🔮 Crystals & Colonics
Clouds never make mistakes.
Hi, friend. It’s a new year, and that means a new issue is mildly hot off the press keyboard.
There’s a few things I’m thankful for as we kick off 2018, but above all, I’m thankful that you’re still a subscriber. It’s been a fun challenge for me to write these each month, and it’s something I plan to continue for the foreseeable future. If there’s anything you’d like to see more (or less) of, just reply to any issue—feedback is encouraged.
Happy cleansing! (If you need inspiration on that front, see here and here.)
HIGHER BROWSING
The Internet is more secure because of lava lamps
Cloudflare is a computer security firm that helps encrypt roughly 10% of the traffic on the Internet, including websites like Uber, OKCupid, and FitBit. Since computers have a tendency to create predictable sequences, they’ve created a new, more random process: a giant wall of lava lamps.
In short, the lamps help generate truly random numbers that are used to encrypt all the data flowing through their system. These guys almost definitely smoke weed, too.
• The Lava Lamps That Help Keep The Internet Secure (YouTube, 03:29 watch)
• Encryption Lava Lamps (Atlas Obscura, 02:00 read)
NOT A PAPERWEIGHT
Robot bees have arrived
…and now they can fly, swim, and dive in and out of water. I knew Richie Rich was on to something back in 1994.
• Aerial-Aquatic Microrobot (YouTube, 01:21 watch)
MIND-WATERING
Shower thoughts will save us all
Whenever you’re looking for some thought-provoking words of wisdom, look no further than the subreddit Showerthoughts. You won’t regret it.
Some recent gems:
Mirrors are always bought used.
No one ever says "Hey, Stranger" to actual strangers.
Everything is a boomerang if thrown upward.
• Showerthoughts (Reddit)
THE NEW NFL
Professional gaming is the next big thing
Like most people, you’re probably in the camp that thinks eSports (video games as a spectator sport) is weird. But according to Activision Blizzard, a bunch of highly-paid players, some billionaire team owners, and millions of dedicated fans, it’s anything but a joke.
The Overwatch League is poised to overtake most traditional sports and bring professional video gaming into the mainstream. The game’s following has grown rapidly since its launch in May of 2016, becoming the fastest game to reach 30 million players.
• The Overwatch Video Game League Aims to Become the New NFL (WIRED, 05:00 read)
• Overwatch League Season 1 -- everything you need to know (ESPN, 04:00 read)
• Overwatch League: The Path to Glory (YouTube, 03:25 watch)
APPLE MAPS STILL BLOWS
Google Maps’ moat
If you had a sneaking suspicion that Apple Maps was still lagging behind Google Maps, you’re right. They're WAY behind. Here’s why: Google is doing some amazing things with aerial imagery and computer vision algorithms. So much so that it’s giving them a massive lead (moat) over their competitors. I’m sure Apple Maps will close the gap over time, but for now, I’m sticking with the Google.
• How far ahead of Apple Maps is Google Maps? (Justin O’Beirne, 16:00 read)
CLOUDS NEVER MAKE MISTAKES
Choice
There’s nothing more calming than a talk from Alan Watts.
I loved this clip from his lecture about choice, as well as the drone footage it’s been paired with.
• Choice (YouTube, 08:23 watch)