Ice wars

I have recently been waging war against the ice and snow that have taken over our back deck. (We now know it is important to nip these things in the bud before they dig in their heels.) Two feet of snow is a manageable quantity to shovel ... twenty inches of snow underneath four inches of solid ice is a bit more formidable. After our plastic snow shovel suffered a career-ending injury, Ellen and I decided to stop messing around. Admittedly, I'm using it more as a chisel than as a shovel, but our new steel-tipped behemoth is working wonders. Just in time for the next snowstorm.

The winter edition of The Dartmouth Apologia was released on Friday. I had the privilege to work on this issue as an editorial consultant, and I will be reviewing the articles here over the coming days. Although the new issue is not yet online, I highly recommend their website, www.dartmouthapologia.org . This issue's cover article, by Emily DeBaun '12, examines the relationship between quantum mechanics and "nondeterministic divine action." Food for thought, to say the least.

In the chess world, two-time American champion Hikaru Nakamura was just crowned champion of the 2011 edition of the Tata Steel tournament in Wijk aan Zee. This Dutch perennial featured fourteen top grandmasters, including the four highest-rated players in the world. Some chess fans have declared this the most exciting result by an American since Bobby Fischer won the World Championship in 1972. Congratulations Hikaru!