Published
Weekend Reading — Long Chile
This week we look at keyboards at the Oscars, the stupidest of security bugs, dating in DC, planes landing sideways, and an extra long Chile.
Open Source Rotary Cellphone h/t Mike Elgan
Design Objective
Kadi Kraman More e-commerce apps like this, please and thank you!
So fortunate that I was involved in adding this feature that lets you view clothes on models of different sizes!
Always amazed at the difference between the cover model and the alt model wearing the same size
All clothing sites should do this ☺️
Maia Bittner “EVERY APP SHOULD HAVE A DEMO MODE BEFORE SIGNUP 👏”
Tools of the Trade
Variety He's saying out loud how we all feel!
Taika Waititi jokes about what writers should be asking for in the next round of talks with producers: “Apple needs to fix those keyboards. They are impossible to write on. They’ve gotten worse. It makes me want to go back to PCs” #Oscars
Jean Yang Maybe a different outfit would help? 👇 “An opportunity too good to be missed! Oscars red carpet stars as keyboards, a thread.”
Myth: Your AWS bill is a function of how many customers you have.
Fact: Your AWS bill is a function of how many engineers you have.
vaguely reassuring state machines A new (to me) Twitter account to pass the time.
Lines of Code
Geoff Wozniak “A little bit of sass in the IBM 704 manual.”
Peopleware
Harvard Business Review That sounds exaclty like what you'd expect it to be: “Although 95% of people think they’re self-aware, only 10%–15% actually are.”
ADHDsurprise “I mean, that's apt. #ADHD”
Teamwork
State of Remote Work 2020 Highlights:
- 97% would recommend remote work to others.
- 80% primarily work from home.
- 32% say having a flexible schedule as the biggest benefit.
- 20% say loneliness and collaboration/communication as the biggest struggle.
Today in Business Models
Marketing Examples 👇 Thread about the marketing genius of Lil Nas X. When one channel doesn't work, try another channel, and find ways to use the system to your benefit
3/ So Nas got creative.
He stopped tweeting SoundCloud links and started writing a song he could promote through memes.
“It had to be short. It had to be catchy. It had to be funny.“ — @LilNasX…
8/ Nas wasn't stopping. He lined up remixes with some of music's biggest stars.
Billboard has a loophole where remix plays count towards the original song's chart placement.
With every remix millions more streams poured in, and Old Town Road became impossible to budge.
Merci Victoria Grace This is the most SV home listing ever:
I love this framing of home pricing as “seeking”, as if the house itself is raising a seed round to live out its dream of moving to SF and starting a company.
(Obvi DM me, House.)
Renovated Hayes Valley Victorian, with black-and-white facade, seeks $4.75M
Locked Doors
Security breach leaks the personal data of all 6.5 million Israeli voters | Snyk 😱 Simply unbelievable. View Source reveals a URL to endpoint that returns the user database with clear text passwords.
How Big Companies Spy on Your Emails “this shouldn't come as a surprise, free product = … didn't realize CCPA requires these apps to offer an opt-out feature.” If you're using GMail of course this is a moot point, only a question of how many companies you reading your email (add one more if you use work email).
The CIA secretly bought a company that sold encryption devices across the world This is such a fascinating story. For decades, the CIA and BND managed a Swiss company that made encryption systems, and solid compromised units to countries around the world. And how they almost got caught several times by their own emplooyees.
On Political Grounds
Confusion over ‘independent’ voters in California prompts redesign of voter registration card This is typosquatting but for political candiates:
Still, a survey conducted for The Times in 2016 found 73% of American Independent Party voters believed they were unaffiliated with any party. Voters from all walks of life — including celebrities, business leaders and the spouses of candidates — said they incorrectly filled out the forms.
Pinboard 🔥
There is a fascinating optical phenomenon with moral red lines, they will recede just as you approach them
Amber Jamieson “DC seems like an extremely normal and cool town full of extremely normal and cool people: https://www.washingtonian.com/2020/02/09/25-incredibly-dc-dating-stories-from-meet-cutes-to-nightmares/”
Available To Hire
Signal boosting people looking for a job. If your company is hiring, or you know someone who is, reach out to them. If you'd like to get included next week, email me at assaf@labnotes.org
Tampa Bae Experienced with React, Node.js, Java, Docker, and Kubernetes. Looking for a remote/flexible team.
Valerie Woolard Senior Rubyist and/or tech lead. DC or remote.
Darian Rosebrook 👋🏼 Product designer, history w/ UX, UI, and Brand Identity. https://cmps.co/2UCS9wp
annabelle bertucio Kubernetes and containers security, focuses on content, advocacy, and communication, with OSS background.
Ruby Quail Looking for dev or service design work. http://rubyquail.design
None of the Above
Craig Calcaterra 👇 The homework map thread. Have you seen the homework map thread? You must check out the homework map thread.
Daniel Vaughn “Received a PDF resume with a proper file name, but I'm unsure whether to be amused or annoyed by the difference in the actual PDF title. I'll give it an 80/20. It is clever though.”
Zoe Hong Cool trick, 100% recommend:
I also have a subscriber who just comments "engagement" on every video they watch, so they can give me youtube algorithm points even if they have nothing to say. I have the best subs.
Hart “Here’s the greatest tiktok I’ll ever make.”
Tiago Forte Sweet and hilarious:
My parents just told me they thought every weekly email I send is only for them, because I address it “hey folks.” They got on my email list a few years ago and from that point forward thought I wrote them an update every week about what I’m up to 😂😂😂
#StormCiara at London Heathrow - 20+ Go-Arounds and Crosswind Landings!! This guy is having the most fun narrating big jet landings at LHR during storm Ciara. So fun to watch. Turns out, one of these jets broke the subsonic record of, making it from JFK to LHR in under 5 hours.
Joshua Browder Love this idea! I hope if works and we can sue them out of existence.
Exciting news! We are launching a new service that gets you compensation from robocallers:
If a robocaller calls you, give them one of our virtual credit cards.
The card gets all their details and allows you to sue for up to $3k per call.
Zack Bornstein “Barkour!”
Science girl “This is a wireless antenna in California. Network coverage was disrupted by an Acorn woodpecker, a 3 ounce bird stashing an estimated 35-50 gallons/300lbs of acorns.”
James Felton “Imagine how fucking powerful this cat must feel”