Articles

Six Links Worthy of Your Attention #520

Is there one link, story, picture or thought that you saw online this week that you think somebody you know must see?

My friends: Alistair Croll (Solve for Interesting, Tilt the Windmill, Interesting Bits, HBS, chair of Strata, Startupfest, FWD50, and Scaletechconf; author of Lean Analytics and some other books), Hugh McGuire (Rebus Foundation, PressBooks, LibriVox) and I decided that every week the three of us are going to share one link for one another (for a total of six links) that each individual feels the other person “must see.”

Check out these six links that we’re recommending to one another:

Black Death, COVID, and Why We Keep Telling the Myth of a Renaissance Golden Age and Bad Middle Ages – Ex Urbe. “This is a very long read. And absolutely worth it. We think the Renaissance was wonderful, and that the middle ages were bad. The reality is, the Renaissance was a period of tremendous upheaval and social injustice. New technologies flourished, alongside pandemics and wars. Maybe current times are another Renaissance—filled with invention, and horror, and injustice, and art. And, maybe, we can do better by looking at the past.” (Alistair for Hugh).
Michael Jordan: A history of flight – ESPN. “I’m not a sports guy, as should be abundantly clear from the links I suggest and my sheer lack of coordination (I’m the dunce who broke his leg, needing surgery, while getting a glass of water. No surprises here). But this story sort of makes me wish I were. It’s about Michael Jordan, and Nike, and North Carolina. It’s also a long piece, but also worth it. ‘Tinker Hatfield—yes, of those Hatfields—created the Air Jordan III in 1987, in time for MJ’s fourth NBA season. Thirty-three years later, Nike’s Jordan brand sells $3 billion per year in merchandise.’ Jordan is hard to put in a box, and clearly that’s how he likes it.” (Alistair for Mitch).
Rockhead’s Paradise – The Canadian Encyclopedia. “If there’s a better name for a Jazz club than Rockhead’s Paradise (opened in Montreal ~1930), or a better name for a jazz club owner than Rufus Rockhead, I don’t know what they would be. During the prohibition era, Montreal became sin city, where the liquor still flowed and music was loud, and Rockhead’s Paradise hosted musicians including Louis Armstrong, Cab Calloway and Billie Holiday to black and white crowds.” (Hugh for Alistair).
Show Girls – Meilan Lam – NFB. “A National Film Board of Canada documentary, about three dancers, Bernice, Tina and Olga, from Montreal’s swinging Black jazz scene from the 1920s to the 1960s.” (Hugh for Mitch).
The Looming Bank Collapse – The Atlantic. “My first reaction is: What else have you got for us in 2020? My second reaction is: What do you do? Do you get out of the market? Do you sit tight? Do you think this is wrong? Do you think this is more than probable? Do you stuff everything that you have in a mattress (if you even have anything)? If ever you wanted proof that we – as individuals – can only control how we feel about our situation, then this won’t unnerve you. If you’re someone who likes to think that you have control over more things… Well…” (Mitch for Alistair).
Brené with Ibram X. Kendi on How to Be an Antiracist – Unlocking Us – Brene Brown’s Podcast. “Like many of us, I am now on journey of self-discovery. I used to think that I wasn’t racist, then I watched the documentary, 13th on Netflix (if you don’t have Netflix, don’t worry. Just click the link or look below, it’s showing for free on YouTube), starting reading Ibram’s excellent book, How To Be Antiracist, and started to no longer attach the idea of ‘racism’ with hoods and burning crosses. I have been non-racist… and that’s a problem, not a solution. It’s hard to see, admit and figure out (that’s what privilege does). So… new journeys… new conversations… new listening… new paying attention… new thinking… new attitude… and more. I’m not sharing this to pat myself on the back. I’m only at the starting gate of learning and (trying) to grow. I am hopeful that others will take a listen to this conversation between Ibram X. Kendi and Brene Brown, and just listen. Just listen… then think deeply…then… act.” (Mitch for Hugh).