Shortlisted, Issue #92
The 13 best links I found this week, including: How LeBron James stays healthy, why the Confederate flag needs to come down now, what’s inside Beats By Dre headphones, and more…
Last week I asked, “What website or app do you love, that other people should know about?” Two of you recommended Pocket, a free tool that allows you to save articles for reading later. I use Instapaper, a similar tool. If you aren’t using Pocket or Instapaper already, take a look! Here’s the full list of your responses.
Arts and Culture
LeBron James’ Unfathomable Workload (Top pick)
Tom Haberstroh / ESPN / 7 mins
Great piece capturing sports scientists’ awe and concern over how hard James pushes himself. It also explores the astonishing efforts James makes to keep himself healthy. (Note: there is an autoplay video, so you may want to mute your volume before clicking.)
How To Read A Menu Like A Food Critic
Todd Kliman / Washingtonian / 4 mins
Great idea: a food critic marks up a menu to show what insights he takes away on ingredients, a chef’s influences, and more.
2 Kinds Of People
JR
Paired illustrations showcase the different ways people approach everyday decisions. A clever and enjoyable conceit.
Politics and World Affairs
These Are The Victims Of The Charleston Church Shootings
Jessica Simeone, Ema O’Connor, Tasneem Nashrulla, Tamerra Griffin / BuzzFeed / 7 mins
Of all the pieces I read about Charleston this week, this one moved me the most. What a joyful, loving, and generous group of people. Devastating.
+ Also worth reading: Take Down The Confederate Flag — Now. Ta-Nehisi Coates / The Atlantic / 3 mins
Release Of Encyclical Reveals Pope’s Deep Dive Into Climate Science
Anthony Faiola / The Washington Post / 9 mins
“Although he offers prayers at the beginning and end of his heavily anticipated missive on the environment, Pope Francis unmasks himself not only as a very green pontiff, but also as a total policy wonk.” Is there a more compelling public figure than Pope Francis?
Inside Obama’s Stealth Startup
Jon Gertner / Fast Company / 20 mins
The silver lining to the Healthcare.gov debacle: it showed that a talented and empowered group of technologists could make a profound difference in DC. Here’s a look at how the Obama Administration — and President Obama himself — is working to recruit top tech talent and set them to work remaking the government’s digital infrastructure.
Business and Economics
Lessons From A Study Of Perfect Pitch Decks
Kim-Mai Cutler / TechCrunch / 2 mins
Useful article, based on a Harvard Business School study, outlining what a successful pitch deck looks like and what pages matter the most, among other things.
Bring Me What?
Stephanie Pakrul / Medium / 2 mins
“A visual guide to on-demand delivery in San Francisco.” If this is the future, I’m never gonna leave my apartment.
How Pro Athletes Lose Everything
Maureen Callahan / New York Post / 9 mins
“You are barely out of your teens, and have been signed to a multiyear, multimillion-dollar contract by a pro team. You can expect another $20 million to $30 million in endorsement deals.” You are also likely to go broke by age 40.
Science and Technology
How It’s Made Series: Beats By Dre (Top pick)
Avery Louie / Medium / 3 mins
An expert tears apart a pair of $200 headphones and finds great design and manufacturing insights. For example: Beats adds zinc plates that serve only to make the headphones weigh more and feel less flimsy. Also: the estimated cost of goods is ~$17. Not a bad margin…
Listen To Wikipedia
Stephen LaPorte and Mahmoud Hashemi
See and hear Wikipedia change in real time, as gentle sounds play and circles glow each time a page is edited. The effect is surprisingly soothing. It’s also a reminder of Wikipedia’s sheer breadth: pages edited during my visit include Vlad the Impaler, Battle of Kursk, Teeth Cleaning Twig, and List of National Highways in India.
Blackstrap
2 mins
Blackstrap is a startup aimed at readers like you. If you find articles online but prefer to read them in print, Blackstrap will send you a personalized book on a monthly basis made of articles that you’ve saved via Instapaper or Pocket.
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