Ole Keller's article "Historical papers on the particle concept of light"
appeared very attractive. The history of concept of light is reviewed in a refreshing way here.
For me, it was interesting to read how the Stirling formula (on asymptotics of the factorial function) came into Planck's radiation law.
The Stirling formula gives the asymptotics for number of permutations. Permutations are ordered arrangements of elements of a discrete set. Permutations (and their asymptotics) could came to play in the theory of light only after some things related to light were assumed as discrete undividable elements or ensembles (though very large) of such elements.
Lyrics
Rainy Day Woman
Waylon Jennings
Chorus:
Oh rainy day woman
I've never seem to see you for the good times or the sunshine
You have been a friend of mine, rainy day woman
That woman of mine she ain't happy
Unless she finds something wrong and has someone to blame
If it ain't one thing it's another one on the way
I woke up this morning to the sunshine
It sure as hell looks just like rain
I know where to go on a cloudy day
Chorus(x2)
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Who will be next?
The extract from one document on the web:
Several new developments have occurred ... One that I cannot help but mention ... is the fact that Candover and Cinven, two private equity firms, bought Wolters Kluwer in January 2003 and Bertelsmann Springer in August; the combination, to be known next year as Springer, controls 1350 journals. Writeups in economic journals that you can easily find on the Web point out that this purchase is an excellent investment because scientific publishing is so profitable. The investors, advised by Merill Lynch, intend to develop Springer's electronic assets and then sell the company in two years or so, receiving a handsome return on their investment.
The document is dated by October 2003.
The original context is much wider. Therefore I do not give a reference.
The dates in this extract may be not precise, they were known yet at that time.
More information about merging of KAP and Bertelsmann Springer can be found elsewhere.
The last sentence touched.
Two years "or so" passed. Maybe not yet.
Who will be the next owner?
Lyrics
When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again
(Walker / Sullivan)
Merle Haggard
Memories that linger in my heart,
Memories that make my heart grow cold.
But some day we'll live them all again,
And my blue moon again will turn to gold.
The lips that used to thrill me so,
Your kisses were meant for only me.
In my dreams I live them all again,
But my golden moon is just a memory.
When my blue moon turns to gold again,
When the rainbow turns the clouds away.
When my blue moon turns to gold again,
You'll be back within my arms to stay.
The castles we built of dreams together,
Were the sweetest stories ever told.
You know, maybe we can live them all again,
And our blue moon again will turn to gold.
When my blue moon turns to gold again,
When the rainbow turns the clouds away.
When my blue moon turns to gold again,
You'll be back within my arms to stay.
Several new developments have occurred ... One that I cannot help but mention ... is the fact that Candover and Cinven, two private equity firms, bought Wolters Kluwer in January 2003 and Bertelsmann Springer in August; the combination, to be known next year as Springer, controls 1350 journals. Writeups in economic journals that you can easily find on the Web point out that this purchase is an excellent investment because scientific publishing is so profitable. The investors, advised by Merill Lynch, intend to develop Springer's electronic assets and then sell the company in two years or so, receiving a handsome return on their investment.
The document is dated by October 2003.
The original context is much wider. Therefore I do not give a reference.
The dates in this extract may be not precise, they were known yet at that time.
More information about merging of KAP and Bertelsmann Springer can be found elsewhere.
The last sentence touched.
Two years "or so" passed. Maybe not yet.
Who will be the next owner?
Lyrics
When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again
(Walker / Sullivan)
Merle Haggard
Memories that linger in my heart,
Memories that make my heart grow cold.
But some day we'll live them all again,
And my blue moon again will turn to gold.
The lips that used to thrill me so,
Your kisses were meant for only me.
In my dreams I live them all again,
But my golden moon is just a memory.
When my blue moon turns to gold again,
When the rainbow turns the clouds away.
When my blue moon turns to gold again,
You'll be back within my arms to stay.
The castles we built of dreams together,
Were the sweetest stories ever told.
You know, maybe we can live them all again,
And our blue moon again will turn to gold.
When my blue moon turns to gold again,
When the rainbow turns the clouds away.
When my blue moon turns to gold again,
You'll be back within my arms to stay.
Friday, October 19, 2007
Art and Communication
I spotted an article written in LaTeX. It was about logic, maybe the mathematical logic.
Everything in this article was set in such an involved way that looking at the printout one could not reproduce exactly any formulae etc.
The author's idea was perhaps that only his way to set formulae (spacing, alignment) is correct. I try to imagine how being a lecturer he writes his formulae on a blackboard. Can a perfect layout of mathematics gained by TeX give more meaning or some new meaning to formula that can be written by stick on sand or by chalk on a blackboard?
If yes, why then such formulae are not published in their TeX code? What about TeX code as a language to write down formulae of mathematical logic?
If TeX is used just for precise presentation of formulae, are there any standards for correct presentation? What about the mathematical orthography?
The name of TeX is related to art. Are extremely TeX-envolved formulae a kind of art or are they just artificial? On the other hand, art is not always good for communication. (Many great artists were understood only very very late.) Even more, art is created not for communication in a common sense.
Lyrics
Johnny Cash feat. June Carter
If I were a carpenter
and you were a lady,
Would you marry me anyway?
Would you have my baby?
If a tinker were my trade
would you still find me,
carrin' the pots I made,
followin' behind me.
Save my love through loneliness,
Save my love for sorrow,
I'm given you my onliness,
Come give your tomorrow.
If I worked my hands in wood,
Would you still love me?
Answer me babe, "Yes I would,
I'll put you above me."
If I were a miller
at a mill wheel grinding,
would you miss your color box,
and your soft shoe shining?
If I were a carpenter
and you were a lady,
Would you marry me anyway?
Would you have my baby?
Would you marry anyway?
Would you have my baby?
Everything in this article was set in such an involved way that looking at the printout one could not reproduce exactly any formulae etc.
The author's idea was perhaps that only his way to set formulae (spacing, alignment) is correct. I try to imagine how being a lecturer he writes his formulae on a blackboard. Can a perfect layout of mathematics gained by TeX give more meaning or some new meaning to formula that can be written by stick on sand or by chalk on a blackboard?
If yes, why then such formulae are not published in their TeX code? What about TeX code as a language to write down formulae of mathematical logic?
If TeX is used just for precise presentation of formulae, are there any standards for correct presentation? What about the mathematical orthography?
The name of TeX is related to art. Are extremely TeX-envolved formulae a kind of art or are they just artificial? On the other hand, art is not always good for communication. (Many great artists were understood only very very late.) Even more, art is created not for communication in a common sense.
Lyrics
Johnny Cash feat. June Carter
If I were a carpenter
and you were a lady,
Would you marry me anyway?
Would you have my baby?
If a tinker were my trade
would you still find me,
carrin' the pots I made,
followin' behind me.
Save my love through loneliness,
Save my love for sorrow,
I'm given you my onliness,
Come give your tomorrow.
If I worked my hands in wood,
Would you still love me?
Answer me babe, "Yes I would,
I'll put you above me."
If I were a miller
at a mill wheel grinding,
would you miss your color box,
and your soft shoe shining?
If I were a carpenter
and you were a lady,
Would you marry me anyway?
Would you have my baby?
Would you marry anyway?
Would you have my baby?
Friday, October 12, 2007
Business and Rules
Recently I came to conclusion that "making business is breaking of rules".
Though I'm not a businessman...
Lyrics section
David Houston
Almost Persuaded (1966)
Though I'm not a businessman...
Some time ago I made some excerpts from a scientific manuscript:
Studies on the importance of fluctuations in the context of a simpler mechanical system (compared to plasticity) where the mechanical response is controlled by point defects, has been demonstrated in a number of situations like the Snoek relaxation [3], [4], Gorsky relaxation [5], etc.
Thus, as the eventual observed patterns has lower entropy than the initial uniform distribution, the process is entropy driven.
This rate is taken to be proportional to "rho" where "rho" is probability of finding regions that has dipoles and 1-"rho" the probability of dipoles being absent.
We shall focus entirely on the rich spatio-temporal features of the PLC effect that has defied proper understanding for a long time.
Even so, early formulations and the way experimental measurements have been carried out has given rise to considerable confusion.
Several mechanisms has been suggested in the literature [6], [7].
As an example of this, one can mention the results on slip-line morphology that has been known for some time [8].
Nothing special except for breaking grammar rules.
Is that a kind of business?
I think now "yes", a kind of business.
Lyrics section
David Houston
Almost Persuaded (1966)
Last night all alone in a barroom met a girl with a drink in her hand
She had ruby red lips coal black hair and eyes that would tempt any man
Then she came and sat down at my table and as she placed her soft hands in mine
I found myself wanting to kiss her for temptation was flowing like wine
And I was almost persuaded to strip myself of my pride
Almost persuaded to push my conscience aside
Then we danced and she whispered I need you
Take me away from here and be my man
Then I've looked into her eyes and I saw it the reflection of my wedding band
And I was almost persuaded to let strange lips lead me on
Almost persuaded but your sweet love made me stop and go home
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)