user since
Mon Apr 22 2002 at 21:25:42 (22 years ago )
last seen
Thu Feb 2 2006 at 09:41:42 (18.2 years ago )
number of write-ups
8 - View nuclear's writeups (feed)
level / experience
0 (Initiate) / 109
mission drive within everything
execution of a brain dump -- reflection and growth
specialties
Physics, Music, Rock Climbing, Hiking, Cooking, Unitarian Universalism
school/company
UW - Madison: Experimental Nuclear Physics
motto
don't die!
most recent writeup
stellar explosion
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cryomaniac

One who obsesses about the extreme cold.

A cryomaniac loves dry ice and liquid nitrogen. A perfect hour could drift by while watching clear liquid boil at room temperature causing clouds to form and making swirls of condensation. Immersing objects in the cold and observing the new properties brings more fun. Cream turns to ice cream, bananas turn into hammers, and balloons deflate. Those bent on destruction smash normally ductile objects after freezing. Only lower temperatures can beat that thrill, like circulating liquid hydrogen over magnet coils and watching the resistance drop to zero, then running abnormally large currents through them making a superconducting electromagnet.

Brr, just thinking about it makes me shiver.

Janumarch
January February March
Three months and yet one
Avoid the leprechaun
Celebrate

Born in the past, and still living. I hope this remains true for a long time!

I dare call myself a punk. But in so doing, I must provide explanation from a punk manifesto written by Greg Graffin of Bad Religion.

Punk is:

  • the personal expression of uniqueness that comes from the experiences of growing up in touch with our human ability to reason and ask questions;
  • a movement that serves to refute social attitudes that have been perpetuated through willful ignorance of human nature;
  • a process of questioning and commitment to understanding that results in self-progress, and by extrapolation, could lead to social progress;
  • a belief that this world is what we make of it, truth comes from our understanding of the way things are, not from the blind adherence to prescriptions about the way things should be;
  • the constant struggle against fear of social repercussions.

And to contrast that with what punk is not. “The typical stereotype of a feeble-minded ruffian vandalizing, destroying, stealing, fighting, or arguing in the name of some empty, short-lived cause is no more punk than the pretty-face-empty-head image of today's pop stars.” Thanks, Greg.

As far as the musical aspects of punk rock, I enjoy some bands and dismiss others as rubbish. Most of this discernment is by lyrical quality, and the ability to convey a message through vocals or instruments. That doesn't mean the music I don't like should not exist; I just won't listen to it much if I can help it. kareneliot captures the emotion and purpose I find in punk music in the statement: “anyone can make music, and that through music anyone can find their escape from the confinement of everyday life.”

When I graduated college in May of 2001, my bright purple hair brought out the true colors of the world we live in. Most people — not you, I'm sure — discriminate ruthlessly against anything “different&rdquo and strong suggestions were made to me to cut my hair in order to get a job. Luckily, faded red fit in with the color scheme here at the University of Wisconsin and I am now able to contribute to society without sacrificing part of my identity. Most friends and acquaintances admit that I look more natural with the mohawk than with normal hair.

So, what is my contribution to society, you ask? Currently, I work with a professor and scientist collaborating on a project for the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider at Brookhaven National Laboratory. I also attend a Unitarian Universalist young adult and campus ministry, which encourages me to promote social justice issues. Some great experiences with the organization include trips to the Pine Ridge and La Jolla Native American reservations. Our vision for the coming year focuses on strengthening our community and on building more local relationships. Additionally, I love music — classical guitar, punk rock, jazz, industrial ... — rock climbing, computers, books, and more intellectual pursuits. Punk fucking rock, heh!

Don't die! (It means good bye!)

My current (first) noding project focuses on Nucleosynthesis. In order to describe the topic in-depth, I must cover three main areas: Big Bang Nucleosynthesis, stellar burning, and neutron capture. Each of these in turn forms a separate node.

Project Nodes:

Nodes to Write or Reference: