RWC Linky

NZ is about to go a bit mental, because the Rugby World Cup is starting. For 6 weeks we will be in agonies of roaring enthusiasm, severe frustration, not a little wishing all the rugby and tourists would go away, and of course the barely-suppressed angst that we will once again lose the big dance despite being number 1 in the world. Forgive us, furriners, if we make even less sense than usual until the end of October.

Here are some linky that are strongly themed around subjects that are not rugby:

Translating book publisher promotional language

Oh man, I could watch this again and again and again: Schulz draws Charlie Brown

U.S. productivity indexed against wage levels. A simple graph that shows just how bad it’s gotten there (and throughout most of the Western democracies, although not to this extent.) Households responded by going into debt and sending both mum and dad out to work, but those responses are at capacity now – something’s gotta give.

Student runs a secret banned books library from her locker. Love it.

NYT gives a good explanation of decision fatigue, which is a good thing, because this is a crucial idea to understand what it means to be human. Read with reference to every single infuriating statement by economic conservatives and law’n’order bellowers that people should’ve made better decisions. (Game designers should also be aware of this too – there is scientific support for the idea of willpower as an expendable and diminishing resource pool.)

This is a creepy Korean comic that has been doing the rounds. There have been reaction videos. It’s fascinating from a technique perspective, and very successful as a done-in-one creepy tale. If you haven’t looked at it, you should. All in Korean but no translation is needed.

Someone does the numbers on that idea that if you click the first link in any Wikipedia post, and the first link in that one, and so on, it will eventually lead to Philosophy. Cool!

Video tributes to fake rock bands

Incredible insider account of the challenges in achieving diversity in film casting.

Okay I know I said I wouldn’t have rugby stuff, but look – if you are minding your own business and suddenly an official delegation from rugby turns up, and you need to make a speech in a hurry, here’s the tool for you!

And finally… workouts.