Monday, July 11, 2011

Update from Ashfield July11

On the Ridge front, I was informed that the board will appoint me a volunteer assistant advisor to the Physics Club for the coming year. This should maintain my Ridge email account. I'll let you know if this is not true.

On the home front, today's adventure was installing a new pump and pressure tank in our house. Took a little extra time because I could not acquire all the parts I needed to do it the most efficient way so I had to ad lib a bit. It also took a lot of extra time because I had no idea where I put anything once I put it down. Its a good thing our basement is nearly empty or I would still be looking for the tubing cutter.

On the culture front, we enjoyed a great concert at Tanglewood in the Berkshires on Sunday. It is a vast shed with an even vaster lawn outside in a beautiful spot in the hills. The Boston Symphony Orchestra, one of the world's best, plays here most weekends in July and August. Good seats can be had for less than $30, lawn tickets on Friday's are only about $10! We heard the Scottish Fantasy for Violin and orchestra by Max Bruch, a contemporary and surprisingly enjoyable piece called loco, and a magnificent performance of Tchaikovsky's 6th Symphony. The conductor captured all the manic energy and pathos perfectly and the orchestra's sound was beyond superb.

On the physics front, I was disappointed to learn that the article I chose to read on superluminal velocities concerned only apparent speeds greater than c due to geometric effects. It goes into details on the effects of the relativistic Doppler Effect and other matters, but I was hoping for discussion of light sources moving away from us at apparently greater than c due to the expansion of the universe. I'll have to see what I can find.

Hope to post some pictures soon Stay tuned in and stay in touch. Enjoy your summer.


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