Symmetry factor

How about Detroit? Some might say “Hmm…” Well, if you are considering going to the 2009 Meeting of the Division of Particles and Fields of American Physical Society (DPF-2009) — which will be held at WSU in Detroit — you might want to read on. It appears that Detroit has been named one of the top 53 places in the world to visit in 2008, according to NY Times. It is number 40 on the list. Only six US cities made the list: Miami (5 and 6), San Francisco(39), Detroit (40), San Diego (44), Las Vegas (50), and New York (53). London is placed 49th…
How about that?

Ouch! What a news from the UK! PhysicsWorld reported that due to a funding crisis in the UK science (aren’t we always in crisis when it is about funding science? It’s much easier to give out subprime loans and then moan about the crisis when peoople default on those), the country is pulling out of the International Linear Collider project. And not just pulling out because of the lack of funds — here is the exact text from the Delivery Plan, the document that is produced by the UK’s Facilities Council (which is “… [the organization that] operates world-class, large scale research facilities and provides strategic advice to the UK government on their development. It also manages international research projects in support of a broad cross-section of the UK research community. The Council also directs, coordinates and funds research, education and training.” — see the website):

“We will cease investment in the International Linear Collider. We do not see a practicable path towards the realisation of this facility as currently conceived on a reasonable timescale. “

How about that? And this is with all the ideas and plans that are already on the table (including projects that were chopped because of the ILC)… The International Linear Collider just became a chunck less international… This is really bad timing — as we learned recently, the real cost of ILC would also likely to go up…

P.S. One can find the complete text of the Delivery Plan here.

I was unloading my cell phone — just wanted to post some pictures I happened to have there… so no physics whatsoever in this post.. well, there is our Physics building…

Here is a picture of some fellow who wanted to park really close to our physics department…

… and this is the Department. No, there is no trench warfare — Geology is moving intoour building’s basement — and bringing some yacky stuff with them, so they had to build a chimney next to our building…

And this is just a picture of downtown Detroit…

Have fun! I have one class left to teach before my sabbatical starts…