New Postdoc Position in my Lab

Hot off the presses is an advertisement to become a postdoc in my lab to study multiplex networks. This is a 34-month (aka, almost 3-year) position.

Lots of information is available on the website above.

Note (8/03/12): I have temporarily taken down the advertisement because of some confusion. I will put this back up as soon as the confusion gets resolved. The deadline for when to apply might get pushed back a bit, but I don't know yet about that. Sigh.

Where Have You Gone, Stubby Clapp?

There are some pretty damn good names in the Minor Leagues, but none of them are as cool as Stubby Clapp or (especially) Razor Shines.

Dodgers Acquire Shane Victorino

It looks like the deal for Shane Victorino is now official. This improves the Dodgers outfield, though this deal is obviously far less exciting than the deal for Hanley Ramirez. (Also, Victorino doesn't seem to be the player that he used to be, though this does improve our lineup a bit more.) He actually started out in the Dodger organization.

The article to which I linked above summarizes the other Dodger moves. For example, yesterday we acquired reliever Brandon League from the Mariners. Apparently, Ryan Dempster might well join us soon as well (though Dempster's recent shenanigans regarding purported trades to the Dodgers and then to the Braves were pretty obnoxious).

"Theoretical Mathematics" > "Pure Mathematics"

I am going to rant briefly. :)

The term "pure mathematics" is incredibly obnoxious. It is highly charged, as it suggests a superiority over applied mathematics with which I (and many others) beg to differ. Of course, it is better than the term "unadulterated mathematics" that I once saw on a blog, but that isn't exactly a difficult lower bound to surpass.

A far better---not only less charged but also considerably more accurate---substitute for the term "pure" mathematics is theoretical mathematics. This would also be consistent with other fields: Nobody in their right mind would use the terms "pure chemistry", "pure physics", "pure biology", "pure computer science", etc. This terminological denigration of other areas of a discipline seems to be the exclusive domain of mathematics. (Please let me know of any other examples if you're aware of them.)

There are relevant differences to note. For example, physics that is not "applied physics" is still done in the laboratory. But from the perspective of what research is done and the goals thereof, the term "theoretical mathematics" is rather consistent with similar terminology in other fields. The term "pure" mathematics needs to go.

My Old Ping Pong Coach

There is a small chance that I'll be able to get tickets for Olympic ping pong, which is the only sport that I care about in the Olympics. I decided to e-mail my old ping pong coach (Olympian Wei Wang) to see if she has any opinion about which countries have the most exciting players to watch. It would be really cool to go see some Olympic ping pong in person.

Epiphany on the Use of Time Machines

You know, it occurs to me that if I had a time machine, the main thing for which I would want to use it would be so that I wouldn't have to wait for anybody to respond to my messages.

Because I'm such a patient person. :) [In fact, my patience is legendary.]

If you think about it, this should not surprise anybody who knows me.

Why Not?

Go to the Matlab command line and type 'why'. Then do it several more times. (For bonus points, find a clever way to use this command as part of a loop or some other series of commands.) I wonder how long this Easter Egg has existed? I only just found out about it today. Maybe I'm easily amused, but (a) I think this is awesome and (b) there must be some clever thing that one can do with this. :)

(Tip of the cap to whoever posts things for Matlab on Facebook.)

2012 Summer Olympics: Epic Mascot Fail

I hadn't been paying attention to the Olympics --- because, really, who the fuck cares about that nonsense (except for ping pong, of course) --- but this article (posted by Alexander Morisse on Facebook) shows a picture of one of the twin Olympic mascots. And I'll be damned: it looks like a cartoony CCTV camera. That's actually rather apt for this country, especially since I can't even fathom what a large cartoony queue would look like. But really, England? You actually want to brag about the fact that you invade people's privacy beyond belief? Sheesh...

(That said, it would be nigh impossible to sink beneath the official mascot low point that Atlanta gave the world for the 1996 Summer Olympic Games. But London certainly has done it's best to try, hasn't it?)

Statistics? We Don't Need No Stinkin' Statistics!

The paper described in this blog entry is "awesome". Indeed, it has the best 'Results' section ever.

The 'Results' section in the original published version of the paper started out with the following sentence: In this study, we have used (insert statistical method here) to compile unique DNA methylation signatures from normal human heart, lung, and kidney using the Illumina Infinium 27 K methylations arraysand [sic] compared those to gene expression by RNA sequencing.

D'oh!

(Tip of the cap to Krešo Josić.)

Dodgers Trade for Hanley Ramirez!

The Dodgers have acquired Hanley Ramirez from the Marlins! That is awesome!

RIP Sherman Hemsley (1938-2012)

Sherman Hemsley, best known for playing the memorable George Jefferson, has died. I watched Hemsley on the show Amen as well.

New to the Blogroll: Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal

I just added Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal to the blogroll. I know, I know: I should have done this a long time ago.

1982 Study by Institute for the Future

Wow, this 1982 study by Institute for the Future is almost dead-on correct. Just wow.

They did get the bit about the N-party system wrong, however.

(Tip of the cap to Jimmy Lin.)

Art Class: 2012 Edition

I am taking an art class, just like I did last fall. I have posted pictures from today's class, which was the first of 5 classes. You can find these pictures and also those from last year in this album.

The teacher for this class is Josie Lyons, who also taught the course I took last fall. This year, we are doing portraiture. More importantly, we are using a different medium each week, and a major part of the point is to learn how to use different media. Today was pencil.

I See That My Work is Done Here.

I just got a nice e-mail from one of my (British) former undergrads. (I really like hearing from my former students!) Part of his e-mail reads as follows: My current housemate is a massive baseball fan from California. He's a Giants fan and he's really got me into baseball. Though the Giants are having such an awesome season, I can't help but side with the Dodgers, and that's your fault.

I see that my work is done here. :)

Why Science? (Revisiting My Essay From a Decade Ago)

When I was in graduate school (over a decade ago), I wrote an essay about becoming a scientist that was published in Beverly Hills Weekly. (I also posted a slightly modified version on my website.)

I just reread both of these documents. And, damn, I still agree with almost everything I wrote over a decade ago! I surprise myself sometimes. :) It also goes to show that---for all of my supposed cynicism---I still am an extremely idealistic person. I will do my best to stay that way!

The Sounds of Science

If you listen carefully, you might be able to hear the sound of me producing new knowledge.

It is vaguely reminiscent of a car trying to start (but with a bit more swearing).

Vintage Mason

I was standing outside of Jericho Cafe (and not moving) when someone rammed into me. It was an old woman, and she was glaring at me as if it was my fault. It was her fault, so I glared back at her. This kept up for a bit before I and those with me started walking south. And then I explained (with utter indignation) to the others what had happened:

She bumped into me! It was her fault, and I am not going to apologize just because she's old!

To which Sandra González-Bailón responded using her best deadpan: Mason, you're making friends again.

(This is vintage Mason, by the way.)

Take That, Physicists!

This edition of Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal is simply beautiful.

(Tip of the cap to Greg Fricke.)

A Toast to Poincaré!

Henri Poincaré died 100 years ago today. (Poincaré is the founding father of my field.)

(Tip of the cap to Physics Today.)