links for 2009-06-12

"50 scientifically proven ways constitute 50 chapters of the book, longest of which take 7 pages. The authors take the position that persuasion is a science, not art, hence with the right approach anybody can become the master in the skill of persuasion. So, what are the 50 ways?"

"The two exam papers had many identical wrong answers, many to word problems that required the answer to be given in a full sentence. The students in question were roommates.

What made this case special was that the instructor had a clear reason to suspect that one student was allowing hir roommate to copy...."

"Everyone should go to Disneyland with a physicist at least once, particularly one as good-natured as the Spousal Unit, who let himself be dragged from one long crowded line after another, filled with over-excited youngsters, frazzled parents, and purple-haired, pierced hipsters doing their best to look bored and act like they were Really Just There For the Irony. Visiting Disneyland with a physicist is an entirely different way of looking at things. "

"Why should residents of other countries care about the vagaries of English libel law? There are general issues here of freedom of expression and of the fight against pseudo-scientific medicine. But in fact, it's not an exaggeration to say that English legal practice in this area threatens the whole world. Anyone anywhere can be sued in England, if what they have to say sufficiently annoys someone somewhere with enough money and motivation."

Emmy does not approve of gadgets to track a dog's movement when the humans are away. Not at all.

"I have no complaint about the physics. I just donât think the authors should feign surprise at the result, as if it were somehow unforeseen that changing conditions could yield a different answer."