The Insanity Virus →

Keep Your Identity Small →

Paul Graham describes how discussions on some topics break down into useless argument when certain audiences are participating; People are unable to discuss anything objectively when their own identity is tangled up in it:

More generally, you can have a fruitful discussion about a topic only if it doesn’t engage the identities of any of the participants. What makes politics and religion such minefields is that they engage so many people’s identities. But you could in principle have a useful conversation about them with some people.

He sums up: “The more labels you have for yourself, the dumber they make you.”

Finally, there’s an interesting footnote that’s worth repeating:

There may be some things it’s a net win to include in your identity. For example, being a scientist. Considering yourself a scientist is equivalent to putting a sign in a cupboard saying “this cupboard must be kept empty.” Yes, strictly speaking, you’re putting something in the cupboard, but not in the ordinary sense.

Formalize CSS →

A form normalization library that looks promising.

[ via Dave Shea ]

I love it when Firefox does this. Wait, not love. What’s the other one? Disappointment. That’s what I feel when Firefox does this. Disappointment.

Young people can find information faster and sort information faster than older people. For example, young people are more likely to use the best tool at the best time: They collaborate on wiki-type tools with ease. They crowdsource. They’re aces with downloading software onto the company laptop to become more productive and efficient. Think about it: Younger people don’t utter the phrase “information overload” because they don’t feel it; they benefit from the plasticity of the brain, which has adapted, over their Internet-based lives to process information faster.

Lately, I’ve been thinking that my primary work skill is collecting piles of information and distilling that knowledge down into the answer I want. I do that at least twice an hour, every weekday.

(Source: blog.penelopetrunk.com)

(Source: youtube.com)

View high resolution

The Battle of Mt. Reux

This tiny, teardrop-shaped trailer reminds me of the cabin of a small but well-crafted sailboat.

Las Vegas Death Ray →

Apparently there’s a building in Vegas that can singe your hair and melt plastic cups if you stand in the reflected beam of sunlight it projects. Best part, that beam reflects onto the swimming pool enclosure.