I was reading this article describing a book about math and religion, which looks intriguing to me, but it was the quote at the end that really got my attention. Just thought I’d share it:
With or without religion, good people will do good, and evil people will do evil. But for good people to do evil, that takes religion. — Steven Weinberg
A friend of mine, Bob, is a fan of George R R Martin’s work. I personally don’t know his work at all. I follow Raymond Feist most, but also Joel Rosenberg and Jacqueline Carry. But, Martin lives in New Mexico and there was a book signing at Page One Books today in support of his newest work, Inside Straight.
I’ve been to a few book signings before, most notably Douglass Adams, Raymond Feist, Richard Etulain, and Kirmen Uribe. The only one that had even close to the same size as today’s was Adams’. I’m guessing there were 50 people or so today. Adams had even more, but Feist, even though it was in Seattle, only had about 15-20 people there.
This book is an anthology of stories in a shared world, with each story written by a different author. It is a superhero universe, with a long history, created over 20 years ago with a long hiatus until this release. The concept is intriguing, similar to Thieves World, which I’ve enjoyed (and, coincidently, has a similar history — 11 books in the 80s, early 90s with a long hiatus until a couple of years ago — though it is set in a fantasy world).
In any case, it was an interesting book signing. There was no reading, the authors (7 of them were there) introduced themselves and discussed their contributions to the book. One of the authors, Melinda Snodgrass, described her new book, The Edge of Reason, which she described as the conflict between science and magic. It sounds pretty interesting. Anyways, I got Inside Straight signed by the 7 authors there for Bob, so that is cool.
Vacancy-arsenic clusters in germanium
A Chroneos, RW Grimes, BP Uberuaga, S Broztmann, H Bracht
Applied Physics Letters 91, 192106 (2007)
Electronic structure calculations are used to investigate the structures and relative energies of defect clusters formed between arsenic atoms and lattice vacancies in germanium and, for comparison, in silicon. It is energetically favorable to form clusters containing up to four arsenic atoms tetrahedrally coordinated around a vacancy. Using mass action analysis, the relative concentrations of arsenic atoms in different vacancy-arsenic clusters, unbound arsenic atoms, and unbound vacancies are predicted. At low temperatures the four arsenic-vacancy cluster is dominant over unbound vacancies while at higher temperatures unbound vacancies prevail. In terms of concentration, no intermediate size of cluster is ever of significance.
Carbon, dopant, and vacancy interactions in germanium
A Chroneos, BP Uberuaga, RW Grimes
Journal of Applied Physics 102, 083707 (2007)
Electronic structure calculations have been used to study the interaction of carbon with isolated substitutional dopants (boron, phosphorus, or arsenic), vacancies, and dopant-vacancy pairs in germanium. For comparison, equivalent defects were examined in silicon. The calculations employed a plane-wave basis set and pseudopotentials within the generalized gradient approximation of density functional theory. The results predict a range of different association preferences, with carbon being strongly bound in some cases and unbound in others. For example, in germanium, the carbon-vacancy cluster is weakly bound whereas in silicon it is more strongly bound. Conversely, dopant-carbon pairs are not stable in either germanium or silicon compared to their isolated components. If, however, they are formed during implantation, they will act as strong vacancy traps. Details of clusters comprised of a dopant, carbon, and vacancy are also discussed with respect to their formation by the association of a vacancy or cluster pair.
Lisa and I just got back from watching Charlie Wilson’s War. For those of you who might not know, it is about the US’s involvement in the Afghan fight against the Soviets (wow, how many people reading this might not have been alive when there was a Soviet Union?). I don’t want to spoil too much, but I highly recommend it. One of the best movies I’ve seen in the past year. It is both funny and very thought provoking. The interaction between Hanks and Seymour Hoffman is outstanding. I think Seymour Hoffman has to be one of the best actors out there. And Roberts does a fine job too.
The main plot is how the US got heavily involved in that fight and how Wilson got money and weapons to the Afghans. But, I think the bigger point of the story is how we had great intentions, but how the results have come back to haunt us. At the end of the film, there is a quote from the real Charlie Wilson about how we did a great job but then didn’t finish the job (he is a bit more direct about how he says this). And, while it isn’t directly stated, it is definitely implied that our lack of follow up is at least one major contributor to our current situation in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the rise of Islamic extremism. And, that this is a common occurrence in US foreign involvement.
(As an aside, I was never in favor of the Iraq war. But, I also don’t see how we can now cut and run. We will have a much bigger problem in the future if we don’t find some way to create a stable Iraq that is on relatively decent terms with us. And, I think, this is part of the lesson of Charlie Wilson’s War.)
I don’t know quite how historically accurate the facts are, and there are criticisms of some things (see the Wikipedia link at the top). But, I don’t really think it matters. To me, the movie wasn’t about the details of what Wilson or Avrakotos or Herring did. Rather, it is about two things: the personalities of these characters and the bigger picture of the US involvement in the Afghan fight.
I don’t understand how this movie was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Commedy. Sure, there are funny scenes, but I think they serve to lighten the mode, to make the message of the film easier to swallow. You start off thinking this is some fun romp in the life of a congressman. It is only later that you realize the implications of what he has done for the future security of the US and the World.
I think my favorite aspect of the movie was Seymour Hoffman’s acting. I’m naturally drawn to characters that are cynical and cranky (Red was my favorite on That 70’s Show), so maybe this is no surprise. But, I think he did an outstanding job.
Go see this movie. It makes you think about how events and actions, especially those involving superpowers, can’t be viewed in isolation. They all have consequence, intended or otherwise, and the present can only be understood in the context of the past.
Yesterday was my birthday and Lisa made it a wonderful day. She pretty much let me do nothing all day, while making it very easy to do nothing. She started off with coffee in bed, followed shortly by breakfast in bed. I basically spent the whole day lounging in bed, playing on the computer and watching football (the only downside to the day: the Patriots won). Lisa made a pecan pie, one of my favorites, for my birthday “cake” and it was superb. I spent the evening watching a bit of TV with Lisa and doing some genealogy research, something I hadn’t done for a long while due to work and home improvements. Overall, I had a great day and it was all thanks to Lisa. She was wonderful! Thanks Lisa! I love you!