Commonplace Reading - Issue #11
Well, that was an interesting week. But not that interesting. Everyone seemed to be too busy figuring out which political party in the UK had a good or a bad week, or recovering from Trump pretty much becoming the Republican candidate for the US president.
Perhaps that's why there's a somber tone to this week's links. Hey, works for a Monday morning, right?
Top read: Where journalism and science meet
How Chris McCandless Died
If you're familiar with Into The Wild - this will be interesting. If you're not, it's a fascinating example of science and journalism intersecting.
Three lessons from the tech world
3D Printing The Void
3D printing showed so much promise as a technology - with all the accompanying hype. So why has it all gone quiet – and why do some of the key businesses appear to be struggling. A nice look at an industry the tech hype has moved on from.
'Burning Man for the 1%': the desert party for the tech elite, with Eric Schmidt in a top hat
This quite genuinely scares me. It's a subtly brutal picture of how the tech elite are granting themselves permission to be an elite, isolating themselves from others - and then talking about a "post-democratic" world. This is either a cult, or the beginnings of a technocracy. Neither possibility fills me with joy.
Life Lessons from a Lifestyle Business
Rubbish headline on a fascinating interview with Matt Haughey, Founder of MetaFilter. Some useful lessons for anyone creating a business - wether or not you accept his final decision to rebuild his life around a lifestyle, not a business. And some insights into the fate of the last wave of web businesses.
Debunk-A-Rama
Why You Can't Trust Yourself
A good compilation of all the psychological quirks we're all prey to, that means we're nowhere near as rational and aware as we think we are. It's basically a good argument for surrounding yourself with thoughtful, honest friends.
Chasing Habits of Rich People Won’t Teach You About Success
Medium is filling up with pieces that tell you exactly what rich people's habits are. This is a cogent argument that - while interesting - this pieces aren't really very useful.
Conwoman Belle Gibson faces $1m fines over cancer scam fundraising fraud
Disgraced "wellness" blogger Belle Gibson could face hefty fines after Victoria's consumer watchdog launched legal action against her company.
Bring the pretty
All 13 Colors of iMac
I owned two of these - a Lime iMac and the much-maligned Blue Dalmatian, which I absolutely loved. I miss Apple's colourful period.
Igneous Skis in Wyoming
I am not a skier. But, my goodness, this lovely short documentary about an artisan ski maker wishes I was. (Yes, I know how hipster than sounds. I don't care.)
Psst…
The Digital Publishing Irregular
So, based on feedback from last week's letter, here's my journalism and digital publishing newsletter. Think of it as a first draft of One Man & His Blog, rather than the best or most interesting journalism I've discovered - which is what this newsletter does.
