Twelve hour Jeopardy marathons do funny things to a man. First and most obvious, everything takes the form of a question. “What is, a mint julep and two shots of Goldschlager, please.” “Who was, that was my Dad on the phone.” “What is, don’t come in here!” Even other questions become Jeopardy questions. “What is, where are my pants?” “What is, should I get this looked at?” “What is, where am I?” Then of course there’s the unfortunate side effect of slipping into category-selection mode… “I’ll take ‘I’ll be in the shitter’ for $500.” “Give me ‘I think I’m gonna get this looked at’ for $1000.” “I’m gonna go ‘Ape Tit’ for $200.” Regrettable, that. And finally and naturally, everyone becomes Alex. “Don’t be like that… you know I love you, Alex.” “Don’t say a word to anyone about this, Alex!” “Oh yeah… that’s the spot, Alex.” Things of this nature. It’s a lamentable yet unavoidable situation.

And so, I did what I always do in those situations, I searched for the silver lining (once I was sure nothing was lined  with gold). It took some sophisticated investigating on my part… a touch of deconstruction, a dash of gist-twisting, a spoonful of sugar… but success was, as usual, eventually achieved.

I’ll take “The Reverse Mailbag” for free (this time), Alex.

A: Not so good.

- Juana Cuesta, San Elizario, Texas

Q: What are the Cowboys chances of winning in New Orleans this weekend? OK, yes, I’ve started off with a layup. Cut me some slack, will ya? I’ve never done this before. I need to get warmed up… and I’m sure you’ve all noticed how NBA teams get warmed up, right? Layups. In conclusion, I’m being very professional here.

A: Brett Favre.

- Chase DeGraddo, Hybla Valley, Virginia

Q: Who sucks and is stupid? OK, I’m starting off slowly, I’ll admit. I’ll get better as we go along. I’m just venting for all the Packers fans out there. That being said, he is at least overrated, thanks to his man’s man demeanor and “he looks like he’s having fun out there” attitude. He’s won one Super Bowl, on a team so loaded Bret Michaels could have quarterbacked them to a championship. He’s the NFL’s all-time leader in interceptions. Now, in a deft, pre-emptive strike against the hate mail, I’m not saying he’s a bad QB… well, I did say that he sucked and was stupid… hmmm… maybe I should retreat here while my dignity’s still intact. Backing away…. Backing away…

A: This team is failing to live up to preseason expectations and looks to have made some egregious personnel decisions.

- Ollie Blankenship, Seekonk, Massachusetts

Q: Who is Manchester City? Finding my groove now. The wealthiest squad in all of football/soccer was defeated 3-0 yesterday. They splashed £38 million on new center backs (Kolo Toure and Joleon Lescott) who continue to demonstrate an allergy to stopping anyone, while former captain Richard Dunne (who they sold for £5 million) thrives at Aston Villa. Big money signing Robinho is a disappoinment, and former Chelsea man Wayne Bridge is proving aptly-named, as he is easily walked over and readily burned.

Until they bring in a gaffer who can handle players that are in it for the money (someone like Jose Mourinho, maybe), they’ll continue to struggle. I like Mark Hughes, but he’s out of his depth, better suited to guide overachievers than the opposite.

A: Ray Rice.

- Wyatt McNamara, Sammamish, Washington

Q: Who should I start this week between Rice, Fred Taylor, Ronnie Brown and Larry Johnson? Yes, I am the place to go for expert fantasy advice, such is my supremacy. You’re welcome, Wyatt.

A: This is the dumbest team nickname in all of American sport.

- Caleb Lettucetree, Hamtramck, Michigan

Q: What is the Utah Jazz? This is a tough one. When’s the last time you saw a lake in Los Angeles that wasn’t full of tar? How many Grizzlies have you seen in Memphis… alive? And the Houston Texans… if there’s a more marketing-based team nickname out there, I haven’t heard it. They even have a distorted University of Texas logo on their helmets… in red, white and blue. America! Texas! Go Houston!

But the Jazz takes the cupcake. Now, I know they moved from New Orleans… of course I know. And the New Orleans Jazz was a good name. The Utah Jazz, though? It’s an oxymoron. You wouldn’t have the Atlanta Yankees, or the Boston College Rebels, or the Dallas Islanders, or the Las Vegas Saints, or the Buffalo Maple Leafs, or the Kansas City Dolphins, or the Detroit Rockies, or the Boston Canadiens, or the Pittsburgh Phillies, or the Seattle Canucks, or the, um, Utah Brewers. Of course not. You’d change the name. Alas, it appears we’re stuck with this ridiculous misnomer.

A: I’m a stupid idiot who talks out his ass.

- Xavier Laurette, LaPlace, Louisiana

Q: Who are you? You didn’t think this one through, did you, Mr. Laurette? Clearly, you intended this to be a rather sophomoric insult towards me and my character, and it’s also clear that you didn’t fully grasp the format. It’s OK. These things take time. In the interim, enjoy this… the part where I reveal your foolishness to the world. Who’s the ass-talking from idiot now?! That didn’t come out right.

A: A spherical fullerene composed entirely of carbon.

- Dr. Drake Smart, Topanga, California

Q: What is… uh… a… uh… can you repeat the answer? Oh, it’s written right in front of me. What is… What kind of question is this? How’d this make it through the vetting process? Smithers! You’re trying to make me look like an idiot, aren’t you? Look at me… I’m Dr. Smart… Oh, that’s actually your name. I was attempting sarcasm there… and you should read it as such! Forget this… this reverse mailbag’s over, yo.

Is it a neutron? No? Well go to hell. Now, this reverse mailbag’s over, yo.

Wait… is it a chromosome? Hey! What did you call me?! A dilpadated what? How dare you! This reverse mailbag is officially over, yo!

Is it a quasar?

Assalamu’alaikum Wr.Wb.

Kami segenap keluarga besar Calisto Event Organizer mengucapkan Selamat Tahun Baru Islam 1 Muharram 1431 H.

Semoga di tahun yang baru ini, kita semua memiliki semangat yang baru untuk terus berusaha dan berusaha meraih segala impian dan cita-cita kita. Semoga kita menjadi pribadi yang lebih bermanfaat dan berguna dari tahun sebelumnya.

Semangat untuk segala perubahan yang lebih baik demi bangsa dan negara Indonesia tercinta!!

Wassalamu’alaikum Wr.Wb.

-Calisto Event Organizer-

Untuk ketiga kalinya sejak tahun 2007, saya melakukan experiment di BENSC yaitu singkatan dari Berlin Neutron Scattering. BENSC itu merupakan bagian Dari The Helmholtz Center Berlin for Materials and Energi. Helmotz center ini mempunyai dua fasilitas besar untuk riset di bidang material dan energi yaitu Reaktor riset BER II dan Berlin synchroton (BESSY). Reaktor riset BER II, terletak di Wansee, sedangkan BESSY terletak di Adlershof. Total budget untuk kedua fasilitas ini mencapai 110 juta Euro, saya belum bisa membayangkan kapan di indonesia punya fasilitas seperti ini..

BENSC merupakan experimental hall di lingkungan BER II. Untuk bisa experiment disini harus melalu prosedure yang cukup berbelit, pertama kita harus mangajukan proposal. dalam satu tahun ada 2 periode untuk pengajuan proposal yaitu maret dan september. Setiap proposal akan di seleksi oleh tim reviewer dan kemudian diputuskan apakah diterima atau ditolak. Alhamdulillah selama ini proposal kita tembus terus sehingga bisa melewati hambatan pertama. yang kedua karena saya orang indonesia maka sebelum experiment harus mengirimkan data pribadi dan surat dari supervisor minimal 2 bulan sebelumnya, karena mereka akan melakukan screening dan melihat latar belakang kita apakah terlibat hal2 yang tidak baik seperti terlibat terorisme atau tidak…., beruntung selama ini saya bukan mantan aktivis yang vocal, jadi kl pun ikut demo cuma ikut2an sebagai penggembira saja… sehingga bisa melewati tahapan screening ini.

lho knapa repot2 ngukur di BENSC?…
karena salah satu riset saya mempelajari magnetik struktur dari material tertentu, untuk penentuan magnetik struktur tidak bisa dilakukan di lab biasa karena harus menggunakan neutron sebagai sumber radiasi. Mungkin kita sudah pernah belajar waktu SMA bahwa atom terdiri dari inti dan elektron, dimana inti atom umumnya terdiri dari proton dan neutron yang di sebut nukleon dengan jumlah yang umumnya sama. sebagai contoh dalam Carbon-12, jumlah proton 6 dan nuetron 6. tetapi kl isotope Carbon-14 terdiri dari 6 proton dan 8 Neutron. Neutron sendiri tidak bermuatan tetapi mempunyai massa. dalam keadaan normal, neutron sangat stabil bersatu dengan inti. tetapi nuetron bebas sangat tidak stabil, life timenya kurang dari 15 menit. neutron bebas ini dihasilkan dari reaksi nuklir baik fissi maupun fusi. didalam reaktor riset, netron bebas rekasi nuklir diarahkan melalui monochromator sehingga mempunyai panjang gelombang tertentu. Sebenarnya experiment neutron diffraction prinsipnya mirip X-ray Diffraction (XRD), yang membedakannnya kl x-ray baik normal x-ray atau synchroton beriteraksi dengan awan elektron di sekeliling inti sedangkan neutron akan berinteraksi dengan Inti , selain itu neutron dapat berinteraksi dengan medan magnet dari electron bebas sehingga bisa digunakan untuk penentuan baik kristal maupun magnetik struktur.

Karena radiasi neutron sangat berbahaya bagi kesehatan, maka setiap users di beri dosimeter yaitu alat untuk mendeteksi seberapa banyak radiasi yang telah kita terima. selain itu setiap habis experiment kita harus melewati detektor radiasi untuk mengetahui apakah kita sudah kena radiasi atau belum. kl si detektor bilang bersih maka kita bisa melenggang keluar pintu tapi kl bunyi atau kena radiasi maka harus di periksa dulu oleh petugas radiasi…untungnya selama ini daku masih aman2 saja.

Ada satu hal lagi, untuk masuk ke lingkungan experimantl hall, seperti masuk penjara.. ada pengawas yang bersenjata api dan kita harus menukar khan kartu ID kita dengan kartu khusus untuk masuk ruang experiment. setelah itu kita diharuskan melewati detektor logam dan tidak diperkenakan membawa peralatan elektronik seperti hp maupun kamera juga CCTV ada dimana2, sehinggal prilaku kita diawasi terus..

udah dulu ah…..yang sedang iseng nulis sambil berkencan dengan si neutron…he…he..

U

Alhamdulillah ada kabar gembira bagi teman-teman kelas XII SMA yang 2 minggu kemaren telah mengikuti Try Out Nasional Menembus UM UGM 2010. Hasil Try Out untuk regional Bandung telah keluar. Pemeringkatan berdasarkan wilayah Bandung dahulu, untuk pemeringkatan nasional menyusul.

Kami atas nama panitia lokal regional Bandung memohon maaf atas keterlambatan pengumuman hasil Try Out ini dikarenakan kendala suatu hal.

Terima kasih.

-Calisto Event Organizer-

Berita bagus buat teman-teman semua kelas XII SMA yang berencana untuk melanjutkan study ke UGM. Kita dari panitia akan membantu teman-teman untuk belajar sekaligus untuk mengukur kemampuan teman-teman semua dan sebagai ajang latihan untuk persiapan UM UGM ataupun SNMPTN. Kita mempunyai beberapa soal-soal UM UGM tahun-tahun sebelumnya, sembari menunggu hasil Try Out Nasional Menembus UM UGM 2010 yang insya Allah akan segera kami umumkan melalui blog ini. Jika berminat dengan soal-soalnya teman-teman semua bisa langsung mendownload link yang kita sediakan.

Terima kasih.

-Calisto Event Organizer-

Contoh Soal-Soal UM UGM

Alhamdulillah ada kabar gembira dari panitia buat teman-teman di SMA kelas 3 yang kemarin telah mengikuti Try Out Nasional Menembus UM UGM 2010.

Kunci jawaban Try Out Nasional Menembus Batas UM UGM 2010 telah panitia upload di blog ini. Kami selaku panitia lokal Try Out Nasional Menenmbus UM UGM 2010 Bandung memohon maaf atas keterlambatan dan terlalu lama dalam meng-upload jawaban, dikarenakan kami selaku panitia lokal Bandung juga baru saja mendapatkan kiriman jawaban Try Outnya.

Semoga dengan di uploadnya kunci jawaban ini paling tidak bisa mengukur berapa banyak jawaban yang benar dari teman-teman dan bisa mengukur sejauh mana tingkat kesuksesan dalam pengerjaan soal Try Out ini.

Semoga sukses selalu dan bermanfaat. Amin.

^^

-Calisto Event Organizer-

Alhamdulillah pelaksanaan Try Out Nasional Menembus UM UGM 2010 pada hari Minggu, 29 November 2009 di NEUTRON Tamansari, NEUTRON Buah Batu, dan NEUTRON Cimahi telah berlangsung dengan lancar.

Jumlah peserta yang datang saat pelaksanaan Try Out adalah 320 peserta dengan rincian :
- Neutron Tamansari 200 orang
- Neutron Buah Batu 75 orang
- Neutron Cimahi 45 orang

Acara berlangsung dari pukul 7.30 WIB diawali dengan registrasi peserta hingga pukul 11.30 WIB yang diakhiri dengan penjelasan singkat mengenai UGM serta pengundian doorprize di masing-masing tempat pelaksanaan Try Out.

-Calisto Event Organizer-

Bagi teman – teman SMA yang masih ingin mengikuti Try Out Nasional Menembus UM UGM 2010 “Gapai cita menuju kampus impian” tetapi belum mendapat tiket. Jangan Kecewa!

Kami dari panitia memutuskan untuk membuka ticket box pada saat acara. Silahkan bagi teman  teman yang masih berminat untuk ikut, datang saja pada hari Minggu 29 November ke tempat pelaksanaan untuk mendapatkan ticket sekaligus langsung mengikuti Try Out nya.

-panitia tryout-

Azi, nebunia obișnuită pe care o găsești de obicei la casele de bilete ale cinematografelor într-o zi de miercuri, a fost înmulțită cu doi. Lumea a  dat buzna să vadă sfîrșitul lumii. Lumea, adică mulțimea fără creier, căci în mulțime, creierul individual își suspendă funcțiile, iar controlul e preluat de un creier impersonal și  colectiv. Orice sumă de indivizi conține, paradoxal, mai puțină inteligență decît inteligența fiecărui individ luată separat.  Iar un exemplu în sensul ăsta sînt și eu, un tip care se crede individ și care se crede dotat și cu o oarecare inteligență. Astăzi, am dat buzna la casa de bilete de la CinemaPro și am cumparat 14 bielete. Mi-am batut toate recodrurile personale în materie de cumpărat bilete, cum zicea un prieten și m-am expus riscului de a fi linșat de o mulțime ce se temea că rămîne fără bilete, căci 2012 s-a văzut cu casele închise, cum se zice.

2012 e probabil unul dintre cele mai scumpe filme ale tuturor timpurilor, dar în același timp e unul extrem de ieftin. E ieftin pentru că își bazează toată fascinația pe dorința adînc înrădăcinată a fiecărui om de a vedea sfîrșitul lumii.   Dorința asta e identică cu aceeași curiozitate morbidă care ne atrage pe toți în jurul unui accident, pentru a vedea ceea ce ne fascinează și ne creează repulsie în același timp, doar că înmulțită cu șapte miliarde, numărul aproximativ al populației lumii. În afară de efecte speciale nemaivăzute pînă acum, filmul ăsta aduce nou faptul că sfîrșitul e plasat peste trei ani. Aproape, nu? Toți putem spera să trăim încă trei ani ca să vedem sfîrșitul lumii fără să plătim bilet la cinema. Bună afacere!

Dar mai e ceva care face filmul ăsta să fie foarte ieftin, în ochii mei. În afară de melodrama brînzoasă și nelipsită din filmele americane, ce e cu adevărat ieftin la filmul ăsta modul în care compromite însăși ideea de sfîrșit al lumii. O compromite, adică o persiflează, o ia în balon sau în 4 sau 7 versiuni ultramoderne ale arcei lui Noe. Sîrșitul lumii din filmul ăsa e unul pe care oricine și-l poate cumpăra dacă are un milion de euro.  Mi se pare destul de ieftin, pentru un sfîrșit al lumii. E un sfîrșit al lumii în care elita privilegiată a bogaților reușește să supraviețuiască, în timp ce mulțimea fără nume și fără chip este lăsată să se înnece. Eu credeam că sfîrșitul lumii e chestia aia de care nu poate nimeni să scape, indiferent de cît de mulți bani are. Dar în 2012 nu-i așa. Eu sfătuiesc pe toată lumea să pună mîna pe cărțile alea americane ieftine care te învață să faci un milion de dolari. Dar aveți grijă, vă trebuie un milion de euro. Astfel, dacă muncim conștiincios, pînă în 2012 strîngem toți cîte un milion de euro și sfîrșitul lumii nu va mai fi decit o chestie pe care o vedem la fel cum am văzut filmul astăzi la cinema, doar că la suprapreț.

Sfîrșitul lumii, cînd o să fie, o să fie absolut, fără discriminare între săraci și bogați, dar mai mult decît orice, în loc să fie produs de vreun meteorit care ne lovește sau neutronii veniți din soare care au efectul cuptorului de microunde asupra nucleului Pămîntului, ducînd la supraîncălzirea acestuia și la rearanjarea scoarței terestre, adică natural, o să fie supranatural!

math related:

Ben Tilly – Why I left math

3d Fractal Eye Candy

Summaries of Media Coverage of Math

Strongly Connected Components Podcast

Combinations and Permutations Podcast

not math related:

Good but cheap recipes for a college student

The Wikipedia Paradox

15 Things Worth Knowing About Coffee

The Homeopathic Webcomic

How to Make Milk Foam

The complete guide to apostrophes’s`s´s

Patterns of nature: Birds swarming [video]

A neutron star is born

Misirlou (‘Pulp Fiction’ theme) played on guitar (with pencils)

neutron

This supernova was captured by Nasa’s Chandra X-Ray Observatory. The neutron star is the blue dot at the centre of the picture

An infant neutron star, the super-dense core of a stellar explosion, has been observed for the first time.The 12.4 mile-wide object is the youngest object of its kind ever discovered, having appeared just 330 years ago.

It has been cloaked in mystery since it was identified as a powerful X-ray source in 1999. Astronomers  now know the source is a neutron star 11,000 light years from Earth at the centre of the supernova Cassiopeia A.Neutron stars are the super-dense compact cores of massive stars whose outer shells have been blasted away in violent explosions at the end of their lives.Compressed tightly by gravity, they are composed almost entirely of neutrons, sub-atomic particles with no electric charge that form part of atoms.One teaspoonful of material from a neutron star would weigh a billion tonnes.

neutron star

Scientists are intrigued by the star’s carbon atmosphere which is just 10cm thick. This compares to our own atmosphere which is 100km

Astronomers studied the supernova using the Chandra X-ray space telescope launched by the American space agency Nasa in 1999.

Every other neutron star identified by scientists has been much older. It is hoped the object will reveal more clues about the role exploding stars play in building the Universe.

Heavy elements flung out into space by supernovae end up in the rocks of planets such as the Earth. Even the human body is largely composed of stardust.

Professor Craig Heinke, from the University of Alberta in Canada, who co-led the new research published in the journal Nature, said: ‘The discovery helps us understand how neutron stars are born in violent supernova explosions.’This neutron star was born so hot that nuclear fusion happened on its surface, producing a carbon atmosphere just 10 centimetres thick.’