Kickoff For August 30, 2021
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:
Productivity
Not-to-do list: a conscious way to break bad habits, wherein Anne-Laure Le Cunff introduces a simple technique to help you break bad habits and to focus on what you really need to do.
The Practice of Truly Enjoying Time Off, wherein Leo Babuta offers some advice about how to take time off and not feel stressed or guilty about it.
In Defense of Thinking, wherein Cal Newport argues that taking time to deeply think about a problem or task lays the foundation of actually dolving it or getting it done.
Space
Should We Terraform Mars? Let’s Recap, wherein Brian Gallagher looks at the (mainly online) war of words around whether humans should change the Red Planet and whether that’s even possible.
Could humans have contaminated Mars with life?, wherein geneticist Christopher Mason ponders whether or not there could be life on Mars, in the form of microbes or spores that hitched a ride on one of the close to three dozen probes we’ve sent there.
Is Mars Ours?, wherein Adrian Mann examines some of the ethical issues around humans colonizing and changing Mars in our (and our planet’s) image.
The Dark Side of Technology
Why Is Ransomware on the Rise?, wherein we learn how the rules, reasons, and consequences of the titular cyber attacks have changed and what companies should (but which many don’t) to prevent attacks.
This Manual for a Popular Facial Recognition Tool Shows Just How Much the Software Tracks People, wherein we learn how the user guide for a particular facial recognition tool provides insight on just how people can be identified and followed through its facial recognition.
How to Negotiate with Ransomware Hackers, wherein we delve into the murky world of ransomware attacks and learn more about the people who negotiate with the perpetrators.
And that’s it for this Monday. Come back in seven days for another set of links to start off your week.