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Six Links Worthy Of Your Attention #20

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Is there one link, story, picture or thought that you saw online this week that you think somebody you know must see?

My friends: Alistair Croll (BitCurrent, Rednod, GigaOM, Human 2.0, the author of Complete Web Monitoring and Managing Bandwidth: Deploying QOS in Enterprise Networks), Hugh McGuire (The Book Oven, LibriVox, iambik, Media Hacks) and I decided that every week or so the three of us are going to share one link for each other (for a total of six links) that each individual feels the other person "must see".

Check out these six links that we’re recommending to one another:

  1. Revisiting Donald Appleyard’s Livable Streets – StreetFilms.org. "This film from streetfilms.org looks at the impact that cars have on social interactions within communities. It’s a part of the Streetfilms series, ‘Fixing the great mistake’ that looks at the effects of the automobile and other changes in early 20th century." (Alistair for Hugh).
  2. Small Change – The New Yorker. "I was in DC during the elections this week. This piece by Malcolm Gladwell resonated with me. ‘Fifty years after one of the most extraordinary episodes of social upheaval in American history, we seem to have forgotten what activism is,’ he says. Consider three facts: First, voter turnout was much higher among older voters. Second, Republican voters and Tea Party supporters in the US are significantly older. Third, older people are less likely to be online or using social networks. Did social networks act as pressure valves for democratic indignation? Does Facebook take the edge off so we don’t rise up? Is Twitter the opiate of the angry mob?  Revolution, indeed." (Alistair for Mitch).
  3. The Dick Flash Interview – Brian Eno. "Hilarious interview with musical pioneer Brian Eno. I’ve never heard of Dick Flash before… off to Google." (Hugh for Alistair).
  4. Google To Facebook: You Can’t Import Our User Data Without Reciprocity – TechCrunch. "There are many fascinating battle lines being drawn in the world of the web: Google vs Apple. Amazon vs Apple. And Google vs Facebook. In the end it’s all about the data, and Google’s just put a line in the sand about approaches to user data usage." (Hugh for Mitch).
  5. David Blaine: How I held my breath for 17 min – TED. "I’m a closet magic lover (who isn’t?). But, I readily admit that I do like to know how the tricks are done (hence my love of the movie, The Prestige). I used to do magic as kid (I had a trunk full of the standard magic tricks). To me, it’s more about watching how a magician ‘sells’ the trick than the actual trick itself. I’ve probably learned more about how to be a better public speaker from reading and watching magicians than anything else. In this recently released TED Talk, David Blaine deconstructs how he blends magic, stunts and demonstrations to wow audiences… and himself." (Mitch for Alistair).
  6. Is "Undesigned" the Next Great Web Trend? Fat Chance – Fast Company’s Co.Design. "Do people like less design or more design for their content? It’s clear that in the overly saturated world of web design, things went a little crazy for a while. Now, as mobile devices and tablets flood the market, there is a movement towards the classic, ‘less is more,’ when it comes to design. It’s something that you can see if you’re a fan of Instapaper, Readability, and Flipboard. Hugh is big on cleaning up the clutter of bad design online and the mess that usually surrounds content. I think he’ll get a kick out of this perspective…" (Mitch for Hugh).

Now, it’s your turn: in the comment section below pick one thing that you saw this week that inspired you and share it.

15 comments

  1. Wow, what a great list and set of videos this week, can’t wait to dig in.
    My share this week comes from Inc. magazine. So great thoughts and stories on entrepreneurship and wrapping up your business.
    “What Am I, If Not My Business?”
    http://www.inc.com/magazine/20101101/what-am-i-if-not-my-business.html
    All successful entrepreneurs share at least one trait: a passion for the businesses they have created. But what happens when it’s time to move on? In the rare moments when entrepreneurs pause to think about it, they are by turns terrified, exhilarated, and just plain mystified by the prospect of life after business.

  2. Having never seriously thought about the impact of cars on neighborhoods, it was refreshing to be enlightened with Donald Appleyard’s Livable Streets. At the very least we should be cognizant on how people’s homes and territories are affected by our means of conveyance.

  3. If Facebook chooses not to reciprocate, then Google should by all means stick to their guns. It seems as though Facebook’s maneuvers are contrarian to what they’re supposed to be about, open and seamless.

  7. Furthering my thoughts that not everyone is meant to be an entrepreneur and that a true entrepreneur is someone who comes up with the business idea and is able to execute it. Everyone else is an employee or, simply, “entrepreneurial”.

  9. It also puts into question how companies like this define the word “open”. It seems like “open” is only REALLY “open” when the outcome is more in the company’s favor. If you take two seconds to think about that, it’s not very open and it’s very lopsided.

  10. That video was – without question – one of the best and most fascinating TED Talks I have ever seen. I actually met and spent some time chatting with Blaine when we both attended a TED conference a few years back. He was super friendly and approachable. I probably came off as some goofball groupie, but whatever… it was cool.

  15. LOLLLL Here come the Warm Jets Brian Eno!! 😉 I love watching David Blaine doing his Card Tricks n levitating n stuff for the people on the Streets!! The looks of Amazement on their Faces is Pricele$$!! Pure Joy!! 😉

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