We’re asking contributors to put together their own collected observations like this one – and as always, if you’ve got an idea to pitch for The Interpreter, drop a line via the contact details on the About page.
It’s not Snakes on a Plane, but how about Organised Crime Gangs on a Plane? I’ve just adopted the brace position and made it through the Apple TV series Hijack featuring Idris Elba. While I may never be able to quietly take my seat on a long-haul flight again, this series with its real-time nail-biting drama and cliffhanger episodes amounts to good old-fashioned bingeworthy TV. And it’s a gentle reminder that we all put our faith and lives in the hands of a series of remarkable human-engineered and managed systems every time we get on board a plane!
What’s going on in tech, and social media in particular, is a huge part of the global public discourse. The roiling changes that affect the platforms that affect our lives are a huge challenge to keep up with. I’ve found Casey Newton’s Platformer a great read that navigates the politics and realities of social platforms – and saves you the chore of having to parse the formerly-known-as-tweets of a certain owner of the site formerly-known-as-Twitter. Benedict Evans’ weekly newsletter is also an inbox staple.
Beyond the socials, I’ve reverted to grumpy-old-man mode [Ed’s note: reverted?] and am relying ever more on RSS feeds for my daily reads. Those of us who remember Google Reader (ten years – RIP) have found our replacements, which mean we can curate our own sources and keep up with the topics that interest us. A great feature of sites such as Feedly, The Old Reader or BazQux is that they can now connect and aggregate a range of sites beyond just the old blog RSS feeds of old. Shameless plug – you can also add The Interpreter’s RSS feed to your lists!
