Here is the actual contents of the email.

Start of email sent on the 31st of December.
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News resources today indicate that at least seven atypical pneumonia cases were reported in Wuhan, CHINA. Their health authorities replied to the media that the cases were believed not SARS; however the samples are still under examination, and cases have been isolated for treatment.

I would greatly appreciate it if you have relevant information to share with us.

Thank you very much in advance for your attention to this matter.
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A few things to notice. This was sent the same day that China told the WHO about the virus (27 cases) and it posted information online in Chinese on the same day as well as multiple news stories. Basically, Taiwan saw the news report in China and asked the WHO about it. Notice what isn't in the letter: nothing about human to human transmission.

What doesn't make sense to me is that Taiwan saying at least 7 cases is truthful but China saying 27 known cases on the same day is lies.

It feels weird saying this but street performers in China have had QR codes for both WeChat and Alipay for a while now. It's been around so long it isn't even an a novelty any more.

I teach in a unique graduate program for students who developed an interest in CS after completing a bachelor's degree in another field, usually in the liberal arts or social sciences. For their thesis, students can combine their old field (if it still interests them) with CS. Our grads have been doing great in the market, although it's probably more because of their graduate CS degree than their undergraduate degree. One built upon her English degree to become a tech writer, but most become software engineers.

I agree 100%.

I love humor. I'll check it out.

Thanks! I'd read and liked Rainbows End but do need the quicker reads. I'll check it out.

Thank you so much!

Thanks! I'm so ignorant of poetry that I didn't think to even request it. I'll check it out.

I absolutely agree, as I elaborate on in this response. What particularly jumps out to me is how they predict technological change but totally miss social change ("The housewife of the future will do her chores with the press of a button." Students: "What's a housewife?")

Thanks! I love Dyson's Disturbing the Universe but didn't know about The Sun, The Genome and the Internet.

Agreed (although there will still be a half a year left for hoverboards to be invented). See my fuller response.

Thanks for the suggestion and second. My students (and I) are very interested in issues such as the distribution of wealth.

Absolutely, that was always part of my plan, although I find it more illuminating to share the stories/articles that were wildly wrong, to teach students a healthy skepticism. I'll check out "A Logic Named Joe" in any case.

Thanks! I love "Superiority" and will check out the others.

Thanks a lot! Both that site and its blogroll look fun and useful.