Through Lines 202

Nerd alert: as much as I enjoy Star Wars on the big screen, it’s proven over many years to maybe, possibly be even better in animation form — if only because it’s allowed for deeper character development, something that’s rare in sci-fi franchises.

• “…you can only blow a balloon so big before it pops, and when that balloon pops, a lot of people suffer.” A lengthy, but saliently wise article from Doc Burford on the greatest threat to any business.
• Speaking of, and very much related to the above — Just another day in the corporate blender. “It is like before a tsunami, when the water goes. You don’t see the water, and then the tsunami comes — all of a sudden, it comes, hard.”
• A new look at the magnetic fields surrounding Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way.
• 5,400 Images from the Getty Research Institute are now available as open content. It’s important for people to be able to experience art in person, but since that’s not always possible, better digital access is important. Just be sure to pay attention to any specific usage permissions.
• Anil Dash’s Make better Documents is absolutely required reading for quite literally everyone because it may surprise you how shockingly bad most people are at this.
• Also from Anil, a clear set of expectations regarding reason in technology and AI systems specifically which currently are far too unpredictable to be reasonable.
• In Designing Landmark (a personal favorite), Doug Wilson dives into the history, inspiration and creation of the venerable classic by Tobias Frere-Jones and co.
• Good reads: Typography Papers issues 1 to 9 from the University of Reading.
• Max Siedentopf’s Passport Photos project is one of the funniest things I’ve seen in a long while. A big toque tip to Chris Glass for this one. Also, fish cursor lolz.
• A fourth book in the Southern Reach trilogy by Jeff VanderMeer? Yes, please.
• Craig Frazier’s brilliant illustration work is simply some of the best. I’m very much looking forward to spending a lot of time with Drawn (which arrived this week).
• My good pal Tim has an exciting solo show coming up at the Compound Gallery in May. Don’t miss it. I plan to be there for the opening on May the 4th.
• The sliding scale of giving a f**k. Not everything is a 10.
• Unexpectedly related: The Five Levels of Hype.
• RIP American surrealist author John Barth.