This may be a great time to mention the new element that is speculated to be the bearer of all political mass in the universe:
Governmentium (Gov). Govermentium is normally stable and does not change under most circumstances (including new election cycles), has a transient state where it spews a great deal of negatively charged taxions. Governmentium has 1 neutron, 12 assistant neutrons, 75 deputy neutrons, and 224 assistant deputy neutrons, giving it an atomic mass of 312. These 312 particles are held together by forces called morons, which are surrounded by vast quantities of lepton-like particles called peons. Since governmentium has no electrons, it is inert. However, it can be detected as it impedes every reaction with which it comes into contact. A minute amount of governmentium causes one reaction to take over four days to complete when it would normally take less than a second. Governmentium has a normal half-life of three years; it does not decay, but instead undergoes a reorganization in which a portion of the assistant neutrons and deputy neutrons exchange places. In fact, governmentium’s mass will actually increase over time, since each reorganization will cause some morons to become neutrons, forming isodopes.
Hi Steven,
ReplyDeleteGovernmentium, an interesting concept and certainly more feasible then many of the hypothesis purported today; perhaps it may even show up at the LHC. Then again as you know I like to look at thing a little more foundationally and fundamentally. In such regard I propose there must be building blocks from which all this is derived. So perhaps like in discreteness and holism, your discrete aspect being the ones you mention being morons and for the holism,serving as the background, would be a stupidiuum; that is like a continuum as being its indivisible whole:-)
"Democracy is a device that ensures we shall be governed no better than we deserve."
- George Bernard Shaw
Best,
Phil
Governmentium is all over the LHC, it's getting in the way of their finding the Higgs and SuperSymmetry. :-)
ReplyDeleteIt's also killing the Tevatron, which has pretty much reached its Governmentium threshold.
Hi Steven,
ReplyDeleteI’m not certain if it be Governmentium or the truth regarding nature being responsible for getting in the way of confirming the Higgs or supporting SuperSymmetry; although admittedly the former doesn’t make it any easier. As for the Tevatron, as much as it will be missed I’m more concerned the U.S. having no clear way forward as far as foundational research is concerned; not even so much as attempting to partner with other nations to share the burden, as well as the reward. Actually Steven in my heart of hearts that what I rather see as America doing, with taking a prominent role in achieving a future that’s needed to be realized, rather than acting to preserve concepts of nationhood and independence which don’t logically fit into the reality of an ever shrinking world.
This however is not just restricted to your country, yet also Britain, France, Germany and with a growing number sharing the same feelings in my country. I’ll tell you when I will know when the world is changing, is when these same nations, who call themselves the champions of freedom, rush to the aid of people in Yemen, before they pretend to do the same for those in Libya. That is as your founding fathers knew, it’s not what your ideals guarantee that has them being so important, yet rather what they stand for when weighed on the scale of the human condition respective of its potential.
On a more cheerful note, the Blue Jays won two of three games to open the season. That has us tied with the Yankees and ahead of both the Red Sox and Rays in the division standings. The down side is the Orioles are on top with winning all three; however I consider this simply a statistical anomaly and thus nothing to be concerned about. So as Meatloaf reminded, two out of three ain't bad ; at least not as a start :-)
Best,
Phil
As for the Tevatron, as much as it will be missed I’m more concerned the U.S. having no clear way forward as far as foundational research is concerned;
ReplyDeleteWe still have Brookhaven, Phil, We have CalTech, MIT, the Ivys, Johns Hopkins, NASA, JPL, SDO, Sandia, DARPA, and thousands of good physicists spread out across the country doing wonderful research both theoretical and experimental on machines costing less than 20 billion dollars. Canada has Perimeter and Rob Langlands out British Columbia way. North America will be fine for quite some time and well into the future.
In short, there's more to Physics than just the LHC. But yup, that's the biggie.
Most problematic is the increasing polarization in Congress. As Woit points out next year's budget isn't an issue when the noobs are deciding each week what next WEEK's budget is.
I'd say it was the blind leading the blind but in actually its more like this lobbyists' group vs the other lobbyists' group and nobody's budging. The art of compromise is dead, they are such children.