Some random stuff I’ve I’ve been reading (and watching):
- Gridlock economy – how too much use (or individual control) over a resource stifles progression (in the sense of innovation, money and mutually beneficial rewards). The speaker, Michael Heller, calls this the ‘tragedy of the anti-commons‘. This reminds me of an issue a friend’s extended family is having with a land deed in his village in Hong Kong: a patch of land is to be subdivided between the surviving descendants; however one of the families involved is disputing the process, and as the law requires all parties involved to agree, no one benefits from any land at all. I will probably buy the book.
- The dramatic effect of a firm nudge (FT.com) – why subtle encouragement is a win-win approach to social issues, rather than resorting to harsh slaps and bans.
- Red One: Ultra Hi-Def camcorder (via wired). Check out the video in that article. Look at the other videos in the play list. Marvel at the details that you would normally get from a 12 megapixel DSLR camera, but played back at 24fps. Beautiful.
- Segway inventor Dean Kamen with his water-purifying machine on the Colbert Report (via wired). A machine that can filter water out of any dodgy water source! That will be pretty useful if London’s desalination plant doesn’t hold up…
- Finally, the new Jquery website design. And wow, the rock star image didn’t last long did it? I thought it was a very bold step, but too bold for some it seems!