Kickoff For July 1, 2019
Welcome to this week’s edition of the Monday Kickoff, a collection of what I’ve found interesting, informative, and insightful on the web over the last seven days.
Let’s get this Monday started with these links:
Technology
Could We Blow Up the Internet?, wherein we learn that it’s not all that easy to physically destroy or cripple (or even heavily damage) the infrastructure that delivers the internet.
The continuing, appalling idiocy of “modern”, “smart” phones, wherein we learn that true innovation in the smartphone world isn’t around features and ergonomics, but should be focused on creating a standard battery for all phones.
On the Trail of the Robocall King, wherein we enter the world of one of TripAdvisor’s fraud investigators, who tracked down a notorious autodialer operator, and in which we learn how big a problem robocalling is in the U.S.
Environment
A Future Without Fossil Fuels?, wherein Bill McKibben analyzes the global move towards renewable energy, the obstacles that move is still facing, and the consequences it will have on the energy industry.
A World Without Clouds, wherein we learn how losing clouds, in conjunction with climate change, could result in the Earth warming to catastrophic levels.
The Vulnerability of Home on an Afflicted Planet, From California to Calcutta, wherein Torsa Ghosal ponders the effects of climate change on her homes (India and the U.S.), and how in that regard the two countries aren’t all that different.
Odds and Ends
How To Lose Everything And Get Some Of It Back, wherein we hear the story of former pro basketball player Gus Gerard who, after sliding into the abyss of addiction, managed to pull himself back out and put himself on the road to a relatively normal life.
Smartphone Seminar, wherein Camille Miller shares the story of how her 86-year-old grandfather bought his first iPhone and how he understands better than most of us what this technology is for.
The New Social Network That Isn’t New at All, wherein we learn why newsletters are (re)gaining popularity, and why many people and firms are using them rather than social media to share and promote their work.
And that’s it for this Monday. Come back in seven days for another set of links to start off your week.