Professor Abdul Majid Siddiqui is No More

Professor Abdul Majid Siddiqui passed away in Delhi yesterday. Born in Allahabad he build up the discipline of biochemistry at AMU, including the Department of Bio-Chemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences. Here is much more on him.

Fuzzballs by Samir Mathur

One of the earnest promoters of science in India was late Babu Lal Saraf of the Physics Department, Rajasthan University, Jaipur. He once remarked, "Alright tell me honestly how many new scientific terms have we introduced after independence?" The answer must have been non-zero but not high enough so no one took up the challenge to enumerate. This was a few decades ago. Situation is not much better now either. But then there are exceptions. A string theorist Samir Mathur has developed an idea-that the black holes are actually fuzzballs. Here is the latest link. Here is an earlier one. And one more. Then you take off. Up, up and away.

Brutality of 9/11

It was brutal.
Very brutal.
Yes, very-very brutal.
And then there are more brutal things.
We no the tip of the iceberg.
The Rolling Stone article.
America go home-while you still can.

Is There a SUSY Disaster?

The Higgs question is still not settled.
It is necessary to settle that because it is the only missing piece of a very elegant theory called the standard model.
But worries have started at another corner. Is the world supersymmetric?
The gross answer was known long ago. It is not in a straightforward way. We do not know the susy partner of electron, for example.
The finer answer was not known.
Some finer answers were excluded.
Jut a few days ago in Mumbai.
And all hell is breaking loose.
Rightfully so because in these landscapes (there is a danger of a pun being there but it is not intended at all) there is always the danger of  exceptions turning into rules.
Good times.

BBC had it first. This must have irked many of the heavy weights of the blogging world. Even if they were not in Mumbai at Electron-Photon 2011 they were at least browsing, downloading and listening to the talks.
Here are the takes by various Movers and Shakers:

Jester
Zaperz
Peter Woit
TPLEC
Carlo Rovelli
Mathew Strassler (also here)
Lisa Randall
G.Kane via Tommaso Dorigo
Tomorrow

List of Sunni Books

Again from Wkipedia but the collection is great.
Of course you'll be angry with yourself if you do not know Arabic.

List of Islam Haters

This could be the longest list of all but let us not go in that direction.
We'll restrict to what Wikipedia has already served us. (The page might be completely different tomorrow.)
Wikipedia honours them with the honorific Critics of Islam-some sort of noble professionals waiting for honourary degree of doctorate.

Anyway here is the list.

(A) 19th and 20th Century

Ignaz Goldziher
Henri Corbin
Winston Churchill

(B)  Contemporary

V. S. Naipaul
Oriana Fallaci
Geert Wilders
Benny Morris
Bernard Lewis

(C) Atheists

Michel Onfray 
Sam Harris 
Christopher Hitchens

(D)Evangelical Christians

Pat Robertson
Jerry Falwell
Franklin Graham  
Ted Haggard
R. Albert Mohler, Jr.

(E) Ex-Muslims

Ayaan Hirsi Ali
Taslima Nasrin
Magdi Allam
Nonie Darwish
Nyamko Sabuni
Zachariah Anani
Khalid Duran
Ehsan Jami
Maryam Namazie
Anwar Shaikh
Walid Shoebat

 Ibn Warraq

Wafa Sultan
Mosab Hassan Yousef

(F) So-Called Muslims

Irshad Manji 
Ahmed H. al-Rahim

And what is the strange thing about this list? well the longest sub-list consists of  former Muslims! For the time being use Wikipedia page to know the pick of each one of them.

Shahidur Rashid Talukdar

The west discovered diplomacy-to fool others into submission.
Then they also discovered inquiry committees to fool people into submission.
And then they already had discovered social, economic and political mumbo-jumbo to fool the people.
May be their game is up by now.
People are calling their bluff-or at least trying to take the bull by the horns.
Shahidur Rashid Talukdar is one young Alig who can talk the mumbo-jumbo in the same accent.
May Allah (SWT) protect him from evil eyes. Here is his intro:

Having graduated from Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) in 2006, Shahidur Rashid Talukdar moved to USA for higher studies. After completing MS (in Mathematics) from Youngstown State University, he joined Texas Tech University as PhD student in Economics. His wide range of interests include reading, blogging, economics, social and human development. Mr. Talukdar originally hails from Assam, a North-Eastern state in India and currently lives at Lubbock, Texas, USA with his wife Mumtaz.

See also here and here.

Nato Division of Spoils in Libya

Once upon a time their was an Islamic Empire to be divided among the wolves.
Now there is only a country but the wealth might be about the same.
Time to distribute the war booty.
Rachel Shabi in Al-Jazeera.

Who feeds Islamophobia?

M.J.Rosenberg's take in Al-Jazeerah is here.
A fitnah does not stay alive on its own.
It is kept alive.

Why CPI Only?

CPI MP Aziz Pasha spoke in Rajya Sabha on behalf of innocent Muslim youth being kept in custody on account of various terror related charges-even in those cases where it is a public knowledge that the culprits belong to Sangh Parivar. Question is why only CPI MP? Do other MP's feel that they will be accused of treason for espousing Muslim cause? Why? Is there  a thief in your heart? How did it get in there? Have you done anything communal in your life? Most probably not. Then why this shaking of knees when it comes to defend innocent Muslim youth? Is anybody asking you to defend culprits? I suppose it is time for Muslim MP's and MLA's to behave like man.

Hurricanes After Hurricanes

The news that a hurricane is about to hit America has become as common as your tooth paste advertisement jingle. So far we only get the news of miscreants taking advantage of vacated property. After that life returns to normal. Question is whether Allah Most High is giving a signal to the still most powerful nation on the face of the Earth? Of course we see no signs that American people are in a mood to listen. Should they not listen to God in whom they trust? On the contrary they seem to be deciding in the opposite direction-not to continue with positing their trust in God. Some people are trying to remove the In God We Trust legend from dollar notes ( and please do not get us going about these silly people calling notes bills). It is unlikely that kicking out of Daven Sharma for bringing America down to AA+ from AAA will help American economy. To be honest your poor Alig has no suggestion what so ever to keep American number one position in tact. And technical inability is only one of the reasons.

JNMC Emergency: Thumbs Down

The guys learning car driving changed their mood at the last moment and as a result fell your poor Alig (YPA) near Minto E.
And then they apologized-either on their own or because of the presence of so many bulls (AMU internal security people).
For scratches on knee, shin, foot and hand the JNMC emergency a few hundred meters away was a good choice. Or a bad choice-in reality. What is the use of a service that can not serve you? For twenty minutes no dressing or cleaning of injuries. Elder son of Dr Nadir Ali Khan Sahab (DB) took YPA to a traditional surgeon and the dressing was done in few minutes.
And hence the title.
And all thanks are due to our Lord Most High in every circumstance.

Some Good Things Come to an End

Tevatron at Fermilab in USA is mankind's (and womankind's) last collider prior to already functioning Large Hadron Collider at CERN. DZero is one of the research collaborations working on that. Tevatron's life has come to its designated end. Here is an account of last night shift by a worker there.

Guy With Guns and Guns

There is this guy from Russia.
He plays with guns. Small and big. Including tanks.
And people wondered as to how he got them all-so many of them and many of them very sophisticated.
Then he told it himself.
Anybody can do it.
It just takes money and paperwork. (I buy most of them, the rest I borrow.)
See for yourself here, here, here, here and here. And there is more.
And the guy has a great sense of humour too. (Now you see it-now you don't.)

Experience of a New Muslima

Here is a heart warming story-you'll wish the similar things happened to you.

"In 1996, I was in Syria enjoying one of life's perfect days at the farm of Hisham Ghrayeb. My then new friend - now sister, Nura, got right up close to my face and looded deeply into my eyes, she tenderly cupped my face in her hands-a nurturing gesture no one had shown me since childhood-she smiled as she said, "You have the face of Islam." To this day, it remains the greatest compliment I have ever received.

The face of Islam! One has to ponder - what is the face of Islam? Shortcut for you right here. I know, and it is my honor to share it with you.

Islam has only one face; it does not come in disguise, and it does not pretend to be anything else. Islam announces clearly and definitively what is expected of you. Islam is not a shape shifter. Always it is the same, uncorrupted by the times and the whims of humanity. Islam is brutally honest while at once tender and light. It is following the Qur'an which is the voice of Allah, and guess what - Allah may not think just like you do; Allah thinks like Allah! Although you may find this shocking, it is absolutely sublime! This last revelation adjusted my entire perspective and was presented to me by Brother Jerry.

Finally, my friends, sweet Islam is the whisper of peace embracing the spirit of each Muslim. It is the silent, bubbling joy to which we are privy when we hold the hand of Allah while we climb this mountain of life. It is our safety, our support and our motivation. The face of Islam is one face, but you will find that face on over 1.2 billion people in the world today. Inshallah, you will recognize it when you see it; or better yet, someone will see it in you."

Source: Dr Abu Tamim

Life in This Corner

How is life in Physics?
Here is an example-it hides more than it tells but this is the best that can be revealed.

An interview with Dirac

Professor Michael Keissling, a faculty member in the Rutgers Department of Mathematics whose field of study is mathematical physics, kindly sent me a transcript of an actual interview with Dirac which appeared in the Wisconsin State Journal of April, 1929.

ROUNDY INTERVIEWS PROFESSOR DIRAC

An Enjoyable Time Is Had By All

By Roundy I been hearing about a fellow they have up at the U. this spring --- a mathematical physicist, or something, they call him --- who is pushing Sir Isaac Newton, Einstein and all the others off the front page. So I thought I better go up and interview him for the benefit of State Journal readers, same as I do all other top notchers. His name is Dirac and he is an Englishman. He has been giving lectures for the intelligentsia of math and physics departments --- and a few other guys who got in by mistake.
So the other afternoon I knocks at the door of Dr. Dirac's office in Sterling Hall and a pleasant voice says "Come in." And I want to say here and now that this sentence "come in" was about the longest one emitted by the doctor during our interview. He sure is all for efficiency in conversation. It suits me. I hate a talkative guy. I found the doctor a tall youngish-looking man, and the minute I seen the twinkle in his eye I knew I was going to like him. His friends at the U. say he is a real fellow too and a good company on a hike --- if you can keep him in sight, that is.
The thing that hit me in the eye about him was that he did not seem to be at all busy. Why if I went to interview an American scientist of his class --- supposing I could find one --- I would have to stick around an hour first. Then he would blow in carrying a big briefcase, and while he talked he would be pulling lecture notes, proof, reprints, books, manuscript, or what have you out of his bag. But Dirac is different. He seems to have all the time there is in the world and his heaviest work is looking out the window. If he is a typical Englishman it's me for England on my next vacation!
Then we sat down and the interview began.
"Professor," says I, "I notice you have quite a few letters in front of your last name. Do they stand for anything in particular?"
"No," says he.
"You mean I can write my own ticket?"
"Yes," says he.
"Will it be all right if I say that P.A.M. stands for Poincare' Aloysius Mussolini?"
"Yes," says he.
"Fine," says I, "We are getting along great! Now doctor will you give me in a few words the low-down on all your investigations?"
"No," says he.
"Good," says I. "Will it be all right if I put it this way --- `Professor Dirac solves all the problems of mathematical physics, but is unable to find a better way of figuring out Babe Ruth's batting average'?"
"Yes," says he.
"What do you like best in America?", says I.
"Potatoes," says he.
"Same here," says I. "What is your favorite sport?"
"Chinese chess," says he.
That knocked me cold! It was sure a new one on me! Then I went on: "Do you go to the movies?"
"Yes," says he.
"When?", says I.
"In 1920 --- perhaps also in 1930," says he.
"Do you like to read the Sunday comics?"
"Yes," says he, warming up a bit more than usual.
"This is the most important thing yet, doctor," says I. "It shows that me and you are more alike than I thought. And now I want to ask you something more: They tell me that you and Einstein are the only two real sure-enough high-brows and the only ones who can really understand each other. I wont ask you if this is straight stuff for I know you are too modest to admit it. But I want to know this --- Do you ever run across a fellow that even you can't understand?"
"Yes," says he.
"This well make a great reading for the boys down at the office," says I. "Do you mind releasing to me who he is?"
"Weyl," says he.
The interview came to a sudden end just then, for the doctor pulled out his watch and I dodged and jumped for the door. But he let loose a smile as we parted and I knew that all the time he had been talking to me he was solving some problem that no one else could touch.
But if that fellow Professor Weyl ever lectures in this town again I sure am going to take a try at understanding him! A fellow ought to test his intelligence once in a while.

Source : Rutgers Mathematics Department via NEW

It is Standard

How do you like the following (whatever it is)?

(Click twice to see details)

Well this is how them particle physicists look at particle physics.

Source : Conversation via P&P

R.I.P. Indian Newspapers

Times of India used to be great news paper. One might still think the same-particularly when you website hits are more than New York Times, The Sun, Washington Post, Daily Mail and USA Today websites. Not a mean thing in view of the fact that India is not the super power of the day. But the matter of fact is that long ago TOI ceased to be a family newspaper. And if its website hits are more than The Sun and The Daily Mail then it has succeeded in its aims. And cessation of being a family newspaper is proved. And this is a said thing. Apart from being an excellent news paper TOI publications (Bennet Coleman and Company Ltd) used to have the finest periodicals in India. All dead by now. This is a tragedy of gigantic proportions. The weekly magazine called The Illustrated Weekly of India died in front of our eyes-Pritish Nandi desperately trying to keep floating and failing miserably. It was a great magazine. India Today and OutLook magazines filled the slot left vacant-a proof that points to the fact that it was failure of TOI group and not a change in readers preferences. Then there was Hindi story monthly called Sarika. Just lovely magazine but that too disappeared. Then there was science monthly-Science Today. Very sorely missed till now. You still have nothing between Nature, Scientific American and usual newspaper articles about science. Science Today was excellent in filling that slot. But if you go by the philosophy of man called Samir Jain media is not about catering to reader interests-it is all about making money. Then there were other excellent publications by the same group by why should we put our heart in more trouble.

Coming back to newspapers. Hindustan Times was always the Delhi newspaper so if you are not a Delhite why should you bother about it?

Then there is the Indian Express (and the New Indian Express-very confusing isn't it?) First let us clear the confusion. The Express Publications Group bifurcated and you got two newspapers out of one. Both exist independently of each other. Now this (now these) newspaper has been obsessively anti-establishment. So it played some role in larger contexts. But isn't the job of the newspapers restricted to report unbiased news?
One gets tired of too much of activism. You want news from newspaper and politics from politicians.

A few decades ago The Hindu of  Madras (yes that is what it was then) expanded to whole of India. Being a newspaper to the center of left (actually solidly) it always had its flavour that you might or might not have liked. By now the later possibility is more prominent owing to its blind support to those systems that share its ideology.

So nothing to read in English. That is good too. Just relax and have your cup of tea-after Ramadhan, that is.

Islam and Jihad

Abdul Ghafoor Noorani wrote this book in 2002.
And no he did not say what the west wanted to listen.
You really wish that he'll take up this task of explaining Muslim point of view full time.
Here is an Amazon Review:

This is an excellent eye opening book to misconceptions that some non-Muslims with an anti-Islam agenda and some Muslim extremists themselves have about Islam. The author discusses issues such as Fatwas and Jihad in a very well manner that clears many false understandings of the terms. He also exposes some of the orientalists such as Bernard Lewis and Samuel Huntington by for pushing these false images of Islam in the modern world. After 9/11 and the anti-Muslim propaganda that has become so mainstream, this book is a must read! 

Learn from Inca

Andean people (South American people around Peru before coming of the Spanish people) had developed hundreds of varieties of potatoes that are still not well known outside.

Source: Wikipedia