nondeterministic . net

Now in Leuven. Thrilling photographic evidence is up on flickr. Conference begins tomorrow.

The El Al safety video (I know, who really watches those) is a combination of computer-generated and hand-drawn (at least stylistically speaking) animation. You’ve got the father, son, and the son’s teddy bear. When the father puts the oxygen mask on his son, the son then takes the cap of his bottle and covers the bear’s nose. Very heartwarming.

[continue reading “Say cheese”]

I went up to Jerusalem today for a meeting. On the way there, I tried to take some photos of the separation wall where it goes near road six. I also have a few photos from Jerusalem and the Hebrew University campus taken before the meeting, and then precious one photo crossing from the Palestinian to the Israeli side of the wall after the meeting.

Please comment here or on Flickr if you’ve something to say… or if looking at photo after photo of concrete wall generates any reaction at all.

I lectured today on Java multithreading. To a group of high school students. Who just finished writing HTTP servers.

Simple HTTP servers. Handpicked students. And only an introduction to threads. But still.

On the way back to Haifa from Jerusalem, I also started my new photo essay, Teach Yourself Photography by Shooting from a Moving Vehicle, at Night. Wonderful, don’t you think?

And 100% of 54 people as of today agree, fiwt is del.icio.us.

Pink Lemon Drink (official drink of the Pink Lemon Company, for those few who get that joke) is lemonade with raspberry juice. Excellent.

Yesterday, the lecturer in Software Design asked who had programmed in Java using Eclipse: all hands. Who had programmed in Java using the command line? No hands, much scoffing. But later, while reviewing certain properties of Java, he had to field questions about the CLASSPATH. In a graduate class in the faculty of computer science, to have so many people whose ability to program in a language has no solid foundation but rather rests crutched on an IDE is questionable. For them to be satisfied with such a situation is sad.

This morning, the lecturer in a seminar on PCPs turned out to have worked with Madhu Sudan and guest lectured in 6.841/18.405; Steve might remember him as the Israeli guy with the kippa. I had my moment of elitism in that lecture when he gave a historical overview of PCP research. Goldwasser, check. Micali, check. Sipser, check. Sudan, check. Spielman, check. I’ll never match their accomplishments, but at least I sat in their lectures.

It might not be so great a change as was planned, but I do have a new dorm room at the Technion. And the Technion is where I’ll be for this academic year.

The picture here is not of the new dorm, since the new one looks pretty much like the old one. Instead it’s the view out my window. At night. Just to confuse you.

After a great day in Disneyland, I used my last day in California to visit the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum. It was the grand opening of either the Air Force One Pavilion or the Old Fogey Republicans Convention. Pictures focus on the former, although photography inside the plane was not permitted.

And that’s that. Thanks again to Dave and Susanna for the lodging, transportation, and inside entertainment connections. Now it’s back to work. Or whatever it is you call whatever it is I do.

Flickr has all the California pictures. Or just the ones with elephants. Photos are shown in reverse chronological order.

Breakfast burrito. Beach. Zoo, including zig-zag giraffe. Book store. Albacore burger. Wharf.

Overheard at the zoo:
"Isn’t it wonderful that G-d created all these different animals?"
"Thank you Jesus!"
pause
"I can’t stand creationists."

Some photos from the grounds of the Getty Center in Los Angeles. Thanks to Dave for letting me borrow his car for the day.

A few favorites from inside the halls: Painted Prayers; Collecting Drawings in Holland; panels, floor, & desk; and Minerva by Joseph Nollekens.