1

Just Chat! / Is the forum's optics monkey soon to be published in a refereed journal?

« on: 26/03/2009 14:03:34 »

yes, yes he is - in between writing reports, battling a hell of a nasty bacterial infection and fighting off the hoards of fan-zombies....

stay tuned.

2

Just Chat! / One Night in Bangkok

« on: 24/03/2009 04:39:37 »

Another 80's flashback - music video here.

I have been to 9 countries, and quite literally I did spend one night in Bangkok, on new years 2006-2007... the same evening that terrorists bombed the city (one of those 'I was there moments').  It turned many a hard man humble. (beyond this, I can't really talk about it).

Have you ever had a song match a personal experience of yours?

3

Just Chat! / Which company(s) are you impressed with?

« on: 07/03/2009 16:52:02 »

For me, it is Amazon, I get my books delivered very timely and one time when an error was made, thy were very courteous and gave me a full refund (even though I was not asking nor expecting one) wih my books.

4

Geology, Palaeontology & Archaeology / What caused the earthquake in Melbourne, Australia?

« on: 06/03/2009 11:24:58 »

Apparantly it was felt over a large area.  Here is a USGS report. The epicentre was about 110km South east of Melbourne.

It was a 4.7, which is a lare quke for Australia - there is some minor damage in the city and the power is out over parts of the city.  My parents live near the epicenter and felt it.

Fires, doughts, windstorms, now quakes for my home state of Victoria (of which Melbourne is the capital)

5

General Science / Is there a scientific basis of Murphy's Law?

« on: 06/03/2009 09:01:31 »

Murphy's Law - what could go wrong, will go wrong at the worst possible moment...

And there is O'Shannesy's Law - Murphy was an optimist

Is there a scientificbasis for it, or is it all probability?

6

Complementary Medicine / Do you drink green tea?

« on: 03/03/2009 12:00:26 »

Ever since coming to Japan, I have bcome hooked on green tea - here you can buy small bottles of iced green tea and it s just as, if not more popular than coca cola.

Here are some benefits of green tea.

Does anyone else partake in this fine elixir?

7

Just Chat! / [TRIBUTE] Black Saturday, Victoria, Australia

« on: 28/02/2009 15:01:08 »

On the 7th February, 2009, the most tragic natural disaster in Australia's history occurred in my home state of Victoria, Australia.

210 men, women and children were taken - including many entire families.  Some were in their homes, some trying to escape. I lost people I knew.

Entire towns were destroyed - Kinglake, Flowerdale (where 1 in 5 died), and my 'second home' Marysville.

Even though I am many thousands of kilometres away here in Japan - like all expats around the world, my heart was back home.

Alot of my family, including my parents live in bushland, and there was a time when an aunt and uncle were in direct threat.

The fire season is not over.

But as Australians, we know the risks of living in paradise, and for the many dark days there are many many more bright days.

These towns will rebuild, eventually the physical scars on the landscape will heal and paradise will be restored.

But the scars of losing so many people, of a nation in shock and mourning will never heal.  The 7th of February, 2009 - Black Saturday will always be remembered.

Tribute

May I please ask that this remain a tribte thread - any debates be posted elsewhere

8

Just Chat! / [FLASHBACK] 80's music

« on: 28/02/2009 12:44:27 »

I love 80's music for some Zeus-knows-reason...

here is the first in the trip down musical amnesia lane:

One Night in Bangkok

9

The Environment / late season snow in Tokyo, but

« on: 27/02/2009 01:04:29 »

I am sitting here at my computer at my desk in a very noisy technology room, it is 10am (local time obviously), and I look out the window and it is snowing, here in Tokyo (elevation = 5m).

Now this is quite late for snow, but not completely unusual, it has been a mild winter here (but not all that unusual).

However, interestingly, spring like weather is happening in the western and southern parts of Japan and depths-of-winter-hell - here in the eastern and in the northern parts of Japan.

10

Guest Book / how about a psychology section?

« on: 27/02/2009 00:40:19 »

Just a random thought from a cranky and tired teacher...

11

Just Chat! / beginning to like it here

« on: 26/02/2009 20:42:53 »

this place seems to be a lot nicer than some other places that i have and are escaping from  [O8)] []

12

Just Chat! / Leaving secondary teaching

« on: 26/02/2009 10:07:55 »

I have been a class-slave..erm.. i mean teacher for 10 years... teaching Physics, Science, Math, IT and Special Ed... as such, in this profession, it makes me a rare breed.

And like so many people in the rare breed classes of teaching, I am becoming very aware that the daily insults, put downs, non-recognised achievements etc - of which I do 11 hours a day for 7 hours pay etc are seriously not worth it....

In a couple of years time, I plan not only to leave the school I am at now,but leave the profession altogether...

I am trained in physics (soon to have a Masters), climatology and geology - so I may go back to industry, or be a lecturer or something...

13

Just Chat! / Are you studying?

« on: 25/02/2009 12:00:35 »

If so, what are your majors?  Are you enjoying the study?

I am currently doing a reearch Masters of Science, majoring in environmental physics and camera optics.

I am loving it, totally loving it.  It is a project where I can indulge my loves for travel, photography and physics

14

Technology / Can a digital camera be used as a spectrometer?

« on: 25/02/2009 11:31:49 »

This is one of my many ongoing projects (asides from teaching, a few inventions, a Masters and being beat up by 7 year olds).

I have a Canon G10 - a pretty sweet camera with incredible features, detailed here.

Does anyone know of any other attempts to use a camera as a spectrometer?

15

Guest Book / introduction

« on: 13/02/2009 00:27:53 »

Gday and Konnichi-wa,

I am Damien, an Aussie expat in Tokyo.

Currently an IB Physics teacher and a Masters student.

Awesome looking site.

 [O8)]