Quantam Physicists Invent Quantum Car.
Drivers can get to destination by not starting the car.

In the wake of the Quantum computer which can solve an algorithm by not running it, scientists at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have invented a new Quantum car, which carries passengers to their destination by not driving.

Quantum cars have the potential for getting to certain destinations much faster than classical cars. Speed and efficiency are gained because quantum cars can be placed in superpositions of being both driving and not driving, as opposed to classical cars, which are either driving or not driving.

"It seems absolutely bizarre that counterfactual driving – using driving that is counter to what must have actually happened – could get a passenger to his destination without driving the quantum car," said Paul Kwiat, a John Bardeen Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Physics at Illinois. "But the nature of quantum driving makes this amazing feat possible."

By placing our car in a quantum superposition of driving and not driving the route, we reached the destination even when the car did not drive," said graduate student Onur Hosten, lead author of the Nature paper. "We also showed theoretically how to get to the destination without ever running the car, by using a 'chained Zeno' effect."

Through clever use of beam splitters and both constructive and destructive interference, the researchers can put each car in a superposition of taking two paths. Although a car can occupy multiple places simultaneously, it can only make an actual appearance at one location. Its presence defines its path, and that can, in a very strange way, negate the need for the car to drive

"In a sense, it is the possibility that the car could drive which prevents the car from driving," Kwiat said. "That is at the heart of quantum driving schemes, and to my mind, quantum mechanics doesn't get any more mysterious than this."

Editor's note: upon completion of this article, the author's head exploded from trying to grasp the concepts contained within.

Jasonzonbayhoo.com

Haas School: Prof. John Morgan Shows Sellers How to Boost Profits on eBay

Key line: "[The] findings suggest consumers pay less attention or even completely overlook shipping costs when making bids, the professors conclude."

Horoscopes.
Every time a bell rings, a tech support consultant breaks down and cries because some idiot has called him.

Aries: (March 21—April 19)
Your inability to follow simple step-by-step instruction in order may cause a choking hazard next Tuesday when the wrapper on your deli sandwich says "1: Remove toothpick. 2: Eat sandwich."

Taurus: (April. 20—May 20)
The Page Up and Page Down toolbar buttons can be used to view the diagram above or below the current selection.

Gemini: (May 21—June 21)
Many of your problems can be solved by taking the manual, putting it on your chair, standing on it so you can see over your cubicle wall, and shouting "does anyone know how to read a manual?"

Cancer: (June 22—July 22)
The stars can't help you understand the complexities of the English language because phrases like "click the 'Add Block' toolbar button to add a new block" baffle them, too.

Leo: (July 23—Aug. 22)
The Page Up and Page Down toolbar buttons still change the view to show the diagram above or below the current selection, just like last time.

Virgo: (Aug. 23—Sept. 22)
It is true that your supplier's delivery date was pushed back by several weeks, but when you evaluate them, the stars recommend you keep in mind that it was you who sent the wrong user requirements document. Unlike the stars, the supplier isn't telepathic, you know.

Libra: (Sept. 23—Oct. 23)
The stars really have to wonder why you think the poor technical consultant really needs to know every detail of your plans for the next 8 months. The snoring coming out of the phone is because you bored him to sleep. Please hang up and try your call again never.

Scorpio: (Oct. 24—Nov. 21)
Y'know what? You can change the view to above or below the current selection by using the Page Up and Page Down toolbar buttons. No, really. It still works that way.

Sagittarius: (Nov. 22—Dec. 21)
A "Standalone" install is for use on a single computer. A "Network" install allows many users access to the software on a network.

Capricorn: (Dec. 22—Jan. 19)
In case you hadn't figured it out from the previous horoscope, a "Network" install is, in fact, more appropriate for a network server.

Aquarius: (Jan. 20—Feb. 18)
The Page Up and Page Down toolbar buttons can no longer be used to change the view. Nah, the stars are just messing with you. Of course they can. Just like the last 50 times you asked how to change the view.

Pisces: (Feb. 19—March 20)
All your calls to the help desk will go unanswered next week because the Technical Support Consultant hung himself on his phone cord.

Pure Pwnage.

Ok, in case you couldn't figure it out from the subliminal links in the earlier post, go to PurePwnage. "Anonymous" first linked to the FPS Doug video in a post a while back, but I don't think too many people saw it. I also stumbled across "WoW is a Feeling" some time ago, too.

The whole group of 9 shorts (averaging between 15 and 25 minutes each) are quite humorous, and the quality just goes up with each one.

(Mandatory adult language warning.)

Oh, and for those of you who still doubt my DoD abilities and claim that I can only Run 'n' Gun, while real men play rifleman, I say stick it in your ear:


That's some good ol' fashioned one-shot-one-kill bolt-action K98 goodness. (map was dod_donner.)

Boom! Headshot!
I can dance all day! I can dance all day! Try 'n' hit me! Try 'n' hit me!
My heart's beatin', my heart's beatin, and my hands are shakin' but I'm still shootin' and I'm still gettin' headshots!

Kitty Update.

Well, the kittens have gotten a bit bigger since last time. They're now around 5 lbs. each, as opposed to the 8 ounces or so when we took them home.

As they've gotten older, personalities have begun to emerge.

Isis is definitely a "people cat". She loves to be held and loves to be around us. When we're sitting on the couch watching a DVD, she's usually curled up in between us.

As it turns out, Polly would have been a good name for her as she has taken to perching on shoulders.


Boy do I need to shave!

Her favorite hobbies while sitting on my shoulder include

1) Chewing on my glasses,
2) Chewing on my ears, and
3) Licking my hair

I've decided to stop bathing and will instead have the kitties lick me clean.

Other nicknames she has earned are "The Purry One" and "Six Toes".

Bastet is more of a loner kitty. She likes people, but on her own terms. She likes being in the same room as us, but not being held. She is a little bit of a Freaka-Cat and has earned the nickname "The Sniffy One" because she often intently smells things (especially people), probably trying to decide if they're edible

Both kitties are trouble-makers, but in different ways. Isis is a trouble-makers of the "chewing" variety, as she has grown quite adept at pulling my glasses off my face so she can chew on the stem, and is responsible for the severing of at least three four headphone cords.

Bastet, on the other hand, is a trouble-maker of the "exploratory" variety. She has already learned to open doors if they're left ajar, and has defied all attempts we've made at containing her. Initially, we kept them in the kitchen, to keep them out of harms way. First we did this by blocking the entrance with suitcases (which they both quickly learned to climb) and then later with cardboard boxes (which they couldn't climb). When Bastet learned she could jump right over the boxes, it became apparent that corraling kitties is not a simple task, and by that point they were big enough that we decided to let them run around in the living room. Even still, Bastet still gets into trouble by climbing under the couch, then up inside it, despite our sincerest efforts to completely block off the bottom.

Humorously, Bastet learned to climb the suitcases first, and while Isis was trying to figure it out Bastet would stand at the top and step on Isis toes when she got close to the top.

Speaking of off-limits places, one place they don't go is the trash in the kitchen, despite its easy accessibility. Shortly after we first got them, the learned to climb their cage and from there, jump onto the trash in the kitchen. Not wanting them rolling around in the trash, Anne Marie threw a towel over the trash so they would sit on that instead. By the next day, the trash had been emptied and while I intentionally left the towel off the trash can so they could see it was empty, Rie put the towel back over the empty can. I asked her if that was such a good idea, since they might think they could walk on it. As soon as I had said that, we both looked at each other with the same idea. The kitties were both on top of their cage, so we got their attention with one of their favorite toys (a catnip mouse) and dropped the mouse on top of the towel. Both kitties jumped for it and both fell into the empty trash can. Isis calmly jumped out, but Bastet freaked, poofed up, and ran to the other side of the kitchen. Neither cat has jumped on top of the trash can since.

Bastet actually poofs quite easily. One of the funnier incidents was when I dropped their catnip mouse in the kitchen. Bastet jumped for it, which startled Isis, who hissed and turned towards Bastet, which startled Bastet, who hissed and jumped back, landing in their water dish, which startled her even more and made her hiss and poof up.

Now that they run around in the living room, they've both taken to jumping on my desk and "helping" me play games.



They both love the hippogryphs in WoW. I think it's something about the flapping wings.


She knows Claw (Rank 1). 25 Focus, 5 yard range. Claw the enemy, causing 4 to 6 damage.

On more than one occasion, Bastet has blocked my view at a critical time in DoD, causing my pwnage by some n00b.


Boom! Headshot!

In addition to "Kitty Stummy Therapy" Other uses I've found for kitties includes Kitty Scarves and Kitty Earmuffs. So warm and fuzzy!

I'm so glad we got them together, as they're best friends. They usually sleep next to each other, and often play with and groom each other. Sometimes they sweetly try to bite the other one's neck.








Shoelaces: a kitten's second favorite toy (first favorite being the other kitten's tail).


She looks so cute! Kitty with a bow!


She's thinking "this is it. I'm going to kill them."


Awwww. Kitties love curling up with the Murloc.

Let's move to South Dakota.

S. Dakota legislature passes abortion ban | Reuters.com

Mathematics can solve everything.

The Science Creative Quarterly » A GAME THEORETIC APPROACH TO THE TOILET SEAT PROBLEM

Am I good or just lucky?.



You decide. (Map was dod_flash.)

From the Gamestop front page.

Gamestop.com - Home:

"Star Wars: Empire At War
Free Death Star* with Pre-Order!
In a galaxy between Episode III and Episode IV become a galactic commander as you choose to either battle the Empire or to crush the Rebellion at its roots. Collector's Edition also available.
*Death Star is a desktop ball."

Oh, and I so much wanted a real Death Star.

Somehow, I don't think Dr. Mrs. Salter would have accepted that....

FoxTrot - Show your work