I found this book in the library after a Google search for some concept or another. Written by a Liberal scholar, it points out the differences between Liberals and Conservatives and, if enough people read it, could help these two groups understand each other. I found it so riveting that I started quoting it on Facebook. When some of my friends took interest, I jumped online went to their local library web site and found it in their library (thank you Internet!). I snagged the link and sent it to them, allowing them to check it out easily, rather than forcing them to buy it just to see what I'm raving about. Anytime you find a good book, rather than buying your distant friends a copy, try to find the book at their local library. I found that the Sacramento library system has 6 copies of this 2012 book, so no excuses! If you really find it interesting, here's the link, put a hold on it then read and enjoy!

In a previous Booknook Blog post, I told you about a book, The Half Life Of Facts that explains that facts change so quickly, a doctor who graduates today has 10 year old facts in his brain that are all wrong by now. I've been reminded of this effect again and again. Facts don't last long in our world, since much of the previous world was based on ridiculous fabrications that, we now know are completely wrong. Two years ago I wrote a book called Distortion: The Cause of Harmonics and the Lie of THD. Recently I released a second edition, and shortly afterwards got my best review so far (5 stars). The book came about because I made a video chastising my client's competitor for an  incorrect supposition in his book regarding harmonics and where they come from. I was challenged on my video and forced to defend myself, Distortion was my defense.
As it turns out, the mistake made in the book I was critical of is not alone in using fantasy to explain how harmonics are created from distortion. At the recent holiday book sale, I found another book on electronics, looked in the index for "harmonics," found the entry and read it. I burst out laughing, complete idiocy! Here is just a snippet. 
"For example, theoretically speaking, a square wave contains all harmonics, but predominantly, odd harmonics"  
Sounds reasonable, right? No, it's not. As my book points out, a square wave consists of harmonics based on a simple formula where the only variable is duty cycle. Duty cycle defines how much of the wave is high divided by the entire wavelength. A 50% duty square wave is high half the time, and low half the time, and has ONLY odd harmonics. Clearly the writer of the book never actually looked at a square wave or a spectrum of one, he was just making it up! Shouldn't we be allowed to point out mistakes in other people's books?

The Friends made over $3000 on the holiday book sale! Money to support your library! Thanks to all the volunteers and Foundation people who helped make it happen!

Guy Kawasaki, old time Macintosh evangelist, entrepreneur and author once told a funny story about proofreading, I like to codify that into the Kawasaki Rule. He and the coauthor of his new book read it until they were sick of it, then crowdsourced the proofreading out to seventy people, who found some errors and allowed Guy to submit the (hopefully error free) manuscript to the publishing house, where they found 1400 errors. The Kawasaki Rule says that you are going to make some mistakes that will evade all detection, sometimes in the most unlikely places, and you will feel like a fool. But I say, what the heck! It's going to happen, no matter who you are. 
And then one day I was reading the description of the speaker for this year's FVRL Author's and Illustrator's Silent Auction and Dinner, and I came across this:
"Rebecca Skloot's award-winning science writing has appeared in the New York Times Magazine; O, The Oprah Magazine; Discover, and many other publications.  She is curretnly (sic) working on a new book about humans, animals, science, and ethics."
Well, I think we have a problem here, and in a teaser for a new book no less! Makes you wonder if the book will be spelled as well as the promo piece. 
But don't worry friends, it happens to the best of us. I myself am working on version 22 of The Reluctant Road Warrior and I got my best reviews from the very first, and very error filled, copies. Guy Kawasaki says, don't sweat it, at least it wasn't 1400 errors!

 I found this book on Otters up on the fourth floor and zoomed through it while waiting to take my shift at the Booknook. I just love otters, and we have a nice pod of them right here in Vancouver, just a few miles north of Frenchman's Bar at Fisherman's Slough. The American River Otter is friendly to the point of getting scary sometimes. They are very gentle and playful, but cautious at first, so give them space, but remember, if you bring some baitfish, you just might be able to tempt them in for a treat. 
Here is a video of an otter that was just taking a break from the water to get in a good scratch.