Tuesday 26 February 2008
Dipped into tensor calculus
Just finished doing calculations for tomorrow. I had to perform the procedure known as tensor contraction on the electromagnetic tensor to prove that it gives a Lorentz-invariant scalar. Never thought that people at the first year in uni should do such things. I had to spend half an hour to understand how to make this contraction. Because electromagnetic tensor is 2-rank tensor after contracting it with itself one obtains 0-rank tensor that is scalar. So I found out the actual value which equals to H^2-E^2 (H-magnetic field, E-electric field).
US Election - race goes on
Now Hillary has everything at stake in Texas and Ohio on March 4. If she don't win there by huge margin, her hopes for presidency will be completely dashed. Yet it seems harder now taking into account Obama's 11 victories and his unstoppable momentum. Her lead in Texas has shrunk to several points, while in Ohio Obama narrows the gap too.
In order to maintain her positions Hillary has gone tough on Obama on recent rallies. She has once again praised her experience over Obama's inexperience, underlined her substance vs. Obama's abstract wording and even mocked Obama's prophetic style.
What will be the result of this bitter Democratic contest? While Democratic candidates scorn, sneer, and gibe at each other, Ralph Nader has entered the race. All this coupled can seriously undermine once well established lead of Democrats over Republicans (confirmed by the last Senate election results). In this fight it is the Republican candidate, John McCain, who can emerge as the winner. While excited by the Democratic contest, Obama's inspirational speeches and urgent demand of change, we should answer the following question: is McCain's possible win utterly undesirable for us who are not US citizens. Many people are exhausted by sometimes mad and stupid, sometimes arrogant and assertive Bush Administration but McCain is different. His stance over climate change has made him a considerable support even amongst liberals and also he criticised the Republican policy of tax cuts that was unquestionable since Reagan's era. But what seems his most important asset is his experience in foreign policy and national security. And these are the areas that should worry us as non-US citizens.
Here John McCain is on the right side of debate. He understands the current threat from Islamic extremism and he is in a good way stubborn and resolve to fight it and win. He understands an important role played by US allies and in the first row by the UK. For sure he will treat our special relationship as we deserve after our support in Afghanistan and, more importantly, Iraq. So then it will be up to our Lefties if they will put up with such a strong and confident Republican figure. I hope that his win might bolster our defence spending and army development while at the same time lead to the greater confidence of the West in the looming battle with extremism and fundamentalism of all kind that employs murdering of innocent civilians as means of reaching political objectives.
We shall see how this race will develop but whatever will be the result in November I hope that this display of democracy in action gives a good example to some countries in the world how modern people should govern themselves.
In order to maintain her positions Hillary has gone tough on Obama on recent rallies. She has once again praised her experience over Obama's inexperience, underlined her substance vs. Obama's abstract wording and even mocked Obama's prophetic style.
What will be the result of this bitter Democratic contest? While Democratic candidates scorn, sneer, and gibe at each other, Ralph Nader has entered the race. All this coupled can seriously undermine once well established lead of Democrats over Republicans (confirmed by the last Senate election results). In this fight it is the Republican candidate, John McCain, who can emerge as the winner. While excited by the Democratic contest, Obama's inspirational speeches and urgent demand of change, we should answer the following question: is McCain's possible win utterly undesirable for us who are not US citizens. Many people are exhausted by sometimes mad and stupid, sometimes arrogant and assertive Bush Administration but McCain is different. His stance over climate change has made him a considerable support even amongst liberals and also he criticised the Republican policy of tax cuts that was unquestionable since Reagan's era. But what seems his most important asset is his experience in foreign policy and national security. And these are the areas that should worry us as non-US citizens.
Here John McCain is on the right side of debate. He understands the current threat from Islamic extremism and he is in a good way stubborn and resolve to fight it and win. He understands an important role played by US allies and in the first row by the UK. For sure he will treat our special relationship as we deserve after our support in Afghanistan and, more importantly, Iraq. So then it will be up to our Lefties if they will put up with such a strong and confident Republican figure. I hope that his win might bolster our defence spending and army development while at the same time lead to the greater confidence of the West in the looming battle with extremism and fundamentalism of all kind that employs murdering of innocent civilians as means of reaching political objectives.
We shall see how this race will develop but whatever will be the result in November I hope that this display of democracy in action gives a good example to some countries in the world how modern people should govern themselves.
Saturday 23 February 2008
Conservative's self-destruction
Yesterday the Conservative party revealed a list of what it sees as 'gimmicks' made by Brown's government. The 4th number on the list pointed at government-backed school trips to Auschwitz. This list provoked an immediate outrage from wide range of commentators, including Ed Balls, Schools Secretary, and various Jewish organisations.
Cameron aides made a mistake. To describe the government plans to raise education level about Holocaust as a 'gimmick' is very damaging to the Conservatives' own agenda especially now while a lot of schoolchildren in this country seem to have not a clue about what happened in WW2. Proper teaching of history will eradicate this problem and I believe that conservatives should support any proposals dealing with this issue even if they stem from Labour think-tanks.
And this gaffe is another sign of shabby policy of opposition. The Conservative party languishes in constant bashing of Labour and criticises all their policy proposals while refraining of doing sensible policy statements of its own. Cameroons criticise Brown's dithering over number of issues (Northern Rock etc.) and it is quite appropriate. But when they pick a sensible government proposal and describe it as a 'gimmick' it makes no good them at all. When they are just sitting and watching Brown's obstacles while hoping that Brown will destroy himself they are not going to win people's support. Conservative party should stop this pernicious practice and make adequate policy proposals (on tax cuts, on renegotiating of the Lisbon treaty etc.) to win over swing voters. Only then they will become the Opposition we want them to be. Only then they will have all the chances to become the Government.
Cameron aides made a mistake. To describe the government plans to raise education level about Holocaust as a 'gimmick' is very damaging to the Conservatives' own agenda especially now while a lot of schoolchildren in this country seem to have not a clue about what happened in WW2. Proper teaching of history will eradicate this problem and I believe that conservatives should support any proposals dealing with this issue even if they stem from Labour think-tanks.
And this gaffe is another sign of shabby policy of opposition. The Conservative party languishes in constant bashing of Labour and criticises all their policy proposals while refraining of doing sensible policy statements of its own. Cameroons criticise Brown's dithering over number of issues (Northern Rock etc.) and it is quite appropriate. But when they pick a sensible government proposal and describe it as a 'gimmick' it makes no good them at all. When they are just sitting and watching Brown's obstacles while hoping that Brown will destroy himself they are not going to win people's support. Conservative party should stop this pernicious practice and make adequate policy proposals (on tax cuts, on renegotiating of the Lisbon treaty etc.) to win over swing voters. Only then they will become the Opposition we want them to be. Only then they will have all the chances to become the Government.
Friday 22 February 2008
Rendition scandal
Today Foreign Secretary David Miliband told MPs that British territory was used by two CIA rendition flights. It came after confident denials by then Prime Minister Tony Blair and Jack Straw in the last year. Mr. Miliband actually was forced to apologise over misleading Parliament. He said that Her Majesty's Government hadn't had any information about it before yesterday due to some errors in American bureaucratic machine. As soon as these problems were tackled, US officials informed ministers on this issue.
What seems to me absolutely stunning in this story is that the UK Government doesn't know what is happening on its own territory. As far as I know, Diego Garcia, an island in the Indian Ocean where CIA planes landed for refueling , is still British Overseas Territory. Yet it seems that the US can do whatever they want on their base situated on the island while not notifying their British partners. Just imagine that they could use torture on British soil and the UK government wouldn't know anything about it. It is absolutely unacceptable that it takes an US official to notify ministers on what is going in their land.
The so-called 'special relationship' has to be reconstructed on fair basis, providing that Britain's voice will be heard in corridors of Washington and Britain won't be obliged to sign up to another military venture of the US. Having overstretched army right now fighting on ground in Iraq and Afghanistan we just can't afford to be embroiled in another 'quick and victorious ' war.
What seems to me absolutely stunning in this story is that the UK Government doesn't know what is happening on its own territory. As far as I know, Diego Garcia, an island in the Indian Ocean where CIA planes landed for refueling , is still British Overseas Territory. Yet it seems that the US can do whatever they want on their base situated on the island while not notifying their British partners. Just imagine that they could use torture on British soil and the UK government wouldn't know anything about it. It is absolutely unacceptable that it takes an US official to notify ministers on what is going in their land.
The so-called 'special relationship' has to be reconstructed on fair basis, providing that Britain's voice will be heard in corridors of Washington and Britain won't be obliged to sign up to another military venture of the US. Having overstretched army right now fighting on ground in Iraq and Afghanistan we just can't afford to be embroiled in another 'quick and victorious ' war.
Obama's Yes We Can Message
These days people all over the world are following the US primaries' season. I also keep my eye on progress. Having spotted this viral video featuring song performed by will.i.am and various artists in support of Obama I couldn't help but watched the infamous New Hampshire concession speech when he delivered Yes We Can message (see below).
Obama genuinely seems to be the most inspirational and gifted orator without doubt in this campaign. Yet the question is who will better run the country. Of course, this ability is not determined by the insightful and brilliantly delivered speeches but by substance and experience. It seems to me that Obama is on the wrong side in these points. As Gerald Baker writes in Times Obama's policy proposals strike the chord with the far-Left wing of the Democrat party. His wife, Michelle, said on this week that during this campaign it was the first time she felt proud about America. So she is about as patriotic as your fellow European could be. This is quite unusual in the USA, it must be said.
What worries me most about Obama is his foreign policy proposals. While making fair judgement about faltering American image in the world, he derives from it wrong conclusions. America must show leadership and resolve, unifying her allies to fight the common threats. Yet Obama proposes some kind of strategic retreat and suggests giving decision power to the obsolete and ineffective UN. Without doubt Iraq War was a great mistake of Bush administration but when the US are already in, it is quite unreasonable to go away leaving Iraq in the mess of possible civil war (now effectively stopped by the 'surge') and vulnerable to attacks from neighbouring Iran.
Our fight with terrorism is the question of our survival and being 'soft' does not greatly enhance our chances for victory. As American own history has showed, freedom and democracy are values worth to stand by. As FDR said Yes We Can Win on behalf of American people to Hitler's challenge, so today's world leaders (and American in the first line) should say on behalf of their people Yes We Can Win to fundamentalist challenge.
Obama genuinely seems to be the most inspirational and gifted orator without doubt in this campaign. Yet the question is who will better run the country. Of course, this ability is not determined by the insightful and brilliantly delivered speeches but by substance and experience. It seems to me that Obama is on the wrong side in these points. As Gerald Baker writes in Times Obama's policy proposals strike the chord with the far-Left wing of the Democrat party. His wife, Michelle, said on this week that during this campaign it was the first time she felt proud about America. So she is about as patriotic as your fellow European could be. This is quite unusual in the USA, it must be said.
What worries me most about Obama is his foreign policy proposals. While making fair judgement about faltering American image in the world, he derives from it wrong conclusions. America must show leadership and resolve, unifying her allies to fight the common threats. Yet Obama proposes some kind of strategic retreat and suggests giving decision power to the obsolete and ineffective UN. Without doubt Iraq War was a great mistake of Bush administration but when the US are already in, it is quite unreasonable to go away leaving Iraq in the mess of possible civil war (now effectively stopped by the 'surge') and vulnerable to attacks from neighbouring Iran.
Our fight with terrorism is the question of our survival and being 'soft' does not greatly enhance our chances for victory. As American own history has showed, freedom and democracy are values worth to stand by. As FDR said Yes We Can Win on behalf of American people to Hitler's challenge, so today's world leaders (and American in the first line) should say on behalf of their people Yes We Can Win to fundamentalist challenge.
Crossing the start line
Hi
It's my first post on this blog. I am an undergrad physics student, having strong interest in theoretical physics, philosophy, history and politics as well as good movies and various music. And of course, I love going out and sometimes get drunk :).
As Einstein once said
so I will try to do a bit of all to ennoble my readers' lives. I hope you appreciate it.
Ready to go!
It's my first post on this blog. I am an undergrad physics student, having strong interest in theoretical physics, philosophy, history and politics as well as good movies and various music. And of course, I love going out and sometimes get drunk :).
As Einstein once said
All religions, arts and sciences... are directed toward ennobling man's life
so I will try to do a bit of all to ennoble my readers' lives. I hope you appreciate it.
Ready to go!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)