Thirteen Years ago Today I...

Thirteen years ago today I got my PhD in Physics. In the picture we can see that, at that time, my beard was much more dark.

I post something about the subject of my thesis, in this blog, recently [ link: http://lasers-in-the-jungle.blogspot.com/2005/04/otas-tsumami-tsunami-warning-system.html ].

Future Seismologists

Some of my students, in campus, testing instruments, as part of an assignment.

http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?latlongtype=decimal&latitude=38.75728&longitude=-9.15603

Keiiti Aki (1930-2005)

I realize that my blog, this week, look a little like the "obituary section" of a news paper (or "transitions" as it is called today) but I can not leave unnoticed the dead of Keiiti Aki (on the left, in the biggest photo), that was probably the most influential seismologist alive.

some links:

http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/05/24/news/obits.php

http://www.uscibooks.com/aki.htm

http://www.scec.org/news/00news/spot000417.html

George Dantzig

This is mainly to the 0.001% of the readers of this blog, that have ALSO, study linear programming with me, in the summer of 76.

George Dantzig, the inventor of the Simplex method, died.





http://in.news.yahoo.com/050516/139/5yk5m.html


http://www.stanford.edu/group/SOL/dantzig.html


http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/2005/may18/dantzigmem-051405.html



A true "legend in his time":
http://www.snopes.com/college/homework/unsolvable.asp

Book Presentation

In this blog, a few days ago [link: http://lasers-in-the-jungle.blogspot.com/2005/05/from-math-to-fiction.html] I spoke about a fiction book a friend of mine wrote.

Today we had the public presentation of the book, in the Lisbon Municipal Library. Above I put a couple of pictures I took at the ocasion.

(remember that, as a rule, if you click in any of the pictures in this blog you will go to my photo album where usually you can find other versions of the same picture, some with better resolution)

UPDATE:

http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?latlongtype=decimal&latitude=38.74156&longitude=-9.14376

I Ibercon (2005)

I can not go because at the same time I am going to speak at a conferenve in Lisbom [ link: http://www.mundiconvenius.pt/2005/lisbon1755/ ]

The bridge in the picture is a mix of the "Ponte 25 Abril"(the 25th of April Bridge), near Lisbon, and the Rande Bridge (Vigo)

pictures of both bridges in

Links:

http://www.vigoenfotos.com/semana.html

http://www.worldeyereports.com/Reports/portugal/











First Iberian (Portugal + Spain) science-fiction meeting

Brave new world (admirável mundo novo)

Brave New World
2005 conferences

Next Saturday, May the 14, 15:30-18:00

What is the "cyberspace"?

This is a subject that I find interesting, not only the subject itself, but also the perception that people have of it.

I will be there (and two of my friends are going to speak)

(brave new world by brave new world, they could have give us the coordinates of the conference builing, so I could use my GPS instead of getting lost in Seixal, a city that I do not know particularly well)

UPDATE:

I did some research on the internet and I believe the address is:

Galeria de Exposições Augusto Cabrita - Fórum Cultural
do Seixal

FÓRUM CULTURAL DO SEIXAL
Quinta dos Franceses 2840 Seixal

LINKS:

http://www.cm-seixal.pt/pls/dseixal/agenda_detalhe_cultura?xcode=1169793§ion=2

http://geo.sapo.pt/link.asp?path=/emails_geosapo/1115844327_sec/

http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?latlongtype=decimal&latitude=38.63900&longitude=-9.10400

Coordinates are included in the last link

UPDATE:

The last links had around 100 m error (what is OK, if without in situ measurements). The following link is the correction (after in situ measurements):

http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?latlongtype=decimal&latitude=38.63903&longitude=-9.10287

Where I am NOW (but not for long)

Here we can see 3 different stoves (cookers). The first one, is on the left, black, is a fire wood cooker. On the bottom is a (red) firewood deposit. On top of it is the first gas cooker an on the right is a modern cooker.

As far as I can tell they are all operational.

Also we can see two generations of chimneys. The first is a black column linked to the wood cooker. The second is brown and covers the first.

Mars Express Successfully Deploys Marsis First Boom

Sort of geo-radar. One of the most interesting instruments onboard the European probe orbiting Mars (increased importance after some recent finds).

links:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4516535.stm

http://science.slashdot.org/science/05/05/08/0348213.shtml?tid=226&tid=160&tid=14

Where I am NOW 5

Lately the free-living wild boar (pig) is abundant in the area. In the picture we can see a mire.

On the left we can see details (A) fur marks (B) foot prints

To learn more about the wild boar:

http://pelotes.jea.com/AnimalFact/Mammal/Boar.htm

Where I am NOW 4

Although the road (street?) has only 2 houses, it has a very nice name sign, in glazed tiles, with a nice cote of arms.

(as a rule if you click in any of the pictures in this blog you will go to my photo album where sometimes you can find other versions of the same picture, generally with better resolution)

From Math to Fiction

The author of this book is a good friend of mine, writing her first book. We have been friends for more than 30 years, from the times when we were both students the Faculty of Sciences. She is a damn good mathematician. I hope she will be a good writer as well.

Where I am NOW 3

Another aerial photo.


The photo I posted last Wednesday is just a blow up of this.

My house is near the upper left. The other house in the picture was bought by a closer relative of mine, 10 years ago or so, although its associated plot of land is in the other side of the road.

Where I am NOW 2

This another aerial-photo that shows the same place, where I am now. From a different angle and a different altitude.

I have inherited this house from my forefathers (my grand-grandfather was the last one to make a living in this spot). Although only one and half hours driving from Lisbon (OK 2 hours if you drive that slow), I do not come here usually more that one or twice a year, mainly because (a) I do not have broadband here (b) There are no acceptable restaurants around for me to eat. However I keep the all place stabilized, preventing any serious decay.

The house itself shows is a sum of a few changes. For example it has three different water systems. The first is based in fuel pumps (quit interesting engines, running on gasoline/petrol in the first seconds, then in kerosene, less expensive - but not very environment friendly) the second system is a clever one based in an electric motor, working far from the house and automatically set in motion when a low level is detected in the elevated water tank. The third systems it simply the public water infrastructure. All in all a plumber nightmare I assume.

All systems are somehow yet functional, as if the people do embrace the newest technology, but do not trust it very much.

Also we have 2 different electricity networks inside house. The first was powered by a generator that worked flawless for years and years. Only in the 70’s we got the possibility of connect to the national power grid, but had to lay new wires to support increased current intensity.

That all folks, I am going to try to get the last news about the UK general elections. See you "tomorrow"

Where I am NOW

I am close to the center of this aerial photo(s)

Legend:

(a) House

(b) Barn

(c) Terrace

(d) Water Tank [not in use]

(e) Water Well 2 [not in use]

(f) Car shack

(g) Water Pomp House [not in use]

(h) Water Well 1 [not in use]

(i) Clothes Wash

(j) BBQ

(k) Macadam road

White spots are just sun reflexions in the pavement (limestone)

More about this, "tomorrow"