This summer will see our next Summer School, this time dealing with both the special and general theories of relativity. It will come in two versions: one will be devoid of algebra, just as the quantum mechanics series was, and the other will have the mathematical details included. I’m looking for two things from our readers to help out: the first is a list of questions you would like to see answered, and the second is a group of proofreaders ready and willing to read through this before it becomes posted for all. If you have questions you would like to see answered, please post them in the comments. If you would like to proofread, please e-mail me directly.
Category Archives: Ask The Bureau
Deciding the Summer School 2013 topic
As most readers are aware, Bureau 42 does annual summer school sessions. In 2010, we covered quantum mechanics without the math, and in 2011 we covered assessment theory including formulae but not derivations. In 2012, we will cover Einstein’s Theory of Relativity (both special and general), and we will do it in a slightly different fashion: two downloadable files will be offered with each lesson. One version will be devoid of math, as the quantum mechanics series was, while the other will have complete mathematical details in addition to the conceptual lessons. What do you want us to cover in 2013? More after the break.
Continue reading →
Anime – A FAQ for Parents
I have been approached by some parents on occasion with a fairly complicated question:
“My kids are into anime and/or manga. What is it and what do I need to know so I can monitor what my kids are watching?”
The answer is complicated, and when I present it, it invariably provokes a lot of follow-up questions, so I’m going to present this as a sort of FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions. Hopefully this will clear up some of that confusion, and help parents make better decisions about their kids’ viewing material. Continue reading →
Upcoming math lessons – what schedule do readers want?
The previously announced plans for future Summer School sessions may change somewhat. Feedback is requested, and details are offered after the break.
Reader Poll: The Future of Pingbacks
With the WordPress site format (now just over a year old) it’s easy and common for other sites to automatically link within the WordPress network. These result in the “pingbacks” you see, which are basically comments pointing to sites that point back to us. The authors have been discussing them for a while, and we’d like reader input: should the pingbacks stay or go?
Wizard Cage Match!
Chad writes, Voting has started for the second round, but I still think this would make a good Bureau42 article: http://www.suvudu.com/cagematch.html. I predict it will come down to Gandalf vs. Cthulhu. And anyone who can beat a Balrog can probably whip a Great Old One (even if he dies again in the process).
Help Pick Summer Content
As some readers know, my day job is in education. I’ve got a career in private education that I love, but it doesn’t cover all of the topics I’d love to teach. I’ve been thinking about covering those topics elsewhere, namely here, but wanted reader feedback in deciding the exact form it would take. Details below.
Vote for Upcoming Reviews
After Christmas, I counted my collection. I had 236 unwatched seasons of TV shows on DVD, HD DVD and Blu-Ray. I’m now trying to work through them, and I’m looking for reader input about which series they want to see reviewed. EDIT: I missed a few choices the first time.
Notes from Cyberspace
Do you have anything to add to this accumulation of items from around cyberspace? Here’s a place to post Bureau-friendly links.
Oddball roundup
We’ve run across a few oddball stories or links in the past week that we feel are worth sharing, but don’t really fit into any of our existing categories. (See below.) To kludge this particular article into one of our categories, I’ll ask the Bureau this question: do you want to see more articles like this one?
Continue reading →