To start, I'll complain about modern interfaces: nowhere is there sorting by columns, nowhere is there pagination of results. Everything is designed so that you just skim through the fresh stuff, the recommended stuff, or what was shoved down your throat, and forget it forever. It's not designed for thoughtful work, for analysis.
Same goes for the interface of getpocket.com which I use to read articles, it gives zero possibility to find from which date I've already told you about articles, and which ones I haven't yet.
You know what they call it
Pocket’s Take: We're always exploring ways to add additional context while preserving a functional, high quality design.
Turns out this is called high quality design! Weird, I thought high quality design is when users can achieve what they need, not what the service needs. The joke is that you can't even leave for competitors: their design is exactly the same, exactly zero possibilities.
With this, the five minutes of hate are over, let's try to finally get down to the analysis. The most interesting ones are in bold.
1. The Life and Death of an Amazon Warehouse Temp
A true story about an Amazon warehouse temp. You immediately feel glad that you have intellectual work in an office. This particular guy was worked to death. It doesn't apply to us as much yet, but automation will lead to this here too.
2. How the NSA can break trillions of encrypted Web and VPN connections
How American intelligence agencies mass-hack encrypted connections. How, you ask? They plant backdoors and ban the export of strong cryptography outside the US, which is why they can hack them.
It's trendy now to recycle everything instead of filling up landfills. Like, we shouldn't pollute the planet. The article has a lot of interesting facts about how very few materials are actually profitable to recycle, both commercially and environmentally, and that the "zero waste" policy is disastrous and harmful. But since it functions like a cult, it's the future.
Who knows, maybe the article was paid for by those who produce waste, but usually supporters of extreme viewpoints (like vegans or libertarians) go too far, and their religions do more harm than good.
On the other hand, the exact same could be said about global warming, but there you can't go too far, we have to save the planet.
“It makes sense to recycle commercial cardboard and some paper, as well as selected metals and plastics,” he says. “But other materials rarely make sense, including food waste and other compostables. The zero-waste goal makes no sense at all — it’s very expensive with almost no real environmental benefit.”
4.There will be no more reference standards
Reference standards will be replaced by constants.
If the link doesn't work, you can Download pdf
An important topic is discussed: consumers can rate a seller to death. This is especially relevant in the case of Uber (hired drivers), where drivers are often already exhausted, and sometimes it's their last source of income. Drivers are forced to practically lick the passengers' boots just so you give them that coveted five-star rating.
I believe the mantra "the customer is always right" is fundamentally wrong, and it's high time to ditch it. How can a customer be right if they cheat the seller or demand the impossible?
There's a ton of other interesting details in the article. And although it applies to our realities very indirectly for now, it will come to Latvia too.
6. This Is the No. 1 Ritual You Need to Do Every Day
A very interesting note on how rituals in life are extremely important: they let you get more done and increase happiness, because
1) they let you stay in the present and enjoy what you're doing by tuning into it
2) they let you create chains of tasks that you do every day one after another without getting distracted (there's a separate article about this)
As a pragmatic and fairly logical (though emotional) person, it took me a very long time to understand why all this is needed: it reeks too much of religion. Now that I know a hundred times more about how the brain and consciousness work, the questions are gone, leaving only bitterness that we humans are so imperfect, since we need "crutches" in the form of rituals.
A must-read for everyone!
7. Study Suggests Women Are Bisexual Or Gay, But Almost Never Straight
Almost all women get turned on by lesbian erotic scenes, unlike men, who like porn with their own orientation.
Maybe this is the secret to society's greater tolerance towards lesbians than towards gays.
8.Metabolism and human evolution
Molecular biologist Philipp Khaitovich on muscle changes, the role of fats, and the energy consumption of the brain
Turns out, a human is twice as weak as a monkey (relative to body mass).
9. Russia and the Curse of Geography
Why does Russia constantly have imperial ambitions and never calm down?
A theory regarding geography is presented: it's too easy to stage an invasion of Russia, so they have to conquer everything around them so no one can sneak through. The second aspect – they need ice-free ports.
10. Bernie Sanders Doesn’t Kiss Babies. That a Problem?
About the current US presidential candidate, almost-socialist Bernie Sanders. Probably only interesting to those related to America or the politically concerned.
Until next time!