Work Hard, Play Hard, Think Hard

Last week was pretty standard workwise. It included supercomputer installations of a molecular dynamics simulator, a collection of molecular mechanical force fields for the simulation of biomolecules and, in terms of sounding quite awesome, the package for performing ab-initio quantum-mechanical molecular dynamics using pseudopotentials and a plane wave basis set. I will readily acknowledge that my knowledge of the science behind such things is quite modest. But I do have some clue on how to hack through the configuration and make files to get them on a cluster so others can use them. This week however started a little more modestly, but just as important with OHS training at VECCI, as our workplace is sensible enough to require one trained OHS and/or First Aid person per floor.

Out-of-hours and weekend activities have also been quite intensive. As is usual every fortnight, I played on Thursday evening "fantasy Australia" D&D session, and on Friday ran Swordbearer (including new player Fabrice, a recent French immigrant); calisi brought along a her new kitten which managed to distract and entertain. On Sunday, I ran Bushido where the famous historical conflict between the daiymos has been interrupted by the Ikko-Ikki rebellion. Saturday included a farewell party for a_carnal_mink and kits_the_dm, followed by an utterly wonderful dinner party at the house of txxxpxx. Spent some good time speaking to dcrisp and severina_242 at the latter (among many others at both!). All bookings to attend gothcamp and Walhalla have been made.

On Sunday at the Unitarian Philosophy Forum, I gave my presentation on The Philosophy of Justice. This completes a series I have given in recent months which also included "The Philosophy of Science" (link coming) and The Philosophy of Art. On topic where art and justice meet there's been a recent discussion in Australia concerning the works of one of our most famous photographers, Bill Henson. His work is held at the National Gallery of Australia, the Australian High Court, the Guggenheim in New York, the Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris. Although he has presented nude adolescents many times before, last week the NSW police closed down one of his exhibitions. The Age has decided to publish the image was used in the print and email invitation (probably NSFW). Apropos censorship, there are Livejournal Advisory Board Elections. I voted for rm. I urge you do so as well.