Comments on: Who are you people?

By: joulesm

joulesm — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 02:41:13 +0000

Hi!! I’m a frequent reader and occasionally commenter. I did my undergrad at Caltech, although I didn’t know any of these bloggers there. I did 4 years in the Air Force and now I’m doing grad school at MIT’s Media Lab (seriously one of the coolest places on earth!!). Love reading the posts, puppies are also welcome

By: sandycharm

sandycharm — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 22:00:36 +0000

I got recently into Sean’s books but had read his online posts way before that.
A physics undergrad who didn’t care for GR but ended up doing it anyway, funnily enough! (The course is notoriously hard-to-score so many enthusiasts choose not to. You become disillusioned by third year)

By: Jennifer Angela

Jennifer Angela — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 19:37:24 +0000

I would just like to add something about my age: I was born in the early 80s, so I am sure you folks can figure out in no time what age group I belong to. I am neither young, as in my opinion so called “youths” are young, that´s why they are called “youths” – these people might stay at “youth hostels” too (I assume that you would have to be 25 or younger to fit into that age group) – nor old. I can certainly call myself a “young woman” (but then again I think most women qualify for that category as long as they are younger than… where´s the limit? – 45, 50 or 55? I wouldn´t know)… but certainly not a “young girl” (I think you must be younger than 25 to call yourself a “young girl” without ridiculing yourself). But I am not middle-aged either (I guess you would have to be at least 45/50/55 to qualify for that age group). I am just an adult belonging to a certain age group: I have read on “google”, that I am a member of a generation referred to as “Y” (I can live with that). I guess I am commenting a tad too much today, so I will say goodbye for now.

By: Jennifer Angela

Jennifer Angela — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 13:49:33 +0000

I have graduated recently. I finished a five year Bachelor of Education Sciences. Wrote two dissertations at the end. Jobbed in the teaching industry. So you folks want to see more kittens and/or puppies…? Okay, I don´t mind. Personally I like cats, kittens, Border Collies, Beagles, Golden Retrievers, Dalmatians, Cocker Spaniels, Greyhounds (yes, those that run, except that I would prefer them all to have a loving home and a family), I like puppies too. Frankly, I enjoy the sight of affectionate and confident grown animals (cats and dogs) more than that of kittens and puppies. They carry hope in themselves and you can see it in their eyes. Kittens and puppies are still a bit too scared to be like that, which makes them a tad less interesting – to me. I appreciate the beauty of adult animals…. I am like that. Anyway… I have been reading all about scientific news in here and commenting on it since the 19th of October 2009 (I looked it up in my e-mails). I love this place! Feels like home! Lots of smart people in here, sometimes folks disagree on matters, but there is no emotional violence in here, while at the same time you can have your own opinion, even if it might be strongly diverse to that of the majority. Being raised in Australia, I am very much into democracy and this place IS obviously like-minded! Discover is one of those really fantastic american free online websites, that educate and entertain at the same time – a true gift! Okay, I will stop it now, before you people get bored of my compliments! I guess I am the only one in here who is NOT aware of who exactly Sean is. I just know I relish articles written by Eliza Strickland (I remember that name, as the first article I read here on discover was by Ms. Strickland) and recently I have read one by Joseph Calamia on Google Wave – loved that one too! P.S. If anybody in here wants to provide me with some feedback on my comments, feel fry to e-mail me: missymails10@gmail.com (sounds funny, I know, but I guess I was in a funny mood when I set up that one)

By: Rob Marine

Rob Marine — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 04:49:28 +0000

Been lurking for 3 or 4 years…so probably more years than comments. I´ll let you divine my first career. Now I´m a Peace Corps Volunteer working in an advanced technology center, (probably didn´t know we do that, did you?) I´ve got a couple of masters degrees, which I tell people means I`m right.

The frequency of my visits to CV seems to correlate with the frequency of Sean´s posts. The rest of you are merely awesome, while Sean is something even more. Science, religion, politics, all good. Puppies? But of course!

You have a great thing going here, keep up the good work. And know that all us mortal lurkers are aware of how hard it is to do what you do. Otherwise we´d be blogstars like you.

By: Stevie

Stevie — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 14:21:18 +0000

Hi there,

This is the blog that got me into blogs. I’ve been reading CV for about four years now, since my second year of undergrad, and still adore it. It even inspired me to start my own — http://thesidney.wordpress.com — called These Vibes are too Cosmic, where I mainly aggregate links, articles, and videos on different physics topics and events for intelligent non-physicists to peruse and learn more. No PhD as yet, so I mainly direct people to experts that can explain physics well (needless to say, I often link to CV). I also post a little bit about music and Washington, DC, where I currently live. I wish I could do this full-time, or at least a lot more.

Thanks for being awesome.

By: Barbara

Barbara — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 00:18:01 +0000

Hi – I’ve followed CV since well before you guys “sold out to the Man”. I’m a middle-aged, child-free woman living in the Midwest with an abiding interest in cosmology and particle physics/quantum field theory. My dad got me started on this jag when I was about 12. He was reading a book about general and special relativity and I questioned him relentlessly until he just gave me the book so I could read it myself. Terrified of math, I got my hands on every book written by kind physicists who wrote for those of us who can’t do the math (special thanks to the late(s) Heinz Pagels and Richard Feynman (for QED)). I also own every Teaching Company video that focuses on physics and cosmology, including a fine one that Sean did about dark M&E. I’m currently reading Leonard Susskind’s “The Cosmic Landscape”, one of the finest pieces of non-technical reading I’ve found on my favorite subjects. Bring back Sean! I bought his book but haven’t finished it yet. Got distracted by Susskind’s lectures on You Tube. It’s so great to have a blog by you guys/gals – you got cred! Thanks.
PS – I’m such a geek, I stopped by Frank Wilczek’s office when I was visiting MIT (a trip unrelated to physics, of course). He talked with me for about 20 minutes – a very nice guy – it was such a thrill.

By: Shane J

Shane J — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 04:02:03 +0000

I’m a longtime lurker, never commented as far as I recall.
I don’t comment as my brain-fu is not as refined or powerful as your people’s, however, I do enjoy the occasional linkage during my coffee and lunch breaks.

I do not, however, like puppies.

What? No they’re not cute, they’re smelly and dangerous. Ban them all, get off my lawn, etc.

By: lisleman

lisleman — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 01:59:39 +0000

I don’t follow the blog that often. The post title needs to get my attention, such as “Puppies”.

By: citrine

citrine — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 17:27:27 +0000

Part 2:

Yes, and please bring back Sean from his self-imposed exile, even if it means shorter posts (for a while, at least).

By: citrine

citrine — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 21:57:19 +0000

Lone Physics faculty member at a small community college, nestled in the Rocky Mountains. In my 40′s, friendly face, just strong enough to lift modest lab equipment. CV reader for 6+ years, have posted a few times. Appreciate reading thought provoking posts and keeping up with new discoveries. Prefer kittens and the grown versions to their canine counterparts.

If cats own people (as is commonly presumed), wouldn’t a certain famous Physicist be “The Cat’s Schrodinger”?

By: Laurraine

Laurraine — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 00:10:40 +0000

I’m just someone who has been interested in science all her life, though I ultimately didn’t actually get into real science as a career. I’m now retired.

By: Susan Clark

Susan Clark — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 14:07:53 +0000

Undergrad going for a BS in Physics at UNC. I check this blog every day, it’s great! Traveling the world this summer researching for a team that’s trying to win the Google Lunar X Prize, blogging at moonstruck2010.wordpress.com : )

By: David Kordahl

David Kordahl — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 05:03:40 +0000

Ph.D. Physics student at the University of Kansas. I’ve been a lurker for a few years now. Thanks for the great blogs!

By: Gary

Gary — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 02:34:24 +0000

Retired ~25-year professor of Astronomy.

The aroma of leftie political ideology gets way too thick around here at times.

I read CV for the science, not for the Charlie-Foxtrot re-education.

By: nick herbert

nick herbert — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 19:29:40 +0000

Phd in physics, experience in industrial, academic and literary physics (wrote “Quantum Reality” and other popular physics books), was fringe science editor at Mondo 2000, director of physics programs at Esalen Institute, recently developed “Quantum No-Wedding Theorem”–a variant on the No-Cloning Theorem and “Nick’s Proof” that uses physics to set limits on psychic powers. Consider Sean’s demonstration of non-disturbing quantum measurements using a sleeping puppy one of the most beautiful examples of good science writing around–and no cats had to be killed. Main influences in my life are Catholicism, quantum physics and LSD. I live in the redwood forest north of Santa Cruz, CA with my cat Onyx and publish the Quantum Tantra blog.

By: Richard Scalzo

Richard Scalzo — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 16:42:09 +0000

Hi all. I was a grad student in physics at Chicago while Sean was there, and have since passed through Berkeley (LBL) and New Haven (Yale) on the somewhat winding road towards academic advancement. Next post which I start this fall is at Mt. Stromlo (in Canberra, Australia), as a Skymapper Fellow, shifting from the culture of big physics to the culture of astronomy, working on all things transient and explosive but mostly supernovae.

I find everyone’s posts interesting, particularly the insider’s commentary on noteworthy results (e.g. CDMS) and those dealing with academic career issues and science policy. But I confess it is mostly Sean’s philosophical posts (a superset of his “atheist rants”) that I pass on and recommend to others, mostly to my friend Chris who is active in the Rhode Island Atheist Society (and has funded an annual essay scholarship out of his own pocket!). As long as we’re disclosing here, intellectually I subscribe to a sort of agnostic Buddhism (taking at face value Gautama’s advice to “know for yourselves” to the Kalamans, and the story of the poisoned arrow, as well as its emphasis on the truths of human suffering and an attentive, compassionate way of life), but I confess my own Buddhist practice has been limited so far… While I don’t always agree with Sean, I think his spirited defense of his views is valuable for all, as it gets us all to think harder about what’s important. In any case I can respect Sean’s desire to focus on publishing papers, so will simply look forward to future posts of his.

Keep it up and I’ll feel free to comment whenever I have something to say that hasn’t already been said by commenters before me.

By: Dr Bob

Dr Bob — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 15:24:40 +0000

I lurk, therefore I am.

High energy physicist working on the same experiment as John, albeit at completely different ends: John works on the smallest sub-detector, I work on the largest…

I have made the occasional post, but I mostly lurk…

By: RHill

RHill — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 04:42:42 +0000

Old, ugly, weak and uneducated, 57 yr old lurker … Service Manager at a small Marine Electronics shop. Books, mags and now Internet have nourished my lifelong interest in all things “scientific” particularly cosmology, astronomy, planetary science, evolution, aviation, aerospace, ancient civilizations, SETI, origin of life, etc. My trade has taken me all over this planet where I have seen with mine own eyes that which many merely dream or scarsely imagine. I enjoy CV’a human touch, where I can perceive a bit of the “magic” that must accompany real discovery and understanding by active and enthusiastic scientists. Thank you all for your hard work and sharing the joy!

By: Earl Flask

Earl Flask — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 04:04:00 +0000

I’m a lurker. Perhaps I’m a bit unusual, I’m a Calvinist, Google Westminster Confession of Faith and you’ll see my beliefs — except the part that says God to created “in the space of six days” — the universe is obviously billions of years old (as well as the earth). This puts me at odds with some Christians (I’m already at odds being a Calvinist — that’s not a popular position these days). I love CV. I love the atheistic rants. I enjoy reading the perspectives here. I love the science discussions, I love the philosophy discussions. My science background is limited. B.S. Mathematics. I’m a software engineer by day.

I’m returning to lurking. You all are doing a great job!