Weekend Reading

Posted on
  • The Ukrainian Hacker Who Became the FBI’s Best Weapon—And Worst Nightmare
    One Thursday in January 2001, Maksym Igor Popov, a 20-year-old Ukrainian man, walked nervously through the doors of the United States embassy in London.
    I do so love these stories, the hidden truths, the human interest. I wonder if anyone has thought about making movies like this? (I fear I may be too late).
  • Nick Brown Smelled Bull
    It was autumn of 2011. Sitting in a dimly lit London classroom, taking notes from a teacher’s slides, Nick Brown could not believe his eyes.
    A good example of challenging things and trusting your own instinct.
  • Why Designers Love The Ampersand
    Cheerily nuzzled above the “7” key like a pear-shaped pill bug, the ampersand is perhaps the most intriguing character on the keyboard. While all letters and punctuation marks look similar enough in abstract, the ampersand feels unique, like a shape-shifter that could transform at a moment’s notice.
    Apparently some people like these so much they get tattoos… weirdos…
  • Sorry, There’s Nothing Magical About Breakfast
    I don’t eat breakfast. It’s not that I dislike what’s offered. Given the choice of breakfast food or lunch food, I’d almost always choose eggs or waffles. It’s just that I’m not hungry at 7:30 a.m., when I leave for work. In fact, I’m rarely hungry until about lunchtime.
    I’ve read a couple of articles about this, I’ve been working on the ‘breakfast is the most important meal of the day’ for all my adult life! World. Up. Side. Down.
  • Scientists Discover Genes Associated with Nose Shape
    The study, published in the journal Nature Communications, suggests that the width and “pointiness” of human nose is being influenced by four different genes that each plays a crucial role in shaping the olfactory organ.
    So what you are saying is I have ALL of the genes in abundance. Ace. #bignose
  • The Unhealthy Truth Behind ‘Wellness’ and ‘Clean Eating’
    A few years ago, I found wellness. My body felt like a burden, and the food I ate didn’t seem to energise me or push me on: it dulled my edges, left me foggy, soft and slow. So I made a change. I got rid of the chocolate bars, microwave meals and cakes.
    In my continuing effort to eat better, I too should get rid of chocolate bars and cakes. ‘Should’.
  • 6 Secrets of Radical Productivity, From an Entrepreneur Who Runs 4 Businesses
    Tina Roth Eisenberg, a Swiss-born designer also known as Swiss Miss, runs four businesses with just 17 employees. And they’re not small businesses. The one for which she is probably best-known, an event series called CreativeMornings, hosts monthly events in 100 cities.
    I’ve been reading Swiss Miss blog for years, still do. She was one of the first and remains an inspirational class act.
  • How Technology Hijacks People’s Minds
    I’m an expert on how technology hijacks our psychological vulnerabilities. That’s why I spent the last three years as Google’s Design Ethicist caring about how to design things in a way that defends a billion people’s minds from getting hijacked.
    Once you’ve read this, ask yourself what I’m really doing with these blog posts…
  • When Brother and Sister Became Sister and Brother
    One warm night last August, James Hyde learned that his sister Justine was disappearing. In a way, he had expected it.
    Given the current hoo-haa in the USA about who uses a toilet, it’s important to remember that it’s all about people. Real people, not abstracts.
  • This is what it’s like to grow up in the age of likes, lols and longing
    She slides into the car, and even before she buckles her seat belt, her phone is alight in her hands. A 13-year-old girl after a day of eighth grade. She says hello. Her au pair asks, “Ready to go?”
    Humanity is doomed! Or is humanity in the process of saving itself. Hmm lemme tweet that.
  • Baby carrots are not baby carrots
    Ten years ago, NPR opened a radio news segment with a few words about a man few knew. Mike Yurosek, a carrot farmer from California, had passed away earlier that year. The homage was short —it lasted no more than 30 seconds — but for many of those listening, it must have been eye-opening.
    One of these things I know I knew but I keep forgetting. Which is the same as forgetting, or something. Anyway, baby carrots!
  • On Twitter, a study says half of all sexist abuse comes from women
    Half of all sexist tweets come from women, according to a new study. The research, carried out by British think-tank Demos, revealed the scale of misogynistic abuse on Twitter perpetuated by both men and women.
    Not sure if this is an important article, or just a reminder to us all that our Twitter use is very ‘local’ to us. My bubble is not your bubble etc etc.