Links for 2011-01-13

"The sample sizes aren't quite identical yet, folks (232 votes this round compared to 342 last round), but currently 54% of those of you who responded own an e-reader, as opposed to only 42% in June 2010. Granted, this is an entirely unscientific survey, but it seems to me that e-reading is on the rise. Not that we couldn't have guessed this already.

Speaking of e-books, I thought I'd take a moment to rehash the two primary ways they're sold: via either the agency model or the wholesale model. How does this affect you?"

"The basic idea is quite well known. Perhaps because the conclusion is so remarkable, almost outrageous, it's an idea that evokes a strong emotional response in many people. I've had intelligent people tell me with utter certainty that the Singularity is complete tosh. I've had other intelligent people tell me with similar certainty that it should be one of the central concerns of humanity.

I think it's possible to say something interesting about what range of views a reasonable person might have on the likelihood of the Singularity. To be definite, let me stipulate that it should occur in the not-too-distant future - let's say within 100 years, as above. What we'll do is figure out what probability someone might reasonably assign to the Singularity happening."

"Good science writing is some of the most interesting stuff on Earth to read. Bad science writing is the most painful. There are many things that determine whether a piece of science writing is good or bad, but I can sort them into four rough categories: words, sentences, paragraphs, and stories. Good science writing demands lots of care and inventiveness at all these scales.
After a few years of teaching science writing, I've started to ban certain words from my class. I add new words to my list on a regular basis, as they make unwelcome appearances in assignments. I may seem obsessively picky, but I hope through my pickiness, my students learn that every word can make a difference to their story. This lesson is especially crucial for scientists, most of whom are not accustomed to writing for a broad audience."

"The Wii board is cool and I want to use it for some physics-stuff. If you are not familiar with the Wii board, basically it is a platform you stand on. Four sensors in the board determine your center of mass. By shifting your weight and stuff, you can interact with a game. First thing - can I use the measurements from the board to find out where the 4 sensors are?"