Edward Farhi talk on Adiabatic Quantum Computing

Good presentation on adiabatic quantum computation.    In information theory class I learned that by using the Laplacian form and maximizing entropy you can find the description of physical systems.  The adiabatic minimization will work well in these scenario.

Research Links

Quantum Mechanics Entanglement and Spooky Action at a distance

Very interesting and experimental approach to entanglement and Bells inequality.
    

Interesting points of note in the video

  • pop bottle bottom glasses on 70's guy!
  • Eigenvalues of a quantum mechanical solution are what you can observe.  You never observe solutions that are combinations of eigenvalues.
  • StarTrek looking test apparatus mock up.  Scotty would have felt at home fixing this bugger!
  • Einstein did not like ghostly action at a distance.  EPR
  • Assume quantum theory is incomplete: Look for a hidden variable. Photon pairs are emitted with a shared equal hidden parameter.
  • Theories using hidden variables have been created that preserve locality and realism
  • Experiments that only test perfect correlations do not force us to choose between quantum explanation and hidden variable method
  • John Bell was the first person to show how to bring the two theories into conflict so they could be tested
  • Testing perfect correlations are tantamount to looking at one sock and seeing it is blue and concluding the sock on the other foot is blue
  • Imperfect correlations: set the target polarizers at unequal angles.
  • Alain Aspect and company tested Bell's Theorem
  • Tunable lasers were required for this test setup

More …….

Using FCKEditor plugin for WordPress for editing works well

If you have ever used FCKEditor you know its far better than the default TinyMCE editor that comes with WordPress.  Want to make a table in TinyMCE ?  Sorry you'll have to do HTML code in a window that does not allow you to cut or paste.  Highly inconvenient !!! 

This is a quicky table done with FCK editor…no HTML code editing!
   
   
   

 Want to do full screen editing?  Just click on the monitor icon and you get full screen capability.  No dealing with crappy iframe insert that rolls randomly with mouse wheel…and then does not because the main frame rolls!

 

You can download the plugin here.

You can see the coders webpage with short instructions and more descriptions here.

BikerTonys Equipment Roster

bikertony-bicycle-1.bmp

BikerTony included what appears to be a comprehensive of his biking equipment on his now defunct website. I am recreating it here now because I may want to use it in the future. Others may also.

bikertony-bicycle-2.bmp

The list is only approximate since I did not write all the details down when I started this trip.

The Ride

The bike was custom build by my friend in Vancouver

  1. Titanium frame by Airborne (not sure which model)

  2. Marzocchi 2001 Z2 Atom Race front fork

  3. Sram X.O. shifters and derailers

  4. Thompson stem

  5. Rockshox suspension seat post (not sure which model)

  6. Race Face crank and bottom bracket (not sure which model)

  7. LP carbon fiber handle bar (not sure which model)

  8. Selle Italia Gel Saddle (not sure which model)

  9. Azonic rims with Shimano XT hubs

  10. Sram cassette and chain (not sure which model)

  11. Chris King NoThreadSet

  12. Shimano PD M324 pedals

  13. Shimano XT V brakes

  14. Avocet Cross 2 semi slicks size 1.9

  15. Axiom Odyssee Tubular Alloy Rear Rack

  16. Delta shock treatment low rider front rack

  17. 2 generic water bottle cages and water bottles

  18. 2 Mr. Tuffy tire liners

…………MORE

Never Break up with her on the Way There

I watched a TV show called Air Emergencies last night.  This particular show detailed the story of how an Egyptian Air pilot dove and airplane into the sea killing everyone on board and destroying the artwork of technology that is a Boeing 767. Investigators learned that  Gameel Al-Batouti was supposedly reprimanded for inappropriate behavior with female guests at the hotel pennsylvania , a New York City hotel often used by EgyptAir crews. Hatem Roushdy, an EgyptAir official said to be responsible for the alleged reprimand was a passenger on Flight 990. The details of the reprimand included the removal of Gameel Al-Batouti's privilege of flying any flight to the United States, and that Flight 990 would be his last. I could have advised the people involved in this incident because I learned a hard lesson several years back. That lesson is:     DO NOT BREAK UP WITH HER ON THE WAY TO YOUR VACATION DESTINATION. I was dating a American nurse.  She had a really hot body.  Unfortunately she also had the bad bitch attitude that most attractive American women have.  She invited me to go to Ouray Colorado.  When we were in the car she informed me that I was paying all the expenses!  Typical !  …  Being a manly man I assumed that if I invited her to go somewhere I wanted to go that I would pay everything.  But her idea of a smart vacation was to invite me to go and then on the way there invite me to pay for it all.  I had already had enough of her attitude up to that point.  I decided I could not take it any more and wanted to break up with her.  Unfortunately at the time I was inexperienced with women.  So by the time we hit the first part of Colorado after leaving Arizona I mentioned that I do not think we should see each other after we get back to Arizona.  She was that annoying that I felt it imperative to say it right away. Long story short after reaching Ouray she proceeded to alternate between a prementrual rage where she wielded a carved wooden pine tree like a club and then acting apologetic.  After a bit she called the local sheriff not once but twice.  First time she said ooh no problem we worked it out.  Second time in the morning I said I had enough and asked the sheriff for a ride to the country line.  In the end I paid about 500 for a rental car to drive back to Arizona. TakeAway lesson:  Wait till you are back to break up with her. Which brings me to the Egypt Air crash.  If I would have been there I would have suggested not telling Gameel Al-Batouti until he was comfortably back in Egypt.  They he would not have a plane under his control shortly after being canned.  He would also have family to comfort him.  He was obviously mentally unstable from one aspect or another and familiar surroundings and a cooling down period would have helped. Unfortunately we all learn this lesson the hard way.  My lesson was relatively cheap compared to getting obliterated in an air crash.  Unfortunately those who populate government and high places in business often are priviledged and do not have adequate life experience bring to bear on judgements.

One Breath

Is short for "one breath of air" used to enter lower s-star rated crappers.  With this one breath you try to enter said bathroom, apply ass gasket, do your business and exit before needing to take another breath.  This is greatly facilitated by availability and use of a handicrapper.