links for 2008-02-04

A few books and stories to pass those quiet moments.

Conference participants include a bunch of really smart people with innovative ideas about the future of science and the interplay between science, information technology, and society. And they invited me, too.

"Keen [author of _Cult of the Amateur_] has some very important points. But he's also got a bad habit of saying things that are outrageous, provocative and, to be frank, not true. "

Currently on display at Union

"Because of their size, the nanoantennas absorb energy in the infrared part of the spectrum[...] The sun radiates a lot of infrared energy, some of which is soaked up by the earth and later released as radiation for hours after sunset. Nanoantennas can ta

"Sputnik [...] was a great achievement of Soviet socialism, and that it was for that very reason a great setback for human expansion into space; that it started the culture wars which are still shaking our world; and that it's why most of you are, like me

"Unfortunately, many of those who claim to be working for enviornmental improvements lack an understanding of a few basic concepts which are absolutely critical to accomplishing anything."