tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6381019922313818822024-03-13T03:24:01.306-04:00The Longer WebMeals for the Mind: <br>
Embarrassingly short links to the longer web.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger273125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638101992231381882.post-36063186898156285212011-02-21T07:30:00.001-05:002011-02-21T07:30:02.142-05:00Math: The Stats Ma'am... Just the StatsLook... I know some people don't like math. I know some people struggled with it in school and don't see the point of advanced math. I also know I was one of those kids who really liked math and to whom it all made sense. Until I got derailed early in university (but I digress).<br />
<br />
One branch of mathematics is rising to a new found prominence - statistics. Statistics is incredibly powerful for two different reasons.<br />
<br />
First it allows us interpret information about large groups (people, cars, planets, etc) by looking at a small sample of the things we're looking at. You don't have to ask everyone in a country how they'll vote to run an opinion poll - though I do still think we should all get our individual votes counted in the election. Statistics tells you how to find the group properly (so as not to end up with a biased result), tells you how to ask the questions, and tells you how to interpret the results. It even can tell you how accurate the results of the sampling are.<br />
<br />
Secondly statistics allows you to understand what's behind numbers. How to pluck information and meaning out of piles and piles of information. With computers we have more information than every. In many cases businesses and governments don't have to worry about sampling the data since the computers can look at it all. Learning about what the information can tell us is very important. Especially when there is so much information going around.<br />
<br />
If you want a light hearted but serious look at the power and uses of statistics then you should look no further than Hans Rosling's program on the BBC <a href="http://www.gapminder.org/videos/the-joy-of-stats/">The Joy of Stats</a>. Hans Rosling is a professor of International Health and Director of the <a href="http://www.gapminder.org/">Gapminder Foundation</a> - which is hosting the Joy of Stats and other videos. Hans burst onto the scene with several celebrated TED talks. He's a fantastic public speaker. The same page that holds the Joy of Stats also links to some of his other videos.<br />
<br />
Poke around and see how modern stats can change how you think. Hans Rosling will make you reconsider the idea of the third world. He'll make you change your mind on population growth and give you new insights into HIV and other diseases. He may even make you think that statistics is sexy.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638101992231381882.post-72877596013452666532011-02-17T07:30:00.002-05:002011-02-17T07:30:00.960-05:00Food: An Obvious Question...I suppose any cuisine seen from the perspective of another culture must be a bit odd. There are any number of foods we eat as part of our own cultural heritage that others look upon with a mix of wonder, disbelief, and even disgust.<br />
<br />
From Western eyes Japanese foods can raise many of these feelings. After all who else creates <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gr-qewC-4gY">create-your-own-sushi-candy</a> kits?<br />
<br />
However beyond the surface cuisines can raise really simple questions. Using Japanese cuisine as an example here's one question: Why does a food additive we tend to despise for its believed side effects not seem to affect a country that's swimming in the additive? Or more specifically <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2005/jul/10/foodanddrink.features3">If MSG is so bad for you, why doesn't everyone in Asia have a headache?</a><br />
<br />
It's an interesting question on several levels. Alex Renton's article for the Guardian back in 2005 covers quite a few of those angles. Including a fact many of us don't know. There is another basic taste other than the four we're usually familiar with. We learn about sweet, sour, bitter, and salty. But there's a fifth - savouriness or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umami">umami</a>. And nothing provides umami like glutamate. In fact mother's milk has 10 times the glutamate than cow's milk. We like the taste of umami a lot. Most of it just don't know that it exists let alone how good it makes food taste.<br />
<br />
So, unless you are allergic to monosodium glutamate, it may be time to rethink our dislike of it. Or at least we should rethink the power of glutamate in general. Foods that are high in glutamate may end up making your meals taste better than you ever thought possible.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638101992231381882.post-77364605732600530102011-02-15T07:30:00.000-05:002011-02-15T07:30:02.618-05:00Language: Dialects of North AmericaFrom the drawl of a Texan to the dry delivery of a Bostonian, from a Newfoundlander through to a person living on the west coast, we know there are differences in the way we speak across North America. But just how many dialects and variations are there? How many dialects are out there?<br />
<br />
If you want to explore the regional flavours of English across North America I can suggest no better place than <a href="http://aschmann.net/AmEng/">North American English Dialects, Based on Pronunciation Patterns</a> on Aschmann.net. Not only is there a map of all the regional dialects (with the appropriate details and differences listed) but for almost every region there is a link to a speaker of that dialect. Thanks to youtube and the rest of the web it's possible to get good samples of what the differences are. Most of the clips were recorded for other reasons and not as samples of dialects. Which makes them perfect for hearing people just talking as they normally would.<br />
<br />
What's most impressive of all is that the entire page is a hobby. It's a sideline. But what a sideline. Computers and the internet allow anyone with a passion and an interest to collect, write, catalog, and then share their interest with everyone else. This is another incredible piece of the Longer Web.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638101992231381882.post-72771576858873980112011-02-14T07:30:00.000-05:002011-02-14T07:30:02.222-05:00Math: Public Secrets?We tend to use a great deal of complex mathematics everyday. Or more correctly we tend to use technology that uses complex mathematics everyday. One such complex area is cryptography. When we log on to our bank account or our online email there's a lot of math going back and forth.<br />
<br />
This isn't a post about how cryptography works. It isn't really a post about details of math and mathematical processes. Instead it's a post about unsung and unknown computer scientists who came up with the idea we now call public key cryptography and who haven't, until recently, received any recognition for their work.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://cryptome.org/ukpk-alt.htm">The Alternative History of Public-Key Cryptography</a> looks at one of the fundamental algorithms of our time. Whether or not you know it or understand it you use it daily. Like many of the ideas in the world of cryptography it was first conceived of in secret. Later it was rediscovered and brought to the world at large. Now it's time to give credit where credit is due.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638101992231381882.post-58649430104810873982011-02-11T07:30:00.000-05:002011-02-11T07:30:00.816-05:00Science: The Myths of EvolutionOkay... maybe not myths... how about misconceptions, incorrect ideas, and conclusions drawn with insufficient knowledge of how evolution works? That's a more accurate title and description of <a href="http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn13620-evolution-24-myths-and-misconceptions.html">Evolution: 24 myths and misconceptions</a> at New Scientist. Though I'll admit their title is pithier.<br />
<br />
Evolution is one of the most amazing concepts science has ever come up with. To me it's an idea that seems so obvious in retrospect that it's amazing anyone can try and deny that evolution is happening all the time. But evolution is one of those simple topics that leads to lots of interesting and amazing conclusions. <b>24 myths...</b> points out more than a few of those and hints at how a simple process can end up evolving something as wonderful and complex as us.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638101992231381882.post-65662444618377138062011-02-10T07:30:00.000-05:002011-02-10T07:30:01.881-05:00Food: I Can Eat it But Not Grow it?The war against drugs has had some weird consequences. America has an incredible number of people behind bars for what, elsewhere in the world, is considered a minor offense or no offense at all. The U.S. spends incredible amounts to stop the importing, growing, creating, transporting, selling, and use of a whole number of substances.<br />
<br />
From crystal meth to marijuana to ecstasy and opium law enforcement is on the case.<br />
<br />
Which leaves me with a minor problem.<br />
<br />
The problem isn't that I use drugs. I don't use drugs - not 'hard' nor 'soft'. I don't judge those who use drugs. Especially if they use them medicinally, or recreationally, and above all responsibly. I consider alcohol as much of a drug as most of the 'illegal' ones and I don't think everyone should stop drinking.<br />
<br />
The problem isn't that I'm dead set against the drug war in its entirety and that I think all drugs should be legal. I'm split on the issue of legalization since I don't think any and all drugs should be legalized. I'm not particularly in favour of open unregulated legalization of everything.<br />
<br />
No the problem is that I happen to like a food that is intimately related to an illicit drug. One that can set of false alarms on drug tests and happens to taste really good in pastry.<br />
<br />
You see... I like poppy seeds and I'm not afraid to admit it. From just a sprinkling as a topping on bagels to the extremes of <a href="http://www.thefreshloaf.com/recipes/makowiec">makowiec</a> I'm a fan.<br />
<br />
But the plants that make poppy seeds also make opium. All you need to know is how to turn a poppy from a nice flower into a drug producing plant.<br />
<br />
Years ago Michael Pollan wrote about the problems and issues with poppies. As weird as it sounds it's only illegal to grow poppies if you know how to 'misuse' the plant. Otherwise they're just harmless flowers. You can read all about <a href="http://michaelpollan.com/articles-archive/opium-made-easy/">Opium Made Easy</a>.<br />
<br />
I just don't know if you're allowed to grow poppies in your garden after reading the article.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638101992231381882.post-46200538057141751582011-02-09T07:30:00.000-05:002011-02-09T07:30:00.276-05:00Sports: Beyond Being a MasterSome sports have their senior circuit or leagues. A place where the old guard can play against each other without the young whippersnappers getting in the way. Golf has the Champions Tour for athletes over 50.<br />
<br />
In many disciplines you are considered a master at the age of 35 or 45. But what happens when you go even older?<br />
<br />
Bruce Grierson wrote <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/28/magazine/28athletes-t.html?_r=2&pagewanted=all">The Incredible Flying Nonagenarian</a> in The New York Times which looks at someone who's well beyond being a typical master. Olga Kotelko is continuing to set records in track and field at the age of 91.<br />
<br />
There's always someone out at the edge of the bell curve. Someone who's health, stamina, capabilities, and abilities put almost everyone else to shame. Olga is such a person. Not everyone will turn out as healthy and athletic as Olga. Hopefully though she'll help us learn how more of us can be that fit and healthy that far into life. In the meantime she'll just keep amazing us with her feats.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638101992231381882.post-74547076220529802362011-02-08T07:30:00.001-05:002011-02-08T07:30:01.039-05:00Language: Without Speaking Any WordsIt seems like a silly question at first. Then you think about it for a moment and how profound the question is hits you.<br />
<blockquote>How do deaf people think if they can't 'hear' words in their heads? What language do they use and how does it work?</blockquote> The answer is quite interesting. Here are two attempts to describe the answer. First here is the Cecil Adam's take from <a href="http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2486/in-what-language-do-deaf-people-think">The Straight Dope</a>. The second one is <a href="http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2010/07/how-deaf-people-think/">How Deaf People Think</a> from Today I Found Out.<br />
<br />
It just goes to show that the human mind is incredibly resilient and powerful. Remove the ability to hear and it still finds a way to think and acquire language.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638101992231381882.post-61439907354033139752011-02-07T07:30:00.001-05:002011-02-07T07:30:01.783-05:00Math: A Classic RebornAll the talk of the <a href="http://www.thelongerweb.com/2011/02/language-letter-long-since-lost.html">long S</a> last week reminded me of a classic math book. Actually it's a classic version of a classic text.<br />
<br />
Euclid's Elements is a 13 book classic on geometry and math. In 1847 Oliver Byrne created a version of the first 6 books in which he used colours to indicate the different elements in a drawing instead of using letters and other labels. A <a href="http://www.math.ubc.ca/~cass/Euclid/byrne.html">scanned public domain version of the book</a> is available thanks to the <a href="http://www.math.ubc.ca/">Mathematics Department of the University of British Columbia</a>.<br />
<br />
It may take a few minutes to get to used to the long Ss but after that... it's relatively smooth sailing. Now why didn't texts like this end up as part of my education?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638101992231381882.post-7690897485918254372011-02-05T13:00:00.000-05:002011-02-05T13:00:04.345-05:00Does it Require That Much Discussion?We all have to do it sooner or later. It may be an almost daily occurrence in a large household or for those souls who live alone it can be a very rare task. It doesn't matter how long it takes but sooner or later we are all faced with the simple task of replacing the toilet paper.<div><br />
</div><div>Yes sooner or later the roll runs out and a new one needs to be put on the toilet roll holder. Which seems like a minor task. At least it does until you're faced with a simple question.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Under or over?</div><div><br />
</div><div>You may not have a preference. You may not care. Or you may be one of those people who have a passionate proponent of one orientation or another.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Or... more sadly you may be in a household where you are of one mind and others are of the other persuasion.</div><div><br />
</div><div>In which case, though I'm not sure it will help, may I recommend logical arguments and dispassionate discussion? If you need some ideas and more background... Wikipedia has a page to help you understand the dilemma of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toilet_paper_orientation">Toilet paper orientation.</a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638101992231381882.post-66119847914768089172011-02-04T07:30:00.000-05:002011-02-04T07:30:00.828-05:00Science: Speculation Leads to Deep ThoughtsHere is part of the definition of the word <a href="http://machaut.uchicago.edu/?resource=Webster%27s&word=science&use1913=on&use1828=on">science</a> as it was defined almost a century ago:<br />
<blockquote>1. <def>Knowledge; knowledge of principles and causes; ascertained truth of facts.</def></blockquote><blockquote>2. <def>Accumulated and established knowledge, which has been systematized and formulated with reference to the discovery of general truths or the operation of general laws; knowledge classified and made available in work, life, or the search for truth; comprehensive, profound, or philosophical knowledge.</def></blockquote><blockquote>3. <def>Especially, such knowledge when it relates to the physical world and its phenomena, the nature, constitution, and forces of matter, the qualities and function of living tissues, etc.; -- called also <altname>natural science</altname>, and <altname>physical science</altname>.</def></blockquote><blockquote>4. <def>Any branch or departament of systematized knowledge considered as a distinct field of investigation or object of study; <as>as, the <ex>science</ex> of astronomy, of chemistry, or of mind</as>.</def></blockquote>Thank you Webster's of 1912.<br />
<br />
I don't think we'd disagree much on the definition. Science is knowledge. Science is principles and causes. Science is systematic fields of study.<br />
<br />
But does it have to be? Is there some use of stepping outside the expected and speculating for a while? Maybe stepping outside of the typical can lead to some interesting speculation and ideas. Thought experiments have a long history in science. Why shouldn't idle speculation on seemingly absurd topics?<br />
<br />
A couple of years ago Brian Trent wrote about a particular bit of speculation. The result was <a href="http://www.strangehorizons.com/2009/20090713/trent-a.shtml">Was There Ever a Dinosaur Civilization?</a>.<br />
<br />
Now don't laugh. You may be thinking "but there wasn't a dinosaur civilization so it doesn't matter". But how do you know there wasn't one? If the dinosaurs were wiped out 65 million years ago then any evidence of a proto-civilization would be 65 million years old. What would such evidence have looked like then and what would it look like now?<br />
<br />
But even if you think the idea is completely absurd it still leads to interesting speculation. What is a civilization? What happens in the early stages of civilizations? What physical and mental characteristics are required to create a civilization? Why did mammals evolve them when dinosaurs and other creatures did not? And why wasn't it until long after the dinosaurs went extinct that some mammals evolved that far?<br />
<br />
Even a seemingly silly line of speculation can get you thinking about the causes of civilizations, the remains of early civilizations, and more. You can keep speculating and thinking beyond the article. Why did civilizations not fizzle out? What is the advantage that made civilized humans more successful than uncivilized ones? Was civilization inevitable? If it was inevitable for humans why wasn't it for others?<br />
<br />
Brian's article is well written, footnoted, and thought provoking. A silly idea leads one to consider all sorts of scientific disciplines and ideas in detail. Not bad for some idle speculation.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638101992231381882.post-42458108654503207042011-02-03T07:30:00.000-05:002011-02-03T07:30:05.426-05:00Food: A Food ControversyEthical and moral arguments rarely reduce themselves to simple sayings and truisms. This is true when one strays from the simplistic extremes of the arguments and head towards the middle ground. When one moves off to a fringe area... watch out - flame wars are easy to start.<br />
<br />
In the world of food one large ethical argument is whether we humans should eat meat. Should we be vegetarian (or even vegan)? Or should we remain omnivorous?<br />
<br />
The arguments on each side range from moral (we do or do not have a right to eat animals) through to practical (meat eating for all humans alive isn't sustainable). Most of these arguments are based on the simplistic extremes. One either eats some meat or eats none. Once you head for middle ground it gets even more complicated. For example: If one feels it is okay to eat meat... how much should one eat and how much should one worry about how the animals are raised and looked after?<br />
<br />
Once you move away from the simplistic (meat or no meat) into areas of discussion that aren't so clear cut complications emerge.<br />
<br />
As for the fringe... well.. there are areas of discussion that seem to invite more passion and controversy.<br />
<br />
Take foie gras for instance.<br />
<br />
Fattening ducks or gooses beyond 'normal' bounds and limits? Feeding tubes? Forced feeding? It's not hard to see why foie gras is considered beyond the pale in some circles. People who will argue politely over the meat / non-meat debate will get very angry over foie gras.<br />
<br />
Is it possible to look objectively at foie gras? Can one get past the idea of what foie gras represents and look at what's really happening and how it happens?<br />
<br />
If you are dead set against the idea of foie gras then <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/12/the-physiology-of-foie-why-foie-gras-is-not-u.html">The Physiology of Foie Gras</a> on Serious Eats won't do anything to change your mind. If you're all for the idea of foie gras then the article will only make you feel better about the production of foie gras.<br />
<br />
And if you're not sure one way or the other? If you think you have an open mind and might by willing to let a pro-food website take a look at foie gras? In that case I'm not sure. I don't know if the article works well as a defence of foie gras or if it will turn people against the idea.<br />
<br />
My best guess is that for those who aren't sure the article will be like making a coin toss to help with a difficult position. If you ever want to know what choice you want to make you simply assign one choice to heads, the other choice to tails, take a coin and flip it high into the air, and your choice is whatever you hope the coin lands on when it comes back down. Even if you don't know your position on foie gras the article will help. By the time you have read half of it you'll know which way you want the coin to land.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638101992231381882.post-840038939695465462011-02-02T07:30:00.000-05:002011-02-02T07:30:01.006-05:00Games: A Big Name in Video GamesEvery area of human endeavour has its big names. Those people who have made a big impact. The personalities run the gamut. From giants and heroes on one end of the spectrum to the quiet unassuming types on the other.<br />
<br />
In the world of video games one such quiet name is Shigeru Miyamoto. Miyamoto may not be a household name but some of the video game franchises he has created certainly are. You may have heard of Zelda. You've probably heard of Donkey Kong. You most certainly have heard of Mario. All those and more are his creations.<br />
<br />
Considering the impact his games have had on generations of players it's amazing how little is widely known about the man. Last year Nick Paumgarten took a look at Miyamoto in the New Yorker. <a href="http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/12/20/101220fa_fact_paumgarten?currentPage=all">Master of Play</a> is a delightful look inside the mind of the man who's creations have entertained so many for so long.<br />
<br />
We should all be so lucky to spend out time recreating the joyful parts of our childhoods as part of our job. Even if we can't do that ourselves we have the work of Miyamoto as he takes us to the best part of his own.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638101992231381882.post-37113348636614241892011-02-01T08:00:00.000-05:002011-02-01T08:00:11.626-05:00Language: A Letter Long Since LostI like reading a lot of books and other texts about history. One interesting side effect of reading a lot of history is that I see snippets of old manuscripts. Usually short quotations and excerpts used to show how times once were. If you see enough of these old snippets of English you realize that we don't seem to use the same alphabet we once did.<br />
<br />
One seemingly odd part of the English language was the long S. That slender letter that looks like a normal s that has been stretched vertically. In case you wish to use the long S Andrew West's BabelStone has a detailed post on <a href="http://babelstone.blogspot.com/2006/06/rules-for-long-s.html">The Rules for Long S</a>. If knowing when to use it isn't enough he also has <a href="http://babelstone.blogspot.com/2006/07/long-and-short-of-letter-s.html">The Long and the Short of the Letter S</a>. And if that isn't enough he also has <a href="http://babelstone.blogspot.com/2006/07/r-rotunda-part-1.html">R Rotunda part 1</a> and <a href="http://babelstone.blogspot.com/2006/07/r-rotunda-part-2.html">part 2</a>.<br />
<br />
If that isn't enough it turns out all of <a href="http://babelstone.blogspot.com/">BabelStone</a> is a true wonder of the Longer Web. Posts are infrequent but then they'd have to be. They are so thorough and comprehensive that it's hard to imagine the amount of work and effort that goes into each one. The most recent post is <a href="http://babelstone.blogspot.com/2011/01/lost-game-of-liubo-part-4-game-boards.html">part 4</a> of a series on the ancient Chinese game of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liubo">Liubo</a>.<br />
<br />
From the proper usage of long lost letters to information about a long lost board game. What's not to like? Didn't I say I like to read about history?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638101992231381882.post-77137697591996058662011-02-01T07:30:00.001-05:002011-02-01T07:30:00.287-05:00Hmm... February... Time to Start Blogging AgainIn the eternal conflict between rodents and bloggers I'm going to try and put the bloggers ahead again. With a day to spare before Groundhog Day I am starting to blog again on those longer pieces of the web that are worth reading.<br />
<br />
While I'm continuing with the topics I had before you can expect some changes in the next little while. I've had a chance to think and ruminate over my short self imposed hiatus. A hiatus, however long or short, is something I thoroughly recommend. I'd have have stayed away longer... but there's too much good writing on the web that needs to be blogged.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638101992231381882.post-40728268904000623642010-12-22T07:30:00.002-05:002010-12-22T07:30:01.526-05:00Time for a Break over the HolidaysIt's time for me to take a break for a couple of weeks. There won't be anything here until early next year. 2011 promises more topics containing more links to the longer web for you to get lost in.<br />
<br />
Enjoy the holidays!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638101992231381882.post-59584376539076689172010-12-21T07:30:00.002-05:002010-12-21T07:30:00.475-05:00Language: A Geek's Genre - Science FictionEvery so often someone predicts that the genre of science fiction is dead or dying. It's become so cliche to assume that science fiction is not relevant or interesting anymore that Salon has an article entitled <a href="http://mobile.salon.com/books/feature/2010/12/16/21st_century_science_fiction/index.html">Is Science Fiction Dying?</a>. Yet far from being a polemic against modern sci-fi or another death knell for the genre it is instead an example of the science fiction fan's third favourite pastime.<br />
<br />
The first is reading science fiction and the second is commenting or arguing over science fiction.<br />
<br />
The third favourite pastime of science fiction fans is categorizing science fiction and making endless lists. In the article Paul Di Fillippo surveys some recent books that fall under several categories. Going down that list I've added a few more books to my "to eventually read" list.<br />
<br />
Should you doubt that science fiction fans spend time categorizing and listing may I present a perfect example of the lengths to which fans will go. <a href="http://www.magicdragon.com/UltimateSF/SF-Index.html">The Ultimate Science Fiction Web Guide</a> looks like it hasn't been updated in several years. That doesn't make it any less the resource though. Starting from lists of <a href="http://www.magicdragon.com/UltimateSF/authors.html">authors</a> (over 3,200) it includes lists of themes, magazine, and more. There is the obligatory lists of movies and tv shows as well.<br />
<br />
One of the real treasures is the science fiction <a href="http://www.magicdragon.com/UltimateSF/timeline.html">timeline</a>. Starting century by century, and then decade by decade there are long detailed lists to get one thinking and reading. Lists of the major books released, authors who were born or died, tv shows and movies from the decade, and more. Between the book lists and the key dates you have the details to much of the history of science fiction.<br />
<br />
While short and succinct there are wonderful little details everywhere. Many of the entries for individual books released in a year have short tidbits underneath. Sometimes mentioning the themes and the ideas involved, other times talking about the authors, and other times just pointing something out you may not have known. Here are a few examples from the 1960s:<br />
<br />
<blockquote>1961 Stanislaw Lem: "Solaris" (Poland: Panstwowe Wydawnictwo) Intelligent extraterrestrial ocean is metaphysically beyond the attempts of humans to fathom in this enigmatic novel, made into a superior Russian film {hotlink to be done}</blockquote><blockquote>1962 Philip K. Dick: "The Man in the High Castle" (New York: Putnam) Arguably the greatest alternate history ("parahistory) novel. Here, the Germans and Japanese occupy a balkanized America, having won World War II. In a book-within-the-book, a novelist writes about an alternate world where America had won World War II. This Hugo Award-winner was written with the aid of chance or synchronicity (with Dick casting the "I Ching") and it has a nuanced view of Eastern and Western cultures. A disturbing and yet strangely uplifting masterpiece. </blockquote><blockquote>1970 Poul Anderson: "Tau Zero" (Garden City NY: Doubleday) The greatest novel based on Einstein's Theory of Relativity and a modern conception of cosmology. Finalist for 1970 Hugo Award for Best Novel</blockquote>The Multitude of entries like these are enough to make one realize just how much great science fiction has been written. Even if the naysayers are correct and science fiction is dead or dying there is so much to read and enjoy and think about that it will never truly leave us.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638101992231381882.post-54799953087311021292010-12-20T07:30:00.000-05:002010-12-20T07:30:01.684-05:00Math: Is Math Misunderstood?Dr. Robert H Lewis at Fordham University wrote <a href="http://www.fordham.edu/academics/programs_at_fordham_/mathematics_departme/what_math/index.asp">The Misunderstood Subject</a> which is about how math is perceived by most people.<br />
<br />
He makes a great case that math is misunderstood. It's not the formulas, it's not the exact steps, it's the process that's important. He gives several parables to make his point. He gives a good overview of how training and education differ.<br />
<br />
What he doesn't do is continue the argument. He doesn't show what mathematics can do. Oh he talks briefly about computers but he only gives a technical example.<br />
<br />
To my mind the essay is half complete. Give me the rest. Show me how the process of mathematics can help. Show me how it's applied. Show me how it helps. Then we won't just be defending the need for math education. Then we could be inspiring people to learn math.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638101992231381882.post-23686031252205925952010-12-19T13:30:00.001-05:002010-12-19T13:30:00.456-05:00Getting Mad at the State of AffairsBill Moyers is the epitome of the gentleman journalist in the USA. Insightful, sharp, and yet willing to let the story tell itself. He's been a fixture on television for so long it's hard to realize he's been off the air for a while. He surfaced in the midst of a year off to give the <a href="http://www.bu.edu/buniverse/view/?v=20ZaW9PO">Howard Zinn Memorial Lecture</a> this year.<br />
<br />
It's well worth watching. Not only because he points out the current imbalance in power politics in the USA but because it's amazing to watch the passion that boils to the surface. He draws inspiration from Howard Zinn himself and goes to show that the struggle itself is worthwhile even if the result isn't certain or doesn't seem possible. "It's okay if it's impossible."<br />
<br />
Many of us on the outside of the United States looking in are worried about what's happening to a once proud and capable democracy. We see laws and rules, wars and fears, money and power politics, all of which seem to be out of place in a country as proud of its traditions of freedom and democracy as the USA is. It's good to see that some of the citizens of the United States are also worried. And angry. And willing to start doing something about the state of affairs.<br />
<br />
Here's hoping the impossible happens in the United States.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638101992231381882.post-55471692203966667362010-12-17T22:10:00.000-05:002010-12-17T22:10:24.856-05:00But I Don't Like to Specialize in Only One ThingOver the years I've become quite good at my job. Even if I do say so myself. I've been able to get better and better at my area of expertise. My real advantage though is that I'm a sponge for ideas, techniques, different approaches, and technologies. Knowing about a great deal has been a huge advantage.<br />
<br />
Of course when I started in the field of computers it was hard not to have to know a bit of everything. The first hospital I worked for implemented a hospital wide computer system with five people in the computer department. That five included the manager (not even a director back then) and the secretary. There were two application consultants and myself. Now of course things are different. Computer departments in hospitals have lots of staff and the jobs are more specialized. Even so my strength has always been that I can understand and tackle almost anything because I've done a lot of different things on different platforms on different systems.<br />
<br />
Which seems contrary to the overall trend in most fields. The trend seems to be to specialize to extreme degrees. Which I find sad. When it comes to troubleshooting, understanding, and dealing with complex systems the people I find the most capable are the generalists. Especially the generalists who know what they don't know.<br />
<br />
Which is why Edward Carr's article <a href="http://moreintelligentlife.com/content/edward-carr/last-days-polymath">The Last Days of the Polymath</a> resonates. I don't claim to qualify as a polymath but I understand those who can cross between disciplines and realms and who don't specialize.<br />
<br />
Even if we need specialists and monomaths we also need generalists and polymaths. For now the world belongs to the monomaths. Here's hoping the pendulum swings back but also finds a nice balance between the two extremes.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638101992231381882.post-80956503070375488212010-12-17T07:30:00.002-05:002010-12-17T07:30:01.596-05:00Science: Thinking About DNAExplaining complex ideas to others is a challenge. Translating concepts from their original wording into something comprehensible by someone else is a difficult art. There is a long history of writers translating scientific concepts into layman's terms. But why stop there?<br />
<br />
Why not take complicated and difficult ideas in one discipline and explain them in the complicated and difficult terms of another discipline? Why not let experts in one field get to understand the underlying concepts of another in their own native terminology? Especially since in some cases the underlying concepts translate pretty easily.<br />
<br />
For example... DNA is encoded information. While it's not the "blueprint" of the human body it is information our cells carry around and use. It's instructions for the nucleus. Doesn't the term "instructions" sound close to the term "program"? Maybe, just maybe, there are ways to explain DNA and it's use in cells in terms that a computer scientist would understand.<br />
<br />
Bert Hubert did just that in <a href="http://ds9a.nl/amazing-dna/">DNA seen through the eyes of a coder</a>. Fair warning though. If you don't know about computers and information theory and a large chunk of computer technology as well as a little biology you will probably get lost. This is not meant as a slow and subtle crossing of the divide. You get dumped into the deep end and the terminology flows fast and furiously. If you do know quite a bit about computers DNA will suddenly make a lot more sense.<br />
<br />
Bert also nails one of the issues I have with descriptions of DNA and cell division. I'm not a biologist but it always struck me that the typical description to the layman was wrong. We usually hear something like "when cells divide the DNA gets copied so that each cell has a complete set of instructions". Which is, of course, wrong.<br />
<br />
DNA in a cell in not one copy of the instructions - it's two. DNA comprises two strands side by side. One is the opposite (or compliment) of the other. It's as if we carry around a photo of the instructions we need to run our cells as well as a copy of the negative of that photo. We carry both in each cell.<br />
<br />
If I have a photo and a negative and I separate them then I can use the photo to create another negative and the negative to create another photo. I can take my two copies (the photo and the negative) and split them and make two sets of copies. Each set will have a photo and a negative. One of the sets will have the original photo and a new negative and the other set will have the original negative and a new photo.<br />
<br />
DNA is roughly equivalent. Our cells carry two copies. When the cell divides the two copies are separated and each is used as a template to build its now missing opposite copy.<br />
<br />
That long winded, and hopefully clear, description of cell division is nowhere near as succinct as Bert's computer related version:<br />
<blockquote>Each DNA Helix is redundant in itself - you can see the genome as a twisted ladder whereby each spoke contains two bases - hence the word 'basepair'. If one of these bases is missing, it can be derived from the one on the other side. T always binds to A, C always to G. So, we can state that the genome is mirrored within the helix. 'RAID-1' so to speak.</blockquote>See. It's can be easy to explain complicated concepts in one discipline in terms used by another discipline. Especially if the two disciplines are related.<br />
<br />
If you are a coder, computer scientist, techie, programmer, or quite knowledgable on computer topics than <b>DNA through the eyes of a coder</b> will help explain the complex chemical dance of information that's taking place in your body all the time.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638101992231381882.post-15513189497856242882010-12-16T07:30:00.000-05:002010-12-16T07:30:00.810-05:00Food: A Modern Golden GooseI don't drink much. I've never been much one to have much alcohol. I probably have 4 beers, a couple of drinks, and a couple of glasses of wine in an entire year. Obviously I'm no expert on drinks and drinking.<br />
<br />
Even I've heard of Grey Goose though. At first it was just a name that kept popping up. People talked about it with semi-reverence. No one ever said it was any better than any other drink. It just seemed to be the new drink that was attached to someone with money and the willingness to part with it. For a while it seemed to be one of those things people bought and drank to show they could buy and drink whatever they wanted.<br />
<br />
Considering the history behind so many brands and companies in the business of selling alcohol it's amazing to think that Grey Goose was dreamed up in 1996. It certainly isn't a Canadian Club (1854) or a Courvoisier (1835). Even so the story of Grey Goose and the mind behind its success is very interesting. <a href="http://nymag.com/nymetro/news/bizfinance/biz/features/10816/">The Cocktail Creationist</a> tells the story of Sidney Frank and his attempt to recreate the amazing success he had with Grey Goose.<br />
<br />
Maybe it's because I don't drink that I keep forgetting how much money is spent on drinks. Fortunes have been made and will continue to be made from the fermented elixirs that sell so well.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638101992231381882.post-68594644688387647322010-12-15T07:30:00.001-05:002010-12-15T07:30:00.732-05:00Games: Oh What An Adventure We Shall Have!No, this post isn't about the original <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colossal_Cave_Adventure">Adventure</a> nor is it about the recently released <a href="http://www.getlamp.com/">Get Lamp</a>. Interactive fiction will have to wait for another day.<br />
<br />
No, this is about adventure games on computers. Why they work and why they don't. Recently a couple of the best of the adventure style games were rereleased for yet another generation of platforms. Monkey Island and Monkey Island 2 have been updated for the most modern gaming consoles and yet they are still the same adventure style games at heart.<br />
<br />
(As a pure aside... if you want to have fun understanding how far computer games have come and how primitive early home computers were by today's standards then watch this video of the evolution of PC sound technology illustrated through <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a324ykKV-7Y">the music for Monkey Island</a>. I think I owned most of the sound cards and technologies listed. I think I still have my Gravis Ultrasound somewhere. It's amazing how far we've come from bleeps and bloops to full orchestral scores.)<br />
<br />
Replaying Monkey Island had me plunging through my bookmarks to find an article by Ron Gilbert called <a href="http://grumpygamer.com/2152210">Why Adventures Games Suck</a>. As the designer behind Monkey Island he should know why adventure games suck and what to do about it. After all Monkey Island, and several other LucasArts games, are considered classics of the genre.<br />
<br />
Which then lead me to remember a much more recent article <a href="http://www.popmatters.com/pm/post/130638-sierra-vs-lucasarts/">Sierra vs. Lucasarts</a> by L.B. Jeffries in Popmatters. The difference in approach symbolized by those two companies really does help capture some of the basic problems and issues in designing and writing good adventure games.<br />
<br />
Those two resources won't help you design the next great adventure game but they should help you understand what can make a good game work well. Sadly the genre seems half dead. Sure many other genres include lots of the elements of adventure games but as a stand alone genre the adventure game seems to have fallen out of favour. For now. There will always be stories to tell, games to play through them, and designers who want to do more than just give us wave after wave of enemies to mow down. There will be other adventures to play through we just may have to wait a little while.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638101992231381882.post-2191792983684980072010-12-14T07:30:00.000-05:002010-12-14T07:30:00.250-05:00Language: When Hack Writing Becomes PopularQuick. Think of a book you loved as a child. One that entranced you, that you reread several times. One that made an impact on your formative years.<br />
<br />
Have you ever gone back and read that book again? This time as an older, more mature, and hopefully wiser person?<br />
<br />
Sometimes books stand up to the test of time. Other times we wonder how we even put up with them. We see how bad they were. How inane. How insipid. How uninspired.<br />
<br />
Back in 2005 Gene Weingarten wrote about the awful books (as in awfully popular and awfully badly written) in the Hardy Boys series. <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/05/AR2005120501092_pf.html">The Hardy Boys The Final Chapter....</a> is a look at the true story behind a series that has captured boys imaginations for generations.<br />
<br />
The article succinctly covers why I tend not to reread any of my childhood favourites. They almost never live up to what we remember.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638101992231381882.post-84327324194003745952010-12-13T07:30:00.000-05:002010-12-13T07:30:01.900-05:00Math: Representing NumbersMathematics is formulas and theorems, concepts and numbers. In today's world mathematics is also in computers. That is where the rubber hits the road.<br />
<br />
Putting numbers inside of computers isn't as easy as it sounds. Putting decimal numbers into computers is fraught with problems.<br />
<br />
Should you ever find yourself programming computers in a way where the computers are manipulating numbers for you please sit down and read <a href="http://docs.sun.com/source/806-3568/ncg_goldberg.html">What Every Computer Scientist Should Know About Floating-Point Arithmetic</a>.<br />
<br />
It's not as easy or as simple as you think. Let David Goldberg tell you about many of the pitfalls and problems in getting computers to represent numbers.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0