28.10.07

Daylight Saving Time Robs One Hour of Sleep


Today was the day that, due to the start of the daylight saving time, the clocks are moved forward for an hour. And since the change of the day takes place at midnight, my sleep was cut short by an hour: sleeping at 0200 non-DST clock, waking at 0800 non-DST clock (0900 DST clock).

It's quite a dangerous day for them to change the clocks today, considering that the exam period starts tomorrow.

...

Ah well... I think I need more sleep. Or more tea. Gotta mop up my atomic physics lab report.

26.10.07

Rain Rain Canberra



Perhaps due to the evolution of the season from spring to summer, Canberra has suddenly turned extremely wet over the past couple of days. For that matter, it has been raining intermittently for the whole of yesterday, and after a brief period of sun in the morning and early afternoon, there was quite some rain today.

This is quite a change, to be honest. While the rain is not heavy - definitely not the drenching kind - it certainly reminds me of those days-long shower back in Singapore (though probably not as heavy as that). The wet air and chilly wind, with the smell of wet vegetation... that's something quite refreshing.

And one thing for sure, the land here certainly needs the rain. In fact, the sprinklers in the campus has been turned on at night to ensure that the plants and grass do not dry up. In any case, it looks like the rain will be here for a few more days, since it is still so cloudy outside.

Which means I may have to delay my laundry. I've discovered not too long ago that Canberra's dry air and strong sun makes drying clothes on a laundry line very efficient (even thick fabric like jeans and socks need only three to four hours). The dryer is of course an option if this weather persists, but I'll avoid that as much as I can because it is a major consumer of electricity!

22.10.07

Bean Splitter

Created for the draft of my lab report.



Red beans will go on to the caesium cell; green beans will go on to the interferometer. Talking about the superposition of beans!

21.10.07

Turning Up the Heat

On the main page of the ANU students homepage:

Forecast 11°C - 31°C
CANBERRA
3:28 PM AEST
21 October 2007

Erm... okay, no wonder when I took my walk earlier just now, it felt like back in Singapore...

And weather changes real fast. Just about three days ago, I remember the forecast reporting a 2°C - 23°C. That was the time when I felt the weather going colder.

Well, at least I'm warming up to my return to Singapore...

17.10.07

Getting Electrified

Recently, I've been getting shocks in my room when I touched the metal taps or basin. At first I thought the changing weather (which, for some unknown reason, has been getting colder) was causing all the static, but it doesn't seems to be happening to the others, so that can't be it.

The first revelation came when I was told of the possibility that, instead of static charges building up on the objects, it was I who was collecting the charges. Then quickly came the answer: I've bought a new pairs of slippers last week because my old pair had a broken strap. And that is probably the cause of the static buildup on me.

Hmm... I can get another pair of slippers, but I think that'll be a waste of money. So what else can I do? I can try avoid dragging my feet when I walk across the carpeted floor, but that's not gonna be easy to change (and it defeats the idea of wearing slippers anyway). Maybe I should earth myself?

14.10.07

The Transitional Blog

This transitional blog is to house all posts and news as I change the URL of my old blogs, The Feynman Boson and The Feynman Fermion. In about three weeks' time I will change to the new URLs and announce them here.

Sorry for the trouble caused.