joshuago’s Bookmarks

Great tips for the socially awkward on how to keep a conversation going and how to engage in small talk.

A time-tested formula may not determine the difference between good or bad taste, but it does predict common taste. And that makes the formula quite useful when you're choosing colors.

The only metrics that entrepreneurs should invest energy in collecting are those that help them make decisions. Unfortunately, the majority of data available in off-the-shelf analytics packages are Vanity Metrics: they might make you feel good, but they don’t offer clear guidance for what to do.

Here's the problem for states that want to pry more money out of the wallets of rich people. It never works because people, investment capital and businesses are mobile: They can leave tax-unfriendly states and move to tax-friendly states.

When the people’s strength had been diluted sufficiently, the enemies descended upon the land and ravaged the countryside.

To completely misread the intended purpose of the article: a good inspiring read to motivate yourself to build a good personal and professional network. The oil fixer relies on his contacts all over the world. "Of course you offered the advice pro bono, but you used that to build your network."

The group writes software this good because that's how good it has to be. Every time it fires up the shuttle, their software is controlling a $4 billion piece of equipment, the lives of a half-dozen astronauts, and the dreams of the nation.

A good overview of current Yahoo! assets. Serves as a reminder that Yahoo! still has plenty of cool, relevant products under its corporate umbrella.

Blogger founder (now Twitter CEO) Evan Williams weighing in to say that Blogger should build a network of networks, point people to good content, get more out of the nav bar, create prettier templates, help people use the layout engine, make posting fast, become the aggregator, put ads in the app interface, and just do something radical.