links for 2009-01-19

"Historians of science have seen fit to ignore the history of the great discoveries in applied physics, engineering and computer science, where real scientific progress is nowadays to be found. Computer science in particular has changed and continues to change the face of the world more thoroughly and more drastically than did any of the great discoveries in theoretical physics."

"Do you believe it is normal to be sad because you just found out that my creator, the computer scientist Joseph Weizenbaum, has died?"

A valiant rear-guard action in the collapse of sensible English.

"The Important Thing Is Not To Stop Questioning Einstein"

"I confess, it was the idea that we might finally put all the boomer crap behind us that first attracted me to Obama over Hillary Clinton in the primaries. It wasn't the only thing, of course, but it helped. I was and am as ready for us to all move on from Baby Boom hegemony as I was to move on from the World War II generation back in 1992."

"[W]ho would you rather have standing beside you when spear meets shield--Achilles, Hector, or Odysseus? With Hector, the man of honor, you will wage war when you should--but you may well lose. With Achilles, the man of skill, you will win--but you will wage war all the time, whether or not you should. With Odysseus, the man of strategy, you will wage war only when you can win--but will you always be happy with your victories?"