Six Links Worthy Of Your Attention #377

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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 (Solve for InterestingTilt the WindmillHBS; chair of StrataStartupfestPandemonio, and ResolveTO; Author of Lean Analytics and some other books), Hugh McGuire (PressBooks, LibriVox, iambik and co-author of Book: A Futurist’s Manifesto) and I decided that every week the three of us are going to share one link for one another (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: 

  • I Tried Shoplifting in a Store without Cashiers and Here’s What Happened – MIT Technology Review. “Everyone talks about how the self-driving car will steal jobs. But automation is everywhere, and its consequences far-reaching. If you’ve used self-checkout, you know it can be annoying and error-prone. But what about NO checkout? Not only is it easier, but it can detect theft. I’m fascinated by the unintended consequences and side effects of innovation, because that’s usually where the moral dilemmas live.” (Alistair for Hugh).
  • In Conversation: John Cleese – VultureJohn Cleese seems more thoughtful and reflective in his later years, and as an Elder Statesman of comedy he has some smart — but also heretical — insights into political correctness.” (Alistair for Mitch).
  • Voynich manuscript: the solution – The Times Literary Supplement. “Has the Voynich manuscript finally been cracked?” (Hugh for Alistair).
  • Here’s a moving video montage of the total eclipse – BoingBoing. “I missed that total eclipse that happened a few weeks ago – or at least, I didn’t notice anything from the office, and didn’t have any special goggles to avoid burning my eyeballs with. If you missed it too, and haven’t seen any great images yet… here are some movies and pics. Yay science.” (Hugh for Mitch).
  • Steve Jobs’ legacy & The iPhone X – OM. “If there was one piece of tech news that dominated the landscape this week, it would have to be Apple and the launch of the iPhone X. I’m buying it. I skip over a generation when it comes to iPhones, so I am due. The price is pretty crazy (in Canada, it will cost me over $1500). Does anyone else remember the days of a free mobile device with the purchase of a mobile carrier subscription? With that, I don’t (really) blink. The cost per use on these devices for me are minimal. Still, it’s not just about the price of the device. It’s about legacy. Nobody has written about Apple this week with as much brilliance as Om Malik. Read, think and enjoy…” (Mitch for Alistair).
  • Why Books and Reading Are More Important Than Ever – Signature. “Here’s that theme again… Are you feeling it? We are skimming everything. There is value, experience, wisdom and deep learning that comes from spending a long period of time working through a single text on a single topic. Don’t discount it. Don’t cheapen your ability to grow through reading books. I wish I could say that I am reading books as much as I ever did, but I get just as easily distracted as the next person. Time to reboot that!” (Mitch for Hugh).

Feel free to share these links and add your picks on Twitter, Facebook, in the comments below or wherever you play.