Asides

  • Smart notes build on smart thinking and apps can help

    David Sparks on research apps and what he calls the upcoming app revolution: This influx of cross-linking, dynamic referencing, and the linkable chaos that these apps create feel, to me, like something entirely new, and that bell is not going to get unrung. Not only do I expect these apps to push further ahead with […]

  • The instagram aesthetic?

    One year later: Is the instagram aesthetic over? Taylor Lorenz wrote the original article a year ago. In hindsight, is this the case? On a related note, Tobias Van Schneider was reflecting recently on what will replace the now-considered-dead minimalistic aesthetic. His guess: a revitalized Art Deco.

  • What is a walk-n-talk?

    Craig Mod: A walk-n-talk works like this: gather 5-10 curious, kind, generous, patient, inspiring people and set a walking course through the countryside for a week, plus or minus a day or two. A week works well because it may take a day or two or three for people to open up, for the so-called […]

  • Make plans, feel free to ignore them

    Derek Sivers on a day in London with his seven year old: I don’t regret having plans, because sometimes following the plan is the best choice. So I guess the lesson is to make plans, but feel free to ignore them — to see them as an option, not a requirement.

  • It’s intergenerational justice

    The youth-led climate movement will not be ignored write Jay Inslee, Varshini Prakash: Last month’s strikes felt both exhilarating and heartbreaking. It’s deeply saddening that children must fight tooth and nail to force elected leaders to care about their future. But the strikes also showcased all the progress we’ve made in just a few short […]

  • Dashing, just dashing

    The Comms Creative blog on dashes: Hyphens join words: eg. they’re word-joiners. En dashes are a bit longer than hyphens. They’re the width of the letter ‘N’, and they show range: eg. 14–16 cm. The em dash is the width of the letter M & used when emphasis is required — like when you’re trying to make a point.

  • If you want to change minds

    If you want to change minds, remember that: Other people don’t believe what you believe, and they don’t see what you see.

  • We’ll be watching you

    The most powerful four minutes I’ve watched, listened to, been inspired by, this year.

  • The fate of the servers, the fate of the cameras

    Om Malik sees similarities between cameras and servers: But mostly, our pictures — even the best ones — function as glorified postcards on Instagram, Facebook, or some other messaging app. No one on WhatsApp cares if you made a photo in 50 megapixels or 12 megapixels Just as, in the cloud, no one gives two […]

  • Two trophies, one race

    Ellie Pell won an ultramarathon and took home two trophies. Why two? Read the story.

  • How do you write a book?

    Ryan Singer shares how he wrote Shape Up. There are five steps so far: Workshop Get feedback and interview participants Write, sketch Soft release as a web book Release PDF version

  • Attitude matters

    David Navarro: Everything is about attitude — the no-ego, no-asshole attitude: hungry, collaborative, empathetic, humble and above all passionate.That’s what I look at first. It’s less the title, more the attitude.