Thursday, 16 July 2009
Gratuitous car photos
We haven't had a photo of my brother's and my MX-5 recently, and I have some nice ones from when I visited it in April. Note the nice rims my brother bought for it. It'll be nice to drive it again when I get home, though of course I will be cycling whenever possible. It's really hard being an eco-petrol-head...
Tuesday, 14 July 2009
How not to censor people in Australia
I just read this article in The Age about Chinese consular officials demanding the withdrawal of a film from the upcoming Melbourne International Film Festival. Such simplistic tactics might work in China, but telling a bunch of artsy types that they can't show some film, when they are clearly completely in their power to do so, is not a good way to stop the film being noticed in Australia. It will (hopefully) have the very opposite effect. If you're able, may I suggest you try to see the documentary mentioned just to prove me right! With huge resources contracts, the Chinese government may be able to make the Australian government and big businesses abandon any moral principles they might have had, but I'm pretty sure they won't be able to manipulate some good hearted film nerds.
As a side note, you may have heard of the buzz in Australia about some Rio Tinto executives being arrested for spying while in China to negotiate a deal between Rio and the Chinese government. Of course, it's possible that the accusations are true, but when you consider that people arrested for spying in China can be held for long periods without access to lawyers and be coerced into confessions, you start to understand the problem with dealing with totalitarian states used to exercising arbitrary power over their subjects. Maybe, just maybe, it would be a good idea to refrain from dealing with people with whom you have fundamental ethical disagreements. At least this is my instant reaction when I hear this stuff - if you don't want your employee's human rights abused, maybe don't deal with China. Of course this is 'economically out of the question' when there are mining contracts at stake. Turning a blind eye makes Rio, and all of us, complicit in the abuses that occur. This is a fundamental moral truth. If you can't conform to your own ethical standards, you can't really claim they are your standards.
As a side note, you may have heard of the buzz in Australia about some Rio Tinto executives being arrested for spying while in China to negotiate a deal between Rio and the Chinese government. Of course, it's possible that the accusations are true, but when you consider that people arrested for spying in China can be held for long periods without access to lawyers and be coerced into confessions, you start to understand the problem with dealing with totalitarian states used to exercising arbitrary power over their subjects. Maybe, just maybe, it would be a good idea to refrain from dealing with people with whom you have fundamental ethical disagreements. At least this is my instant reaction when I hear this stuff - if you don't want your employee's human rights abused, maybe don't deal with China. Of course this is 'economically out of the question' when there are mining contracts at stake. Turning a blind eye makes Rio, and all of us, complicit in the abuses that occur. This is a fundamental moral truth. If you can't conform to your own ethical standards, you can't really claim they are your standards.
Thursday, 9 July 2009
Grand Sale, Grand Sale!
I should really start advertising things that I want to sell before I go at the end of August, so if you're in Berlin check out these things and let me know if you're interested:
There is also my apartment for rent: 2 bedroom, 62 m^2, einbauküche, in Turmstraße, Moabit. 440euro warm per month. Kaution (bond) is 3 months kaltmiete, 1020euro. Provisionfrei (no one off fee) of course. I'd like to find a 'nachmieter' to take the apartment in it's condition as it is (nice and clean, but paint is not perfect). Could throw in some furniture to sweeten the deal.
[Edit: The deal seems to have been quite sweet, as the flat is all but gone. In fact the likely winning bidder rang me literally 1 minute after I posted the ad on wg-gesucht.de!]
- Fuji Track '09 fixed gear bicycle. 350euro or best offer.
- 68cm Grundig TV, with nice rolling stand. 60euro, separable.
- Samson Media One 4a home studio monitor speakers. Awesome for iPod etc - tests are welcome! See this post. Price is fixed at 100euro since otherwise I will take them with me. They're in perfect condition, new price 150euro.
- Furniture including: Dinner table extends to seat 10, with 8 chairs. Metal double bed with lattice and mattress. Two large rugs. Ask me for details and prices.
There is also my apartment for rent: 2 bedroom, 62 m^2, einbauküche, in Turmstraße, Moabit. 440euro warm per month. Kaution (bond) is 3 months kaltmiete, 1020euro. Provisionfrei (no one off fee) of course. I'd like to find a 'nachmieter' to take the apartment in it's condition as it is (nice and clean, but paint is not perfect). Could throw in some furniture to sweeten the deal.
[Edit: The deal seems to have been quite sweet, as the flat is all but gone. In fact the likely winning bidder rang me literally 1 minute after I posted the ad on wg-gesucht.de!]
Tuesday, 7 July 2009
Laksa recipe - Part II
Part I described the preparation of the Laksa paste. Once that's made, making the Laksa is relatively quick and easy. My recipe is vegetarian, but if you want to add chicken or seafood it's probably not hard. Make sure it's cooked before adding it to the soup though! This recipe is for about 4 serves.
Ingredients:
The best bet is to cook things separately when necessary so as to make sure everything gets cooked the right amount, then assemble it all at the end. When using a chunky paste like we made in Part I, the trick is to mix the paste with the coconut milk and then blend it thoroughly. The vegetables here are just suggestions, you can use what you like. Cut them into strips and start with the ones that take longest. Fore example, I like to cook the carrots and broccoli in a fry pan with a little bit of water and a lid on high heat, to sort of steam them. Stir them occasionally to check they don't stick. When they are a bit softened add the onions then mushrooms then capsicum and fry them. Add a bit of the paste/coconut mix to get them to pick up some flavour. The coconut cream has lots of fat that helps them fry too. At the end throw in the bean shoots to just warm them - they don't need to cook. While this is happening cook your noodles and strain them. Also heat the rest of the coconut/paste mix in a large pot and then add boiling water from the kettle. Add the tofu puffs, cut into halves or quaters, so they can absorb the soup. Check the taste of the soup and add veg stock if it needs more salt, or more water if it's too rich. Now you have everything needed to assemble the Laksas in some large bowls. Put the noodles in first then vegies and then top up with soup and tofu puffs.
It takes some experimenting to get all the quantities right. For this reason it's best to assemble it all at the end rather than mixing in a huge pot. Don't feel obliged to use all the vegies and noodles you prepared, they can always be used in something else. If you're keen, take notes on what you did like I do, and then you can adjust things next time. Soon you'll have the perfect Laksa.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup of Laksa Paste
- 1 onion
- Some mushrooms
- 1 capsicum
- 2 small carrots
- Broccoli
- Bean shoots
- Fried tofu puffs
- Noodles of your choice
- Veg stock powder
- 400ml can coconut cream
- 1L water
The best bet is to cook things separately when necessary so as to make sure everything gets cooked the right amount, then assemble it all at the end. When using a chunky paste like we made in Part I, the trick is to mix the paste with the coconut milk and then blend it thoroughly. The vegetables here are just suggestions, you can use what you like. Cut them into strips and start with the ones that take longest. Fore example, I like to cook the carrots and broccoli in a fry pan with a little bit of water and a lid on high heat, to sort of steam them. Stir them occasionally to check they don't stick. When they are a bit softened add the onions then mushrooms then capsicum and fry them. Add a bit of the paste/coconut mix to get them to pick up some flavour. The coconut cream has lots of fat that helps them fry too. At the end throw in the bean shoots to just warm them - they don't need to cook. While this is happening cook your noodles and strain them. Also heat the rest of the coconut/paste mix in a large pot and then add boiling water from the kettle. Add the tofu puffs, cut into halves or quaters, so they can absorb the soup. Check the taste of the soup and add veg stock if it needs more salt, or more water if it's too rich. Now you have everything needed to assemble the Laksas in some large bowls. Put the noodles in first then vegies and then top up with soup and tofu puffs.
It takes some experimenting to get all the quantities right. For this reason it's best to assemble it all at the end rather than mixing in a huge pot. Don't feel obliged to use all the vegies and noodles you prepared, they can always be used in something else. If you're keen, take notes on what you did like I do, and then you can adjust things next time. Soon you'll have the perfect Laksa.
Old News
Many of you who know me are already aware that I recently made a big decision about my future, but for those who don't know here's the news. I'm heading back to Melbourne next semester to continue my studies. The reason for this change of plan is that I want to be with my girlfriend, and we realised that if I stayed in Berlin for the next 2 or 3 years our relationship was doomed. Of course, it will be very nice to see my family and old friends more often too. So I'm transferring to University of Melbourne, and will be studying with David Wood who last year began a 5 year ARC QEII Fellowship. I will be sad to leave Berlin, but I hope to come back regularly, and maintain contact and collaboration with my colleagues here. I am also sorry to leave the BMS after all they did for me, but as some of my close friends reminded me while I was making this decision, there are more things to life than maths.
This means I will be moving out of my flat (2 bedroom in Moabit) at the end of August and selling/giving away lots of stuff including furniture and my new fixed gear bike, so stay tuned for info on those, or contact me if you're super keen.
This means I will be moving out of my flat (2 bedroom in Moabit) at the end of August and selling/giving away lots of stuff including furniture and my new fixed gear bike, so stay tuned for info on those, or contact me if you're super keen.
Saturday, 4 July 2009
Obesity Epidemic
We've all heard of the (somewhat ridiculous) 'obesity epidemic' affecting some western nations, not least Australia, but right now I'd like to talk about a different obesity epidemic affecting the worlds car designers. I just read a few reviews about the interesting new BMW 135i coupe. Car design has long taken for granted a constant 'bracket creep' in which new models constantly grow relative to their similarly named predecessors, and new model names are introduced at the small end. Why this is necessary I'm not sure.
Anyway, considering the 1-series coupe, I harboured faint hopes that this might be a car of comparable dimensions to the classic 3-series of times passed, the extremely successful 1980s E30 for instance. I was disappointed to learn that the massively powerful 135i is also massively massive, weighing in at a lardy 1,560kg. That's right. One and a half tonnes for a 'compact sports sedan'. The 325i of 1986, a larger car by model designation (though there was no 1-series at this time) weighed just 1,200kg. The supposedly little 'Porsche killer' 135i is in fact 100kg heavier than a brand new 911 Carrera.
This is an example of an advanced manufacturer making a supposedly small car. It makes you shudder to think of the excesses of low-tech American cars which aren't even trying to be small. If we are serious about making fuel efficient cars, this problem of mass has to be addressed just as much as making more efficient engines. There's no point making a better engine just to put it in a lardier car. People will argue the increased mass is due to more advanced safety equipment, but this is only partially true. There is also a large amount of less worthwile junk added to new cars along with safety equipment. Besides, new materials such as advanced composites should be able to offset the weight of added features.
I guess in the end we may just be seeing 'market forces' playing out. With continual advances in engine technology, consumers opted not for reduced fuel consumption, but for bigger cars with more junk on board. Until they are made to pay for emissions they won't be inclined to reduce them.
Anyway, considering the 1-series coupe, I harboured faint hopes that this might be a car of comparable dimensions to the classic 3-series of times passed, the extremely successful 1980s E30 for instance. I was disappointed to learn that the massively powerful 135i is also massively massive, weighing in at a lardy 1,560kg. That's right. One and a half tonnes for a 'compact sports sedan'. The 325i of 1986, a larger car by model designation (though there was no 1-series at this time) weighed just 1,200kg. The supposedly little 'Porsche killer' 135i is in fact 100kg heavier than a brand new 911 Carrera.
This is an example of an advanced manufacturer making a supposedly small car. It makes you shudder to think of the excesses of low-tech American cars which aren't even trying to be small. If we are serious about making fuel efficient cars, this problem of mass has to be addressed just as much as making more efficient engines. There's no point making a better engine just to put it in a lardier car. People will argue the increased mass is due to more advanced safety equipment, but this is only partially true. There is also a large amount of less worthwile junk added to new cars along with safety equipment. Besides, new materials such as advanced composites should be able to offset the weight of added features.
I guess in the end we may just be seeing 'market forces' playing out. With continual advances in engine technology, consumers opted not for reduced fuel consumption, but for bigger cars with more junk on board. Until they are made to pay for emissions they won't be inclined to reduce them.
Friday, 3 July 2009
New paper, sort of
I have just finished updating a paper that I started as part of my Bachelor's thesis and initially put on the arXiv about 2 years ago. You can see the new version here. In the paper I construct some unit distance graphs that can be coloured with a certain number of colours if you have the Axiom of Choice, but need more colours if you use Lebesgue measurable sets instead. My old version had rather basic proofs, and I have managed to improve the bounds on measurable chromatic number and generalise the construction to n dimensions. The old version was rejected by a journal (after a year of refereeing!) but hopefully this version has more success, this time with JCTA where I just submitted it. After a few weeks working just on this short paper I'm looking forward to doing something else!
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