Looking at the sample, I agree with you. Condensed ≠ easy to understand. Honestly, a lot of the graduate texts I deal with look easier to understand. In my opinion, every single concept should be introduced with physical analogies if one wishes a reader with no maturity in the subject to actually understand. Then again if the author is going for "no-bullshit" this could serve as a good reference for someone who just needs a quick easy to understand reference.
One thing that we have begun using, to simplify some quantum computational analysis are Graphical tensor networks as presented in this http://arxiv.org/abs/1111.6950 paper. Hasn't caught much traction yet, but it and similar ideas could be the way forward.
This is exactly what I'm talking about. No one knows what each other is talking about when saying "UW". Looking at chris_va's profile, it appears he was talking about the University of Washington. Most of the US probably thinks of UW that way, though in Silicon Valley I've met a lot more people from the University of Waterloo than from the University of Washington.
I also notice calming and de-stressing effects from working out as well. I work long hours normally but I would still much rather go to the gym and workout then go home and lie on the couch, as I'd go insane at the lab if I didn't.
I do agree that the extra attention can be unwanted and negative sometimes. For example, I've worked out the whole time I've dated my girlfriend of around ~5 years. However, at the start we were in high school and I was super lean due to MMA and rugby. Now, that I'm older and lifting has finely started to obtain noticeable results/ having lost a bit of baby-face my girlfriend started to become a bit jealous/insecure with herself. No matter what I said, she wouldn't believe that I found her more attractive then everyone else. She understands its irrational but its hard to fight insecurities. At this point she has started going to the gym and is a much harder worker then me there.
With regards to fitness, I definitely agree that I prefer a practical definition of fitness level. I may not look gigantic compared to some of the guys in the gym, but I can both lift a lot of weight, run fast sprints and long distance runs. Its that type of fitness that is great for rugby.
That is true now although it is quite hard to get in. I'm at UW for grad school (not cs) and I don't think I could of gotten into UW with my high school marks for CS or engineering.
This is one of my biggest fears as a physics student graduating in two months time. I love to learn and from my previous summers work I love to research. I've gotten into one of the top schools to research my dream subject. Despite all of this there is the overwhelming feeling of dread that I will dedicate myself for five years and than not be able to find a career afterwards in something even tangentially related to my research and be able to support a family. Not to mention the large debt I will still have from my undergrad.
