Adam Savage: How Simple Ideas Lead To Scientific Discoveries

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From the TED Talks video page:

Adam Savage walks through two spectacular examples of profound scientific discoveries that came from simple, creative methods anyone could have followed -- Eratosthenes' calculation of the Earth's circumference around 200 BC and Hippolyte Fizeau's measurement of the speed of light in 1849.

What's Really Wrong With Goldman Sachs

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Lawrence Lessig, writing a special column for CNN:

Since at least Adam Smith we have known that markets with good morals are more efficient than markets without. But we cannot rely upon the gossamer threads of being good when having more money than God is the reward for being bad. Good law is needed, if good culture is to have a chance of return. As expected, Lessig's piece is worth the read.

The iPad Reviews Are Out

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The embargo from Apple to the writers who had been given review units was lifted last night. At 9:00 pm last night, my Twitter feed was flooded by authors posting their reviews. I spent most of my evening reading a great many of them. I wanted to share the few that I thought were best. * John Gruber: iPad (3) * Jim Dalrymple: Review: iPad third generation * Jason Snell: Review: The third-generation iPad * MG Siegler: The New iPad Makes Apple’s Tablet Domination Clearer Than Ever * Joshua Topolsky: iPad review (2012) The consensus: The retina display is a sight to see.

Why I Left Google

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James Whittaker:

The Google I was passionate about was a technology company that empowered its employees to innovate. The Google I left was an advertising company with a single corporate-mandated focus. [...] Suddenly, 20% meant half-assed. Google Labs was shut down. App Engine fees were raised. APIs that had been free for years were deprecated or provided for a fee. As the trappings of entrepreneurship were dismantled, derisive talk of the "old Google" and its feeble attempts at competing with Facebook surfaced to justify a "new Google" that promised "more wood behind fewer arrows." The days of old Google hiring smart people and empowering them to invent the future was gone. The new Google knew beyond doubt what the future should look like. Employees had gotten it wrong and corporate intervention would set it right again. If you read anything this week, read this. When I tell people that I dislike Google as a company and have made the decision to quit using their products, they often ask me why. This is why. On the outside it has been apparent to me, as well as other folks, that these changes have been happening at Google in the last 3-4 years beginning with Google's backstabbing Apple and releasing Android. Whittaker's posts reinforces, from someone who has been on the inside, what I've seen happening from the outside perspective.

Chris Prillo's Dad Compares Windows 8 to OS X

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Chris Prillo, incensed that Microsoft's design for Windows 8 is hostile to new or novice users, tries to prove a point by videoing this father trying to use Windows 8 for the first time. Prior to this, he had only used Windows XP. A day later, he videoed this father doing the same, but for OS X. His dad is an iPhone and iPad user, but had never used an actual Mac. Watch:

5by5 Morning Zoo Editor's Cut

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Internet friend Ted Severson made one gem of an audio clip.

On a recent 5by5 AD, Dan and Merlin were throwing around the idea of a 5by5 Morning Zoo. Here’s what I think should be the first promo for said show. If like me you are a huge fan of 5by5.tv, and specifically Dan and Merlin's riffs on a hypothetical morning zoo show, you need to go listen to this.