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: 

• Tom Stoppard and the Last Crusade – Kottke.org. “Tom Stoppard‘s plays are legend. But I didn’t know he had a connection to Spielberg: He actually rewrote most of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Here’s an interesting retrospective on his involvement, his changes, and the life of a fascinating playwright.” (Alistair for Hugh).
  
• Paint.wtf. “I’ve written a lot about how AI and machine learning are going to change us as a species. We’re just starting to see how this might happen, from algorithms that pit us against one another for engagement and profit, to replacing white-collar jobs, to the injustices of recidivism and thoughtcrime. But there are millions of less sinister uses, from collaborative storytelling to designing user interfaces with words. Here’s a new one some data science friends put together: You try to get an AI to properly label your image. It’s like reverse Pictionary. It’s fun. Also, it’s one of the first examples of the human trying to accommodate the algorithm, rather than the other way around.” (Alistair for Mitch).
• The Changing World Order – Chapter 8 – The Archetypical Cycle of Internal Order and Disorder – Ray Dalio. “I’ve been reading Ray Dalio’s (famous hedge-fund guy) epistolary book, The Changing World Order, a sweeping historical analysis of the forces governing the rise and fall of global powers, and the implications for all of us today. His analysis of where we are in this cycle has been prescient, and his most recently released chapters (8 & 9) are a welcome (if depressing) framing of what happened on January 6th, 2021. I’ve posted links to chapters of this book before, and I suspect that I will again.” (Hugh for Alistair). 
• Honoka & Azita – Bodysurfing – YouTube. “I’ve never had any musical talent, but my New Year’s Covid project is to try to teach myself ukulele. I hope that, next year, I will post a version of myself playing this.” (Hugh for Mitch).
• Meet the proprietor of Toronto’s coolest comics store – BlogTO. “Here’s something that you may not know about me: I collect comic books. I have a ‘pull-list’ that I pick up nearly every Wednesday (which is the day that new comic books get released in North America) – big shout out to Komico, Crossover Comics, and Capitaine Quebec. I didn’t always collect comic books. I did when I was younger, but a couple of year’s back, I got sucked back in. What does this mean? Back when we used to travel, I’d always try to find the best (or closest) comic book shop to my hotel. I’d grab a coffee, go for a walk, and just walk the aisles (and dive into the bins). During Covid 19, I find myself reading much more, and this has only augmented my appreciation for this form of art and literature. Comic books get dismissed way too easily in our culture. Back when I had an office in Toronto, I would frequent Silver Snail. I think I just found another spot to hit once this pandemic goes the way of Krypton.” (Mitch for Alistair).
• Brian Eno has had a pretty good quarantine – Los Angeles Times. “I never tire of reading about Brian Eno, listening to him speak, watching documentaries about him, when he is interviewed, etc… There are so many layers to him as an artist, inventor, producer, thinker, and more. I wouldn’t even know how to classify him. He keeps busy. He keeps being interested in life. He asks great questions. He pays attention. He pushes me to think in strange and different ways. How’s Covid going for you? Here’s how it’s going for Brian Eno…” (Mitch for Hugh).

Feel free to share these links and add your picks on Twitter, Facebook, in the comments below or wherever you play.

Are you interested in what’s next? How to decode the future? I publish between 2-3 times per week and then the Six Pixels of Separation Podcast comes out every Sunday. Feel free to subscribe (and tell your friends ;):