KITP: end and a beginning

on that last good friday nine astronomers gathered for the last time for the dreaded 11 am rapid fire discussion session in the Founder's Room at the Kavli Institute

there were six degenerate faculty types
two post-AGB hot stars headed for the cooling sequence of the tenure track
and one lone sub-giant, fresh off the graduate main sequence...

we chatted a bit about Pismis 24
it is a very nice cluster

then, just as we were about to pack it up and go to lunch early,
Glenn brought up SN
again

ok, he had an idea,
ok, it was kinda an interesting idea,
ok, so some of us couldn't resist asking questions
ok, so we were late for lunch

but now we are really definitely done, after one last grab for cookies friday at 3:15

the Program on Formation and Evolution of Globular Clusters is over!
we thank the organisers !!!


i-cf2ee37b89a6aee31993cfa18fc50cc8-goldie_the_fish.JPG
Goldie says Goodbye! (click to embiggen)

Goldie, in case you didn't know, was our "rationality token" - the premise that only one person can speak calmly and in a reasoned manner at time.
It works, try it.
If you spoke out of turn, Alison, or her delegate, would bean you with Goldie...

It worked really well.
I miss Goldie.

I am now the last astronomer standing.
Or sitting.
I still have the best office around, and ceased being a program member and became a general member of KITP sometime late friday.

Oh, that probably means I have to go to more string theory talks...

The Quantum Control program is starting soon, should be a laugh.

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Ah but what you really mean to say is that someone three chairs down from the intended target got beaned.

The unbeaned (and not for want of trying)

File under interesting strategies for keeping the conversation under control.

I have a few colleagues that could use a regular beaning...(no, it is not ok to explain the speaker's slide to the audience, that is the speaker's job....)

We are a group that is challenging the current paradigm in physics which is Quantum Mechanics and String Theory. There is a new Theory of Everything Breakthrough. It exposes the flaws in both Quantum Theory and String Theory. Please Help us set the physics community back on the right course and prove that Einstein was right! Visit our site The Theory of Super Relativity: Super Relativity

AND, as an added bonus, Goldie is a WebKinz so you can play silly kids games online while you're waiting for someone to get out of hand. Fun at all levels.