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Conference tidbits
I really enjoyed Strings 2010 this week, for the physics and for the people. But there were also a number of random fun bits to share. For example:
* I got to ride a Segway for the first time. (Very briefly.) Takes a little getting used to, but I can see that it could pretty quickly feel quite natural. It's quite remarkable that it works.
* Less surprising: keeping up with a technical talk is difficult if the audiovisual staff are on the phone two rows back trying to fix the camera. More surprising: it's also difficult when someone's snoring halfway across the lecture hall.
* A few choice quotes by the speakers (I won't pretend they're verbatim, and profuse apologies if I've misquoted anyone): (I'm happy to explain the context in the comments if necessary.)
Joe Polchinski: "You can tell it's a condensed matter paper rather than a string theory paper: instead of listing the authors alphabetically, they're listed from youngest to oldest."
Steven Wineberg: "Many people think that string theory is the ultraviolet completion of quantum gravity, and I won't be surprised if they're right. This [afternoon] is the 'Plan B' session."
Lance Dixon (after the next break): "This must be the 'Plan C' session."
Lenny Susskind: "I kept hoping that someone would make the condensed matter theorists feel like fools. Which they are."
Liam McAllister: "The warped conifold is the lithium atom of the 21st century."
Liam McAllister: "Since I'm in Texas I can feel safe using the phrase, 'You can't get lard unless you boil the hog.'"
Eva Silverstein: "Aren't you a vegetarian?"
Liam: "Yes, so perhaps I've missed the point. I was given to understand that getting lard is something good."
Igor Klebanov: "The conifold was compared with lithium of the 21st century. Maybe this is right: it has a strangely calming effect on me."
* I got to ride a Segway for the first time. (Very briefly.) Takes a little getting used to, but I can see that it could pretty quickly feel quite natural. It's quite remarkable that it works.
* Less surprising: keeping up with a technical talk is difficult if the audiovisual staff are on the phone two rows back trying to fix the camera. More surprising: it's also difficult when someone's snoring halfway across the lecture hall.
* A few choice quotes by the speakers (I won't pretend they're verbatim, and profuse apologies if I've misquoted anyone): (I'm happy to explain the context in the comments if necessary.)
Joe Polchinski: "You can tell it's a condensed matter paper rather than a string theory paper: instead of listing the authors alphabetically, they're listed from youngest to oldest."
Steven Wineberg: "Many people think that string theory is the ultraviolet completion of quantum gravity, and I won't be surprised if they're right. This [afternoon] is the 'Plan B' session."
Lance Dixon (after the next break): "This must be the 'Plan C' session."
Lenny Susskind: "I kept hoping that someone would make the condensed matter theorists feel like fools. Which they are."
Liam McAllister: "The warped conifold is the lithium atom of the 21st century."
Liam McAllister: "Since I'm in Texas I can feel safe using the phrase, 'You can't get lard unless you boil the hog.'"
Eva Silverstein: "Aren't you a vegetarian?"
Liam: "Yes, so perhaps I've missed the point. I was given to understand that getting lard is something good."
Igor Klebanov: "The conifold was compared with lithium of the 21st century. Maybe this is right: it has a strangely calming effect on me."