Hi again, I’m Steve Makofsky and this is a semi-whenever list of interesting articles, podcasts and videos that I come across during the week. Hopefully you’ll enjoy it, have something new to think about, and share it with your friends. In case you forgot, this is in your inbox because you asked me to send it to you. You can unsubscribe by clicking the link at the bottom of this email.

Fuck cancer. Seriously.

This week I had planned on taking on a lighter film or two and in common 2020 form, had the wind knocked out of me when I read the news about the tragic passing of Chadwick Boseman at the age of 43 to cancer.

While he played many roles from Jackie Robinson, James Brown and Thurgood Marshall; he was known most famously as T’Challa, The Black Panther. Not only was the film a groundbreaking cultural phenomenon, the role shattered stereotypes and brought tremendous strength and depth to a super-hero character; Chadwick's portrayal gives the film its humanity.

And now we find out the entire time while filming he was also fighting stage three colon cancer; shooting these between surgeries and chemotherapy. It's just heartbreaking.

In one of the most moving video's I've watched since last night, was his commencement speech at Howard University in 2018 (view the entire 35 minutes on YouTube) on "The Power of Purpose" was particularly wonderful.

It's a crushing loss, in a year that has taken so much from everyone already.

Wakanda Forever.

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This weeks “Deep Links”

In more sad news Sir Ken Robinson also passed this week from cancer. He was one of the world's leading thinkers on creativity and innovation. He was highly critical of today's education system, and I will never forget the impact his 2006 TED Talk "Do Schools Kill Creativity?" had on me - Watch

An inside look at In-N-Out, owner Lynsi Synder's troubled past, and what the burger chain has in store for it's future - More

The power of scheduling distraction into your calendar, and the power of blocks of time that allow your mind to refuel - More

There's an interesting sub-culture that is starting to form around the AppStore that 'sits outside' of the AppStore - TestFlight. A look at Departures, a website that documents public links to join beta apps that stay in "beta" forever forever as a way to build exclusive audiences - More

While SpaceX and The Boring Company (and yes - I am one of the lucky few who got a "not a flamethrower"), the one I've been watching for some time is Neuralink. This week they demo'd their first brain implant working in a pig, but here's a read from 2017 that goes into way more details of what they are trying to accomplish - More

Now we have Goldman Sans, a 'neutral, with a wink' font from Goldman Sachs - More

One of my favorite apps on iOS is Darkroom. It has won Apple Design Awards, and is easily the best photo editing tool you can have on an iOS device. Here's a bunch of deeper tricks and tips for it - More

While I covered David Fincher's "The Social Network" a few months back on DeepLinks, I was fascinated with this detailed look at Aaron Sorkin and David Fincher's behind the scenes look at the production of the film - More

"Accidental destruction" and how clumsiness may be a pattern, rather than accident. It's becoming evident through this pandemic that people are becoming clumsier - More

There is a well-founded rise in the mistrust of social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook. Given the abuse these sites have down with your personal data, and the rampant spreading of mis-information, people want a more exclusive and safe place to share. MIT Technology looks at the rise of "private micro-networks" - More

Garmin is the latest to get on the HRV kick with their new "Body Battery" - More

Releasing direct to streaming this week is Bill & Ted Face the Music, 29 years after the last sequel. Many have described it as a "crash course on decency and kindness" and may be just the thing everyone needs in 2020 - More

30 minutes of reading; 30 minutes of writing; 30 minutes of play. It's how I've personally be handling this unique time, and now the New York Times has a good take on how play is "is an action you do that brings you a significant amount of joy without offering a specific result". Sounds like what everyone needs this week - More

End Thoughts

In my culture, death is not the end. it's more of a stepping off point. You reach out with both hands and Bast and Sekhmet, they lead you into a green veld where... you can run forever.