Robot Monkeys

The San Francisco Bay Area, has two airports in the top five for laser-aircraft incidents according to the FAA. While the FAA didn’t release the total number of incidents, the relative ranking of the airports are are:

1. Chicago’s O’Hare Airport
2. Los Angeles
3. Phoenix Sky Harbor
4. Mineta San Jose
5. Oakland

Money quote from the article:

The U.S. Marshals Service Office theorizes it may be due to the number of people involved or interested in high tech. While some portion of the laser shooters are thought to be middle-aged methamphetamine users looking for thrills, other shooters are young, well-educated and interested in science, science fiction and are tech-savvy, officials believe.

SFO? Where are you?

People will often want more information than they can actually process. Having more information makes people feel that they have more choices. Having more choices makes people feel in control. Feeling in control makes people feel they will survive better.

— The Psychologist’s View of UX Design by Susan Weinschenk

versus

Autonomy and Freedom of choice are critical to our well being, and choice is critical to freedom and autonomy. Nonetheless, though modern Americans have more choice than any group of people ever has before, and thus, presumably, more freedom and autonomy, we don’t seem to be benefiting from it psychologically.

— Barry Schwartz, “The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less”, 2004, Chapter 5

via Unknown 8 Bit

via Swiss Miss:

Quotes on Design (also via Swiss Miss)

Previously

Coilhouse discuses Jesse Reklaw’s Applicant, a collection of found photographs and applications to the an “Ivy League” Biology PhD program from 1965 to 1975.

It’s so amazing just how sexist and horrible each of these comments are. Good Ol’ Boys Club indeed.

This has been kicking around the tubes for a while, but
Bre Pettis of Make, Thingiverse, and of NYC Resistor fame, along with Kio Stark have written what they call The Cult of Done Manifesto. It’s only 13 lines, but it boils down to the same sage advice that’s been around for years.

1. Start today.
2. Build one to throw away.
3. Nothing is ever finished.
4. Nothing succeeds like success