Richard Easther
@rjme.bsky.social
3.3K followers 350 following 2.7K posts
Father, husband, scientist, Kiwi diaspora returnee, prof @aucklanduni.bsky.social‬ - opinions mine. He/Him Science: https://cosmology.auckland.ac.nz Blog: https://excursionset.com Newsletter: https://buttondown.com/excursionset
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rjme.bsky.social
Pretty sure the Bard was not talking about calling the dogs off here, but rather about letting them loose...

www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...
rjme.bsky.social
I know a story along those lines but it's too easily identifiable so can't tell it here. But it's like the joke "how do you get get 99 little old ladies to say "fuck" at the same time?" "Get one of them to say "BINGO". Except for dudes in their 60s and a phone call from Stockholm.
rjme.bsky.social
Ironically, my most surprising experience was a friend's father winning it - but not for physics. Reading the news and was like "holy crap, I think that's (Friend's) Dad." She was like "yeah, he was sort of expecting it". Absolutely lovey man, FWIW.
rjme.bsky.social
And it seems that one of them was indeed on the list.
rjme.bsky.social
Excellent spot. Would lunch again.
rjme.bsky.social
Like Marie Antoinette's dairy farm, but for dudes.
rjme.bsky.social
I was actually referencing rumours that an existing laureate was on the shortlist this year, but yeah, Bardeen. (Story i like about him is that he was a completely "regular guy" - his golf buddies apparently had little idea how eminent he was)
rjme.bsky.social
Unrelated question -- do they have an air-gapped computer somewhere in Stockholm with lots of these sketch portraits of dozens of people who are yet to win... Like the "morgue" of pre-written obituaries at big newspapers, but more fun for the subjects?
rjme.bsky.social
Yep. But not this time.
rjme.bsky.social
Oh sure -- I meant a clue to this year. But apparently, not.
rjme.bsky.social
Imagine winning the prize, and then finding out you weren't a NOTABLE Nobel. Gutting.
physicsworld.bsky.social
At PW headquarters, we're all waiting with bated breath for this morning's physics #NobelPrize. If you're doing the same, why not pass the time by reading/arguing with our editor @matindurrani.bsky.social's picks of the 5 most notable physics Nobels this century? physicsworld.com/a/the-top-fi... 🧪⚛️
The top five physics Nobel prizes of the 21st century revealed – Physics World
Matin Durrani counts down the five most significant physics Nobels since 2000
physicsworld.com
rjme.bsky.social
Not personally. But I am pretty sure several people I know will be charged their phones before they go to bed.
rjme.bsky.social
I think we mean the same thing. But the more feedback his colleagues give him the less he listens. (Also, ironically, proves the Harvard brand still has clout even in the deepest rabbit holes. Without that he would standing on a street corner with a three-day stubble and holding a cardboard sign.)
rjme.bsky.social
We are coauthors on a paper :-/

There is a perverse feedback loop IMO -- the less his colleagues respect him the harder he tries to ingratiate himself with people that do. And unfortunately for him those people are nutters. And unfortunately for Harvard tenure still means something at Harvard.
rjme.bsky.social
Yeah, nobody should do that bsky.app/profile/rjme...
rjme.bsky.social
Physics Nobel announcement tomorrow.

If you know and dislike a famous physicist, this is the day of the year to call them up in the middle of the night, wait 10 seconds, and then do you best Swedish Chef impression...
a chef in a kitchen with the words borg written on the bottom
ALT: a chef in a kitchen with the words borg written on the bottom
media.tenor.com
rjme.bsky.social
Well, particle / gravity / astrophysics has had a good run recently. I'm actually ok with that.
rjme.bsky.social
It assumes the winner is in North America - the final vote shortly before the announcement and the sensible Swedes do that in the morning, which is in the small hours across the pond. With the US shooting itself in both feet scientifically this trope likely only has a couple of decades left.
rjme.bsky.social
TBH though - if you thought there was a chance you would be getting a call from Stockholm picking that day to go hiking is still a choice.
Reposted by Richard Easther
rjme.bsky.social
Physics Nobel announcement tomorrow.

If you know and dislike a famous physicist, this is the day of the year to call them up in the middle of the night, wait 10 seconds, and then do you best Swedish Chef impression...
a chef in a kitchen with the words borg written on the bottom
ALT: a chef in a kitchen with the words borg written on the bottom
media.tenor.com
rjme.bsky.social
Her linkedin says she has a program manager position in someone else's lab. Her life has just changed in very substantial ways.
rjme.bsky.social
Seems that Mary Brunkow's Wikipedia page was created a few minutes after her Nobel Prize was announced.