Theoretical Musings
Dave Bacon is a theoretical ski bum who is also an assistant research professor at the University of Washington in Seattle. His research is on quantum computing, his scientific passions extend to everything in physics, mathematics, computer science and beyond, and his personal pleasures include making wine, playing poker, skiing, camping, and daydreaming (although not all of those at the same time.)
April 30, 2008
Category: Quantum Computing
Hoisted from the comments, Rod saysYou guys are much more blunt than I usually am (except with students :-). You're also a lot more succinct. This particular paper may be wrong, and the authors should be told that, but: as...
Posted by Dave Bacon at 8:30 PM • 5 Comments • • View blog reactions
April 29, 2008
Category: Quantum Computing Bastardizations
Okay, well apparently the paper arXiv:0804.3076 which I mentioned in the last post is being picked up by other bloggers (see here and here as well as here) as a legitimate criticism of quantum computing. So before anymore jump on...
Posted by Dave Bacon at 8:21 PM • 24 Comments • • View blog reactions
Category: Quantum Computing
Okay, quick, who can be the first to tell me what is drastically wrong with arXiv:0804.3076? (via rdv.) Winner gets a beer next time I see them. This is almost as fun as the game of trying to spot the...
Posted by Dave Bacon at 5:58 PM • 26 Comments • • View blog reactions
Category: Biology
Via Alea, a new entry into the best title ever competition: "Option Model Calibration Using a Bacterial Foraging Optimization Algorithm" by J. Dang, A. Brabazon, M. O'Neill, and D. Edelman. That right, using an algorithm inspired by trying to mimic...
Posted by Dave Bacon at 9:04 AM • 0 Comments • • View blog reactions
Category: Science
After a comment suggesting that a Science Film festival be held to combat a certain idiotic movie, He of Uncertain Principles agreed, and then the powers that be at scienceblogs decided to hold a poll on the Best Science Movies....
Posted by Dave Bacon at 12:51 AM • 12 Comments • • View blog reactions
April 25, 2008
Category: Technology
Bill Gates, in his transition from Mr. Big at Microsoft, to Mr. Big at the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation, has been going around to various college campuses and given a talk "Bill Unplugged." You can watch the video here...
Posted by Dave Bacon at 8:50 PM • 3 Comments • • View blog reactions
April 24, 2008
Category: Biology
Good talks are rare gems. Good talks about interesting topics even rarer. Good talks that make you want to change fields and design E. Coli which smell like bananas are the best. I saw a good one earlier this week,...
Posted by Dave Bacon at 8:35 PM • 2 Comments • • View blog reactions
Category: Best Title Ever
A new entry in the best title ever competition: arXiv:0804.2162, "The secret world of shrimps: polarisation vision at its best", by Sonja Kleinlogel and Andrew G. White. Secret lives of shrimp? That sounds more like an expose on the secret...
Posted by Dave Bacon at 11:41 AM • 4 Comments • • View blog reactions
April 23, 2008
Category: Funny Ha Ha
Via Digg, an article on hilarious Google searches. Hmm, reminds me of one I discovered a while back. (Below may or may not be NSFW, depending on your level of puritanism. And it can certainly lead to clicking which is...
Posted by Dave Bacon at 9:39 PM • 2 Comments • • View blog reactions
April 22, 2008
Category: Quantum Computing
Andrew Landahl (who really should have a blog because he is certainly one of the most interesting people I get to talk to when I attend a conference) sends me a note about recent appearances of quantum computing on prime...
Posted by Dave Bacon at 5:28 PM • 3 Comments • • View blog reactions
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