This is Recursivity, a blog about mathematics, science, evolution, politics, musics, and whatever else interests me. Welcome.
I’ve been blogging at blogger for more than 10 years, so I guess this is a step up, although most posts here will still be cross-posted to blogger. I’m pleased to join fellow bloggers such as P. Z. Myers and the Digital Cuttlefish.
A little about me: in my real life, I teach computer science at the University of Waterloo in Waterloo, Ontario. However, I’m an American citizen, and most of my views are informed by an American, rather than Canadian, view of the world. You can visit my home page at the link in the previous sentence to see my research interests.
Welcome! I have a Bachelors in CS, but I put it to use to make video games. Even so, I find many topics in computer and computational sciences rather interesting. Glad to see you here, and I look forward to your posts!
Cool! I’m a great fan of your old blog so it’ll be good to see you getting a wider audience on FtB.
(Btw, any ideas why I couldn’t login via Google?)
Howdy, there! I’m looking forward to reading your posts.
I seem to recall that you are applying for Canadian citizenship. Is that still in the works?
No, I’m not, and I don’t intend to, until the Canadian government removes the requirement to swear allegiance to “the Queen, her heirs and successors”. There is an organization called Citizens for a Canadian Republic that are working on that.
shallit said:
If you really want to come up and join us here in the Great White North, I think you could overlook that particular bit of sillyness. After all, it means nothing, and is never in any way whatsoever followed up on or acted on. It’s just a bit of formal blather.
Umm, I’m already in Canada and have been since 1990. However, I take the requirement of swearing an oath very seriously. If it really means nothing, then there is no reason not to remove the requirement, right?
“..I take the requirement of swearing an oath very seriously.”
Swearing and keeping an oath is mark of integrity and an expression of freedom; marriage, military service and religious oaths are examples. With the exception of religion, the consequences of breaking an oath are usually severe.
“..most of my views are informed by an American, rather than Canadian, view of the world.”
As an occasional reader of `Recursivity` can you please expound on this? This is a patriotic declaration with a uniquely skewed world view. As a well-travelled, well-read and respected mathematician, I expected a more cosmopolitan, balanced and possibly less constricted view.
I am just stating my biases and background, nothing more.
Thanks for the reply and I’m not reading more into what was stated than what was indicated.
I totally understand your resistance to swearing an oath to the Queen and her heirs. I’m Canadian and I would never swear that oath. Monarchies are a relic of our history and deserve no special power or respect based on their bloodline.