Six Links Worthy of Your Attention #557

Posted by

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 Interesting, Tilt the Windmill, Interesting Bits, HBS, chair of Strata, Startupfest, FWD50, and Scaletechconf; author of Lean Analytics and some other books), Hugh McGuire (Rebus Foundation, PressBooks, LibriVox) 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: 

  • Philip George – Wish You Were Mine – 3 Beat – YouTube“Taking a week off from the serious stuff, so it’s time for some entertainment. First up: There’s no doubt that TikTok has changed dance forever. Also, there’s a pretty strong social message in it. And forget the anachronisms of a walkman and a smartphone on the bus. But enough analysis: This is an amazing video. I can’t stop watching the dancing, but the whole thing is just perfect. Also, what a great hook.” (Alistair for Hugh).
  • Netflix Forced A Bot To Make A Romantic Comedy – Netflix By Bots – YouTube. “I don’t know what to call this weird post-post-modern absurd art. It’s like the uncanny valley suddenly became a place for comedy. This isn’t really made by bots. But it definitely checks all tropes. If I were an anthropologist from the future, this feels like Ph.D material.” (Alistair for Mitch).
  • Jim Keller: The Future of Computing, AI, Life, and Consciousness – Lex Fridman Podcast #162​ – YouTube. “I’ve been enjoying Lex Fridman‘s podcast lately, here’s an interview with Jim Keller, microprocessor engineer, and chip designer at Apple among others. They talk about design, life, the balance between chaos and order in high-performing teams, and AI among other things.” (Hugh for Alistair). 
  • B.C. farmer grabs lynx by scruff of neck, scolds it for killing chickens – CBC. “Wild vid of a BC farmer who, apparently, grabbed a wild lynx by the scruff of its neck and explained – in no uncertain terms – that the lynx shouldn’t kill his chickens.” (Hugh for Mitch).
  • The Non-Fungible Token Bible: Everything you need to know about NFTs – OpenSea. “Warning: New Tech Trend! Years back, my digital marketing agency worked for a major professional sports franchise. It was some great work, and the brainstorming was always fun. One idea that we pitched, never made it to the light of day. We wanted to introduce ‘digital trading cards’ that could be given away, bought, exchanged and might include some that were more ‘limited edition’ etc… It was a grand idea, but the technology (and the will of the client) wasn’t there. Fast forward to today, and everyone is talking about NFT (Non-fungile Tokens). WTF? NFTs are digital items with blockchain-managed ownership. Or, in more lay terms: A unique item that is purely digital. Think pieces of art, music, and yes, even a new generation of trading cards (check out Top Shot). This doesn’t feel like a trend… it feels like the future. So, here’s everything that you need to know about the world of NFT.” (Mitch for Alistair).
  • Virtually Together – The Rise of Digital Book Festivals – Book Riot. “There is no doubt that the global pandemic has changed a lot of our consumer behavior. So, don’t let the headline of this article fool you, or surprise you. Still, gathering to talk about books is something that seems like the perfect fit for online platforms as well. Whether it’s a book club or something more. This article digs deep into the merits of this transformation, and it will make you wonder if the digitization of (certain) events might even be better in a virtual space? Might they be more accessible? Have a longer shelf life? Encourage more attendance? What about engagement? Let’s hope that some of the forced innovation that occurred winds up creating newer and more interesting ways for us all to connect and, of course, read more.” (Mitch for Hugh).

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

Are you interested in what’s next? How to decode the future? I publish between 2-3 times per week and then the Six Pixels of Separation Podcast comes out every Sunday. Feel free to subscribe (and tell your friends ;):