Become Interesting

Do you know someone who always has interesting things to talk about? They have a secret, but it’s probably more mundane than you think. I’d bet they just subscribe to a cool email newsletter. (Classic fundamental attribution error alert!) Here are my current favorites:

• 5 Intriguing Things by Alexis Madrigal. [Edit 1/2017: This is the new link to 5 Intriguing Things.] Topics include:

wearable computers, drones, biohacking, geoengineering, rockets, digital mapping, coercive feedback loops, autonomous everything, representing the Internet in art, synthetic biology, machine logic, weapons, artificial life, the future of work, corporate surveillance

• The World Bank’s Impact Evaluation Blog. A little wonky but really great summaries of new research along with thought-provoking questions about what impact is, how to best measure it, etc.

• The NonsenseNYC listserve, which advertises

independent art, weird events, strange happenings, unique parties, and senseless culture in new york city

• And a special shoutout to Noah Veltman‘s Wikipedia Advent Calendar, which sent me 25 amazing Wikipedia lists last December.

Any that I’ve missed?