February 2011
25 posts
1 tag
The New Tithe →
Justin Wilson, in his first prize-winning video for Project Reason:
In 2004, faith-based organizations received up to $40,000,000,000 in federal grants, while many other federal programs had their budgets slashed.
“The world is my country, and to do good my religion.” - Thomas Paine
Check out the other Project Reason winners’ videos.
3 tags
Sir Ken Robinson: 'Make The Most Of Whatever It Is... →
In a nutshell: We are happiest and do our best when doing something we both love and are good at.
Also see: Bud Caddell’s venn diagram of “How to be happy in business.”
2 tags
3D "Bioprinters" Will Print Body Parts →
Lin Edwards, for PhysOrg:
Professor James Yoo, from the Institute of Regenerative Medicine at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina told the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) his group is developing a system that will allow them to print skin directly onto burn wounds. (Emphasis added.)
The future is awesome.
(Via...
1 tag
Live Feed of Discovery Shuttle Launch →
Seven minutes and counting if you get in now.
UPDATE: It was spectacular.
2 tags
Churnalism →
Churnalism (noun): news article based closely on a press release.
Churnalism.com: helps you distinguish journalism from churnalism.
(Via Future Journalism Project.)
1 tag
Things Real People Don't Say About Advertising →
This crowdsourced commercial makes me question the value proposition of the traditional agency model.
1 tag
The Subscription Economy →
Tien Tzuo, CEO of Zuora:
More and more, our lives are wrapped around subscriptions, and that’s not just in online media.
The 20th-century economy was rooted in manufacturing: companies were focused squarely on making and shipping as many tangible goods as possible. Car companies, for example, were measured on how many cars they ship in a quarter.
In contrast, modern companies focus...
Bruce Lee: The Lost Interview (1971) →
25 minutes of Lee. Doesn’t get any better.
3 tags
SPENT →
A Flash-based game wherein you see what life is like for a low-income person nearing homelessness. Not fun per se, but very informative and very effective. More projects like this please.
(Via Stripe.)
1 tag
The Day the Movies Died →
Mark Harris, for GQ, details why Hollywood currently outputs so much waste, and why Hollywood films aren’t going to get better anytime soon:
With that in mind, let’s look ahead to what’s on the menu for this year: four adaptations of comic books. One prequel to an adaptation of a comic book. One sequel to a sequel to a movie based on a toy. One sequel to a sequel to a sequel...
4 tags
This Week in Startups #116 with Daniel Ha →
Speaking of Disqus, Daniel sat down via Skype with Jason Calacanis recently to talk about Disqus’ past, present, and future.
3 tags
SupportBee Interviews Giannii →
Cupcakes and superman pajamas included.
1 tag
It's Been Fun
(My farewell message cross-posted from tylerthetechie.com, after I shuttered the business/experiment.)
While it’s been fun, Tyler the Techie was put out to greener pastures on November 15, 2010.
Why?
Tyler the Techie was started in 2008 as an experiment. Although its doors are now closed, it was ultimately a success. One which I am exceptionally proud of. A little history, for those who...
1 tag
You Weren't Meant to Have A Boss →
An oldie but goldie from Paul Graham:
In an artificial world, only extremists live naturally.
Walking The Walk, Done Right →
Tracy Osborn wanted to launch a web app but, being a designer who hadn’t studied much app development, didn’t know enough to build the app herself. So she taught herself Django in six weeks (enough to build the app, at least). Instead of elaborating, I’ll just let Tracy’s words breathe:
If you’re a designer, picking up development looks really tough, but stick it out...
1 tag
Real Designers Sell Their Work →
Sage wisdom from Jason Kottke (and Mike Monteiro):
One of the reasons I got out of design is that I was never very good at that part of the job and as Mike [Monteiro] says, you have to be able to not only accept but embrace selling your designs to truly succeed.
2 tags
How the Huffington Post Works →
Or as John Gruber put it:
Long-winded poorly-written defense for why the Huffington Post doesn’t pay a dime to most of its contributors.
UPDATE: Follow-up analysis by Nate Silver (also via Gruber).
2 tags
'User-Led Innovation Can't Create Breakthroughs' →
Via some members of Apple’s design team:
It’s all bullshit and hot air created to sell consulting projects and to give insecure managers a false sense of security. At Apple, we don’t waste our time asking users, we build our brand through creating great products we believe people will love.
So what does work? A vision:
The best brands are all guided by a clear vision for the...
3 tags
Are We Already Immortal?
This is not a frilly spiritual question. I’m asking from the perspective of hard science.
My logic goes like this: If we develop time-travel technology — insofar as at least looking into the past, whether it be via peering through a wormhole or other asofyet unproven science fiction — then we will be able to view anyone’s DNA in the past. After all, what would stop us...
Everything is a Remix, Part 2 →
Part 2 of 4 of Kirby Ferguson’s “exploration of the remix techniques involved in producing films.” I.e. a no-nonsense disassembling of Hollywood’s bullshit campaigns against piracy, remixing, and sampling.
(Don’t forget Part 1.)
1 tag
Ray Kurzweil on The Year 2045: When Humans Become... →
Juicy detailing by TIME’s Lev Grossman.
Jake Shimabukuro Plays Bohemian Rhapsody at... →
I’ll never forget the first time I saw Jake play While My Guitar Gently Weeps. And now I’ll never forget the first time I saw this.
So What If You Don't Sleep Enough? →
Intense infographic. Cliff Kuang:
Actually, you’ll die earlier, be fatter, and be worse at your job.
1 tag
Transcendent Man →
“The life and ideas” of Ray Kurzweil, today’s most outspoken proponent of the Singularity. Love him or hate him, this looks to be a well-made documentary.
U.S. tour in February, DVD and digital release in March. YouTube Trailer.