Happy g (9.8) day!

Sept 8th is written as (9.8.YYYY).
When I was trying to update my lab-book, I realized that today is 9.8.2011. The first two numbers represent the acceleration due to gravity (g). Since we started celebrating pi day, tau day and what not day... why not celebrate a g day!

In the context of "g", I remember one incident as told by my close friend (happened in Nepal).
He was teaching a lab and one of his strict instruction was to write down the title of the lab report in ALL CAPS!!!!
Then the next day the report came back which read...
A STUDY OF SIMPLE PENDULUM TO ESTIMATE THE VALUE OF G.

Hilarity ensues


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Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning @Stanford

Stanford is offering free online classes under computer sciences department.

There are three free online classes being offered this semester. The  online registration is free. With the help of high-speed internet, anyone who is enrolled can watch the lectures and participate in the   assignments, homework, and tests.

• Machine Learning taught by Professor Andrew Ng
• Introduction to Artifical Intelligence taught by Professor Sebastian Thrun and Dr. Peter Norvig
• Introduction to Databases taught by Professor Jennifer Widom

With thousands of students enrolled, this is one of the massive experiment too, which will serve as the stand post for the next generation of education system.

 http://robots.stanford.edu/cs221/



The text books used for the AI classes are:
a

Sungazing and Stargazing @AlbanyStarGaze

Phil is organizing two programs at the telescope observatory at the Earth Science rooftop (access by staircase in middle of 3rd floor):

Sun-gazing THIS AFTERNOON, Thursday, Sept. 1, at 1:00.

Tomorrow MORNING, Friday, Sept. 2, 4:30-6:00 AM. Jupiter, Mars, Mercury &
Orion nebula. Take tunnel if podium entrance is locked.

Stargazing / sun-gazing is always weather permitting. Rain or clouds may
cancel a program without further notice.
 
Follow @AlbanyStarGaze  for future events



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My Favorite Nine Blog Posts by Nepali Bloggers

I missed the Fifth Online Blogger Bhela (see पाँचौं अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय नेपाली ब्लगर भेला समिक्षा तथा Archive).  

As a guilty pleasure, I am posting my favorite nine blog posts. Here are they not arranged in any particular order...

1. http://www.aakarpost.com/2011/07/tfcnepal-smile-face-school.html
   I have to say, when I encountered few many Nepali tweetpals, I thought these guys are here just for fun. However, among the zigery-pokery, a nice thing emerged: Tweet For Cause Nepal (TFC-Nepal). Now the tweets by Nepali tweetpals are being directly used for helping children. Neat!
   (Not to mention: I also liked the travel diary by Aakar.)
2. http://archanashrestha.blogspot.com/2011/02/blog-post_9239.html
   This one by Archana G is good one. Culture in 21st century. Do we ask enough questions?
3. http://dacharya.blogspot.com/2011/03/blog-post.html
   Although written lightly, it touches the deeper subject of Nepali culture on punctuality and timelessness. If we can not get the time right, where do we go from there?
   (Not to mention: the helpful posts by Dilip G for new and old bloggers.)
4. http://www.dautari.org/2011/01/nepali-blog-wall.html
   I like this collection of Nepali blog walls by Nepalean G. While people take pleasure in claiming to be the pioneer in Nepali blogging and put the self-pride, I ask them: what have you done to really better Nepali Blog-o-sphere?
   This is the one stop for new or old bloggers to take references from.
5. http://dhaiba.blogspot.com/2011/05/blog-post_20.html#more
   Dhaiba G, has done a great work in bringing the face of the creators. Hats off to his dedications!
6. http://gautambasanta.blogspot.com/2011/07/blog-post_29.html
   Against the flow: Basant G is one of the example in recent history where he returns to Nepal and faces the question: "kati lyais ta?"
   Well, it still needs to be highlighted: what academicians  brings to country is bigger than the paisa...
   You can not buy gyan by paisa. Wishing him all the best.
7. http://bednath.blogspot.com/2010/07/blog-post_31.html
   ... देश चलाउनेहरु एउटा कन्ट्रयाक्टमा सचेत बर्गलाइ विदेश पठाएर आफु बलेको आगो ताप्न खोज्छ. Why do we need to sell the labor to other country? This needs some serious attention
8. http://merasirjanaharu.blogspot.com/2010/10/blog-post_15.html#more
   Language is not my subject. However, this post in interesting and seems the author has done some nice research in the topic. I like this as an example of how a blog post can be good if it is well researched/written.
9. http://www.blog.krishnathapa.com/2011/05/blog-post.html
   Among lots of post about being aboard, this one touches you. If you are aboard, this will put you in the frame. 

Please do share yours. Getting Nine out of so many was a hard problem. I was very much tempted to get few more, but I disciplined myself on the (already decided) number.
 

Nepalese Physicists departing from Nepal in Fall 2011

Thanks to Sanjiv G (Mahesh G and Yubraj G), we present a list of Nepalese physicists departing from Nepal for the Fall 2011.

The list is not yet complete, will be updated as more info comes in.

1.Udaya Raj Dahal- University of Connecticut

2.Niraj Raj Ghimire -University of Connecticut

3.Basant Kumar Dhital- City University of New York, Graduate Center

4.Subin Sahu- Oregon state University

5.Jeevan G.C.- Florida International University

6.Anup Pandey- Ohio University

7.Hem Moktan- Oklahoma state University

8.Yubaraj Malakar- Kansas state University

9.Sudeep Jung Pandey- University of Central Florida

10.Dhan Bahadur Rana- New Mexico State University

11.Diwakar Sigdel- Florida International University

12. Raju Timilsina- Central Michigan University

13.Ekraj Dahal-Boston college

14.Uttar Pudasaini-Old Dominion University

15.Gajadhar Joshi- University of Uttah

16. Rajesh Panthi- Oklahoma state University

17.Bhim Prasad Chaulagain- Wayne State University

18.Niraj Shrestha- University of Memphis

19.Namoona Pandey-Florida International University

20.Alina Karki-Ohio University

21.Sudiksha Khadka- Ohio University

22. Yuba Raj Dahal- Kansas State University

23. Pratap Timalsina- Kansas State University

24. Yuba Raj Poudel-University of Idaho

25. Ashish Sapkota - Iowa State University

26. Ganesh Pokhrel- University of Memphis, Tennessee

27. Jiba Nath Dahal- University of Memphis, Tennessee

28. Shreeram Acharya-University of Central Florida

29. Amrit Laudari- Missouri State University

30. Prakash Nepal- University of Wisconsin
31. Khagendra Adhikari-Univ of southern Mississippi
32. Ek Raj Adhikari-Univ of southern Mississippi 

I would recommend that the students should become life member of NPS before they depart.



Please let us know if someone is missing.

Please join Google group of NPS: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/nps_nepal


I had written about my experiences of departure here:
http://merotime.blogspot.com/2009/10/at-airport.html


And what to pack here... (the list needs revision as per your destination: hot/cold, but gives a general idea)
http://merotime.blogspot.com/2009/08/excitement-begins-here.html
http://merotime.blogspot.com/2009/09/items-to-bring-to-usa-on-your-luggage.html