals on Elm Street in Somerville
to participate in an online planning meeting. O’Naturals offers naked
[free 🙂 ] WiFi with coffee, tea, and food. My adherence to the Larry Summers Diet
presented a challenge, but I came prepared and the beautiful young
O’Manager [oh to be young and fit for class warfare 🙁 ] was quite
flexible. You see, I needed to buy tea, labor and some use of land, but
no food. The young lady laborer added, “And the tip cup is there
if that helps.” Perfectamundo!! So i rendered unto labor what was hers
and gave her my blog address. Brett wondered if I had gotten a date. Alas
no, but they do have my blog address and comments are turned on
[as it were.]
*thanks to English (&drama) major Aaron Kim ’06 of the Littauer Library for coming up with this alliteration.
Janitors get a better deal. Did blogging help?
ø
“>Local 615 of the Service Employees Internation Union reached a tentative deal with Harvard administration on Tuesday. The Union is holding it’s ratification vote today. SEIU and SLAM held a very impressive rally at the Harvard Club superbly reported by the Cambridge Common Blog. That appears to have made a difference.
SLAM, which surely helped in this matter will be engaged in some after-action analysis. Personally, I’m pleased that the student members have not forgotten that their job #1 is learning. I hope they don’t feel patronized. I certainly do not yet know what happened. I would just like to raise the question, “Did blogging help?”
Techtopians among the blogging crowd may be overly eager to assume that it did. Some ideological activists will say that the blogosphere is dominated by capitalism and therefore should be shunned. They are obligated to say that blogging is of no use. I am an empiricist, experimentalist – and a bit of a nominalist. I believe that blogging has some political effectiveness. There is a number which crudely describes it. That number is somewhere between +100% and -100%. My own [arguably self-serving] analysis of these recent events is this. It is a positive number closer to zero than 100%. But it’s not zero.
Ideologues are aware that it is not just bad publicity that moves administration. Sometimes the threat is enough. What the ideologues miss is that the threat must be credible. If they think you’re bluffing, they will call. Then you have to have the cards. The significant shift between Monday and Tuesday appears to be due to the Monday rally. The quetion is: “How?” Surely Pr. Larry was aware of the peasants outside. Did that alone change his mind? Did Alums inside convince him? The Cambridge Common photo essay probably appeared after the tentative agreement had been made. But was there a concern that a broader audience of Alums would eventually see the rally through the blogosphere? One thing is clear the blogosphere would have had a smaller effect if the workers and students hadn’t turned out in good numbers. And for that reason, I was happy Cambridge Common was taking pictures. I was a worker among workers. It was a good feeling. That students cared enough to join in, made it great.
