Exponent, Episode 034: The Story of Stratechery →

Ben Thompson is one of the best tech writers around right now—his blog, as well as his podcast, Exponent, covers the tech world in a fascinatingly unique way. It’s tech and the current trends of tech, but from a business/marketing standpoint, all passed through a layman’s filter that is just slightly—and perfectly—beyond the understanding of someone who isn’t familiar with that arena. This isn’t just another Apple Blogger praising the iPad Air 2. I read Stratechery, and listen to Exponent, because at points, I feel like I only understand every third word or so—there are so many business/marketing terms that I don’t understand/am not familiar with.

But, like giving my daughter newer, harder books when it’s clear she understands her current books, that’s precisely why I listen.

On the most recent episode of Exponent, the episode I’ve linked to here, Ben lays out how and why he started his site. On the surface, sure, it’s a useful story for anyone looking to start a blog. But I feel like there are some really important lessons to be learned for any writer/artist out there, especially an artist trying to create and feel fulfilled while maintaining a family and some semblance of a professional life (read as: me). Keep a careful ear out for Ben’s breakdown of what content creators worry about when starting a project (spoiler: product), and for a real gem of wisdom that Ben’s cohost, James Allworth, throws in at one point about the best time to do something and the second best time to do something.

Extra Credit: Ben linked to this piece on recently, writing:

I think @exponentfm listeners will recognize many of Sheryl Sandberg's principles about life and career. Good stuff

For the non-MBA crowd, it’s a bit jargon-y; not nearly as accessible as Ben, but it’s worth the read for the same reasons I mentioned above.

But We’ve Always Done It That Way: Grace Hopper, The Queen of Code →

Allison McCann, FiveThirtyEight:

You probably don’t know the name Grace Hopper, but you should.

As a rear admiral in the U.S. Navy, Hopper worked on the first computer, the Harvard Mark 1. And she headed the team that created the first compiler, which led to the creation of COBOL, a programming language that by the year 2000 accounted for 70 percent of all actively used code. Passing away in 1992, she left behind an inimitable legacy as a brilliant programmer and pioneering woman in male-dominated fields.

Hopper’s story is told in “The Queen of Code,” directed by Gillian Jacobs (of “Community” fame). It’s the latest film in FiveThirtyEight’s “Signals” series.

A must-see 15-minute documentary. Watch it now.

Matte Shot’s ‘Kubricks’ 2001: One Man’s Incredible Odyssey’ →

NZPete, Matte Shot:

2001 is one of those rare pictures where almost every shot is suitable for framing, and I've even gotten onto the VFX shots yet.  The interiors or space stations and shuttle craft are simply exquisite in both set design and cinematography.  The shots aren't flashy like most of today's over indulgent hyperactive camerawork.  The shots are beautifully framed and often held on screen for a long period of time without a cut, or uneccessary camera movement.  Perhaps it's my age catching up with me but I really enjoy a 'slow' and deliberate exercise in film making where time isn't of the essence.  In fact, I could go another 20 minutes of the film (which I believe Kubrick chopped after the initial premier). As this is a special effects blog I want to naturally concentrate on that facet of the production.  I've included many fine BluRay frames below from most every effects sequence and a few, hard to find behind the scenes photos that I've managed to come across from various sources, though I dearly wish I could find more!

Every time I watch 2001, I’m blown away by how current the film looks. Now I know why.

/via Daring Fireball

An Anti-Vaxxer Activist Explains Why He Buys a Debunked Idea →

German Lopez & Dan Olmsted, Vox:

Dan Olmsted is the editor of the website Age of Autism and author of multiple books that purport a link between vaccines and autism — a link that researchers have debunked again and again. In 2006, Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) cited Olmsted's research in introducing legislation to direct the federal government to further study concerns about vaccines.

Olmsted has written in particular detail about his concerns over thimerosal, a mercury compound that used to be — but is no longer included — in routinely recommended childhood vaccines, with the exception of the flu shot. He argues parents should be wary of vaccines because of a supposed risk of autism, despite the overwhelming scientific evidence to the contrary.

I spoke to Olmsted on Monday about his work, why he thinks vaccines cause autism, and how he views the current Disneyland measles outbreak. Something to notice in our conversation is that the fear of vaccines isn't evidence-free: Olmsted cited a slew of specific studies to support his stance. The problem is the evidence doesn't hold up.

Make sure you read through all the way to the end to see how each “point” Olmsted makes, on top of his overall assumption, is false. My god, it must be so simultaneously terrifying and  wonderfully masturbatory to live in a world where you get to pick and choose what facts are true.

And, no, really—vaccinate your fucking kids.

Review of ‘Almost Famous Women’ on ‘Fresh Air’ →

Maureen Corrigan, NPR’s Fresh Air:

The concern with a collection like this one is that it's going to be continually genuflecting before these women, turning those who were only historical footnotes into minor female deities and sacrificing complexity for reverence. It turns out, though, that author Megan Mayhew Bergman is not just a worshipper.

As a Fresh Air listener, and as a writer, I pay particularly close attention to Corrigan’s book reviews. I couldn’t help but be downright giddy to hear that my friend’s new book a. got a review and b. got such a terrific review. You should read Megan’s stuff because she’s a great writer, sure, but also because she’s one of the nicest people I’ve met in the writing world. After you listen to the review, why not buy the book?

The NYC Subway, Through the Eyes of Stanley Kubrick in 1946 →

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Chris Wild, Mashable:

In 1946, Stanley Kubrick, then aged only 18, took these photographs of the New York Subway and had them published by LOOK magazine.  He photographed for the magazine from 1945 to 1950.

According to Helen O'Brian, head of LOOK's photographic department, Kubrick generated the highest number of published articles of any photographer she had worked with. At the time, Kubrick was the youngest photographer LOOK had had on its books. 

What’s most amazing about these images—besides the novelty factor of who they’re by and from when—is that in a few, you can clearly see Kubrick’s composition style already taking shape. It’s most obvious in the image above and in the final image of the woman standing alone on the platform.

/via ManMade and Alex Zic

David Sedaris’ ‘Let It Snow’ →

David Sedaris, The New Yorker:

Winters were frustratingly mild in North Carolina, but the year I was in the fifth grade we got lucky. Snow fell, and, for the first time in years, it accumulated. School was cancelled, and two days later we got lucky again. There were eight inches on the ground, and, rather than melting, it froze. On the fifth day of our vacation, my mother had a little breakdown. Our presence had disrupted the secret life she led while we were at school, and when she could no longer take it she threw us out. It wasn’t a gentle request but something closer to an eviction. “Get the hell out of my house,” she said.

We reminded her that it was our house, too, and she opened the front door and shoved us into the carport. “And stay out!” she shouted.

I Want to Tell You About My Podcast →

So, for a couple of weeks now, I’ve been making references here and there to my latest project, a podcast. Last week, I made it clear that if you looked, most of the information about it was right out in the open.

Well, today I’m ready to officially announce it.

The show is called I Better Start Writing This Down. The subtitle is “I leave a lot out when I tell the truth.” It’s going to be a monthly show and the first episode will premiere in one week from today, on February 2nd. But, because attention spans are short, and if you’re on the East Coast, you’ll need something to help you ride out this snowstorm, there’s a trailer up on iTunes already, Ep. 0, called “An Introduction.”

What I need from you all is support. Listen to the trailer and, if you enjoy it, tell a friend. Like the Facebook page. Tweet about it; use the hashtag #IBetterStart. Most importantly, rate/review the show in iTunes. I cannot stress enough how important this is. There are something like 250,000 podcasts in the iTunes Store. The only way to rise slightly above the masses is with the help of others. I’m okay with that, though. It just means I have to make something for you all that is worthy of your time. I think I’ve done that. Also, my goal (dream) is to get the show into the “New & Noteworthy” section on iTunes before the first episode goes live in a week. This can only happen with your help.

So, how do you listen?

There are plenty of ways to find the show:

-Search for it in the iTunes Store; just search for my name. Or, even easier, here’s a direct link to it in the iTunes Store.

-If you’re someone who uses a 3rd Party podcast app, you can search within it, or you can copy this URL and paste it into the app. That’ll get you the show almost instantly when I post it.

-You can listen to the show on SoundCloud if that’s your thing.

-Hell, you can listen to it in just a regular old browser window by bookmarking the show’s page (which you should check out anyway). Scroll down to ‘Episodes.’

This is the most exciting project I’ve undertaken in a while. I’ve got some cool stuff coming in the future around it, a couple of interesting spins on how I’ll approach advertising within the show, maybe some guests, but most important is, as the show’s description reads, the stories and the sound design.

So thanks for reading this, thanks in advance for your support, and I hope you enjoy listening to I Better Start Writing This Down as much as I enjoy making it.

Ed. Note: I don’t know if I’ve ever explicitly stated this before, but any text on this site that is orange is a clickable link.

“Olikoye” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie →

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie:

“I will name him Olikoye.”

“Oh.” She paused. “I didn’t know your husband was Yoruba.”

“He’s not. We’re both Bini.”

“But Olikoye is a Yoruba name.”

“Yes it is.”

“Why?” she asked. My contractions were slow. I told Sister Chioma to sit down and I would tell her the story.

Imagine the gall, the self-centeredness, it takes to turn down a vaccination. Even worse, to attempt to talk others out of them. There’s an entire world that would never even dream of it. Adichie captures that sentiment perfectly in this short, lovely piece of fiction. Her novel Americanah should be at the top of your To-Read list.