Pageless Writing Apps

šŸ”— Lex raises $2.75M for its AI writing tool that helps writers get past blocks.

The AI stuff is cool, but there was one thing about this app that made me want to keep using it: It has no historical baggage. I find it odd that many modern word processors like Google Docs and Word retain a bias toward pagination — the UX is intended for printing documents onto letter-sized paper. Lex, in contrast, does away with all that.

šŸ’¬ TechCrunch

Been exploring šŸ”— Lex.page for a couple ā€˜ months. I even pay - but not yet used it enough to know whether I am going to continue to pay.

That said, the above quote is interesting and I agree with the ā€˜historical baggage thought - but they are hardly at the vanguard of that kind of thinking!

It as if the writer has never heard of;

  • Craft
  • Ulysses
  • IAWriter
  • Drafts, et al

Let alone, Obsidian, Roam and Notion

Side note - Craft. Most definitely a personal favorite. And I am increasingly using it to share thoughts, ideas, minutes, reports to specific audiences - most often under ‘loose’ password control.

Cant wait to get my hands on the new stuff they have in Beta - though even that still wont solve what I really really want!

Adding to which their own foray into AI support, I just want to tie apps like that into a single world - and not have different versions of different LLMs spread around various apps. ANNOYING.


People Don't Read Anymore - Except When They Do.

šŸ”— Raw data: Book and newspaper consumption - Kevin Drum

There is a mantra in the world that people ā€˜don’t read’ (anymore?).

And on top of that - if they do - (very) short form - definitely not books.

I have long thought this to be wrong.

They certainly might not read your stuff. Or my stuff, but they do read - BUT - they read what interests them , what engages them and definitely not limited to stuff that appears at the top of lists.

Kevin’s short analysis on the data says that today we are spending twice what we spent on physical books 40 (or so) years ago. As he says - buying is not reading (šŸ‘‹šŸ¼ to the Unlibraries) .. but beyond physical books there are ebooks, blogs, newsletters … yup - we definitely aren’t reading any more - except when we do.


The Journey From ā€˜Word’ To ā€˜Catalyst’

Prompt:

Write a 5 paragraph article on the topic ā€˜word’

Response:

The Power of the Word: A Catalyst for Change

Words are more than mere strings of letters; they are the building blocks of communication, carrying the weight of meaning and emotion. From ancient oral traditions to modern digital communication, words have shaped human history and culture. They have the power to inspire, educate, and connect people across distances and generations. The impact of words is profound, making them a vital tool in expressing ideas, sharing knowledge, and fostering understanding.

Historically, words have been instrumental in shaping societies and movements. The speeches of leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and Winston Churchill rallied people to action, inspiring hope and perseverance. In literature, words have captured the complexities of human experience, from the existential musings in Dostoevsky’s novels to the poetic reflections in Maya Angelou’s works. These words not only entertain but also challenge societal norms and provoke critical thinking, demonstrating their power to influence thought and behavior.

In the realm of business and technology, words play a crucial role in branding and marketing. The right words can convey a company’s mission, attract customers, and differentiate products in a crowded market. In a world where digital presence is paramount, the words used in websites, social media, and advertisements are key to building a brand’s identity and connecting with the audience. The choice of words can evoke emotions, build trust, and foster loyalty, highlighting the strategic importance of language in commerce.

Words also have a significant impact on personal development and relationships. They can uplift and encourage, or they can wound and alienate. Positive affirmations and constructive feedback can boost confidence and foster growth, while harsh criticism and negative language can have the opposite effect. In relationships, words are the means through which love, empathy, and understanding are expressed. The way we communicate with others, the words we choose, and the tone we use can strengthen or strain connections, underscoring the importance of mindful communication.

In essence, words are a catalyst for change, capable of shaping our world in myriad ways. Whether in public discourse, personal interactions, or creative expression, the words we use carry immense power and responsibility. As we navigate an increasingly interconnected world, the careful and thoughtful use of words becomes ever more critical. By harnessing the power of words wisely, we can inspire positive change, foster deeper connections, and contribute to a more understanding and compassionate world.

Prompt:

Please distill this article to a single word … (pasting previous output into the prompt)

Response:

Catalyst


So there you have it.

ā€˜Word’ is a ā€˜catalyst’.

ā€˜Word’


šŸŽ„ SAS: Red Notice, 2021 - ā˜…ā˜…ā˜…

It is what it is. Of a kind. Set up for a sequel that prolly won’t be made. Netflix calls it something different. Don’t know why.


SAS: Red Notice, 2021 - ā˜…ā˜…ā˜… (contains spoilers)

This review may contain spoilers.

It is what it is. Of a kind. Set up for a sequel that prolly won’t be made. Netflix calls it something different. Don’t know why.


šŸŽ„ A Most Wanted Man, 2014 - ā˜…ā˜…ā˜…ā˜…Ā½

The only reasons it’s not 5 stars is that I find it hard to give 5 stars because 5 stars means it can’t be improved. Now .. how could this be improved .. I have no idea, just wonderful. Quite wonderful. The original book coming from one of ā€˜my Johns’ (LeCarre), provided a solid foundation. Cast GREAT. PSH .. magnificent. Cannot be,I eve it’s taken me 10 years to get to it.


Death Is Not Free

šŸ”— It’s time to ask once again why it costs so much to die in Aotearoa.

I for one did not know this and come to think of it - I don’t know what the ‘cost of dying’ is in other countries either.

In New Plymouth, for example, it could cost over $7,200 for a burial … represent(ing) the burial plot itself.

Umm - burial?

Once you’ve covered the expense of the burial, there are a number of additional costs that can make the actual cost of dying far greater – the figure often cited in the media for an average funeral is $10,000.

Rough dollar translation … take 60% of those numbers for the US dollar.

Meanwhile in California …

Then again the average Californian income is three to four times that in New Zealand.


We Are Being Forced To Conform

It’s 18 months old - but šŸ”— this post from TimUrban resurfaced this morning, where he talks about how long it took to write his book, reminding me of a post I have had parked for a while now. Time to unleash it.

The title of this post was originally ‘Are We Being Forced To Conform?’ I changed it because as I read it before publishing, I think I answered my own question. We are.

It all started as I was šŸ–‡ļø building on this post which was about flavor (šŸ”—the original Substack and how it reminded me of Rick Beato’s piece on people not understanding something being ā€˜šŸ“¼ šŸ”— out of tune’). Small potatoes really - a little bit o' fun.

At the time - over on Substack I commented on the flavor post

I couldn’t work out which bit to highlight so read the whole thing it’s the food version of Rick Beato talking about people not understanding what ‘out of tune’ means … and we wonder why the world is being turned upside down?

Then I started thinking more about a thread that emerged over on Micro.Blog, where @manton commented that he had started and been noodling a post for months before scrapping it and starting again before he published a post he had been noodling on Gaza.

šŸ”— The comments on the original post are informative

I think šŸ”— this is the post that Manton finally settled on., which on the whole assumes a reasonably fair and neutral position that everyone applauded .. and what is really not to love? (A lot IMHO - but that is for another post.)

What follows is the nub of my worry …

The French have (had?) an expression

vive la diffƩrence

.. that in my life I have used a lot, despite the fact that according to the OED, there are around 0.3 occurrences per million words in modern written English of the word ā€˜vive’ - let alone ā€˜vive la diffĆ©rence’. But heh - vive la diffĆ©rence šŸ˜‚

The phrase is used to express appreciation of diversity. Maybe that is why it has fallen out of use? Should I stop using it too?

When I was a lad I learned about standard deviation and how oft times populations fell into some kind of ā€˜normal distribution’ with the vast majority sitting within ā€˜Ā±3šœŽā€™.

It seems to this bear that no matter what our private beliefs and personas might be - the crowd is forcing us into only sharing the parts of our personas that fit the vanilla of modern life, with the result that on the face of it, society is forcing conversation in ā€˜the town square’ to something more like Ā±šœŽ - and you keep anything outside of that to yourself - for fear of retaliation.

Consider šŸ”— this post from @pratik for example.

Sadly the Internet has been weaponized and far from creating a place to be educated about the differences of people and countries and life - we are being forced into submission. It’s a place where ignorance is not so much celebrated as ignored - and ignored because on the whole it isn’t recognized, and if you do anything counter to the noise - expect to be piled on because šŸ”— you are either with us, or against us.

Our Way - Or The Highway

The Road Less Taken .. ā€˜Less’, by Bob, not to be confused with ā€˜Not’, by the other ā€˜Bob’.

Bob L agrees.


Rick’s video is referenced in para' 4.


Over The Space of 45 Minutes

I know the ā€˜series’ ended - but that doesn’t mean I don’t still take the pictures.

It All Started Here

15 Minutes After That

and 30 Minutes After That


Solving Big Questions - One At A Time

There are many deep questions in life that have been answered (case in point … sandwiches), but some remain.

This is my contribution to one such remnant.

This Way

Or This Way

Solved

/end


šŸ’¬ 5 Reminders

It’s Saturday - so just sorting out things that I saved and never did anything with - but these 5 - I dunno - good reminders.

In case anyone is confused …

… or stupid.

A solid reminder that I need from time to time.

The idea behind this one often resurfaces in my mind (not the precise words mind), but I find the essence to be a good reminder of the importance of stepping away. It isn’t really what he is asking about - but still right.

He’s talking about WeWork and Uber.


šŸŽ„ Hidden Strike, 2023 - ā˜…ā˜…Ā½

Nothing to do - it was Jackie - you know what to expect.


šŸŽ„ Find Me Falling, 2024 - ā˜…ā˜…ā˜…

Cute - ish … without Harry, wouldn’t have bothered. Been a while since I’d seen him … anywhere. Hallmark anyone?


What Is A High-performing System?

I thought I would ask ChatGPT 4o

A ā€œHigh-performing Systemā€ refers to a well-organized and efficient framework or setup that consistently delivers optimal results. This concept can apply to various contexts, such as organizations, technology infrastructures, or even processes. Key characteristics of a high-performing system include:

  • Efficiency: Resources, including time, energy, and materials, are used effectively, minimizing waste and maximizing output.
  • Integration: Components or subsystems work together seamlessly, ensuring smooth operations and coordination.
  • Reliability: The system consistently performs well under various conditions, maintaining a high standard of quality and dependability.
  • Scalability: It can adapt to increasing demands or changing circumstances without a significant drop in performance.
  • Innovation: The system incorporates the latest technologies and methodologies, staying ahead of the curve in its field.
  • Adaptability: It can respond and adjust to new challenges, changes in the environment, or shifts in requirements quickly and effectively.
  • Sustainability: The system maintains its performance over the long term, often incorporating eco-friendly or resource-conscious practices.

Ā 

In essence, a high-performing system is about creating and maintaining a setup that maximizes productivity, efficiency, and quality, while being adaptable and sustainable.


šŸŽ„ 2 Guns, 2013 - ā˜…ā˜…ā˜…Ā½

An older one. Couple o’ great action stars .. one of them a great actor .. but somehow the movie wasn’t great. Not bad, but not great.


You Can't Buy Snow Leopard via Apple.

Spoiler alert - I am talking about the book by Category Pirates, not Apple’s OSX.


I don’t recommend many business books .. in fact I don’t really recommend any, rather I recommend the authors, based on what I know, read and see them talking about. Christopher Lockhead is one such person and last week I recommended him again.

Email received this morning …

I tried buying Snow Leopard on Apple but only the audiobook is available.

I was more than a little surprised, but he’s not wrong. I even thought I’d sorted it ..by visiting the book on the šŸ”— Category Pirates web site, see the link to ‘Apple Books’?

Yeah No. Apparently - click on that button and you are taken to Amazon.

Which is a good place to buy the hard copy - but this takes you to Kindle and sorry, no, not going to be doing that.

I wonder why no Apple Books? I was wondering whether it was the name - and its clash with an earlier OSX. But that was FIFTEEN YEARS AGO, and as mentioned above, the audio book is available.

Weird - right?

Fear not - I am on the case and if I get answers I will report back.


By the way - don’t try visiting that book page on a phone, or even the mini iPad - looks like there is something askew with the media settings for the site.


šŸŽµ Nothing Absent At The Supermarket

Twenty Two Years Ago - give or take - my friend Bob told me to take a listen to an album he has just found called ‘In Abstentia’. Still at the top of my memory banks sees me sitting beside him at the back of some grey boring conference room in Sunnyvale listening to somebody droning on as he silently passed me his wired ear buds connected to his new iPod and watched me have my mind blown as I listened to …

šŸ”—šŸŽµ ā€Žā€ŽBlackest Eyes - Song by Porcupine Tree - AppleĀ Music

He dropped me the MP3s that evening - and in turn they got moved to my iPod for my listening pleasure. That weekend I was up in San Francisco and did a detour to this store.

Yes ā€˜that’ specific one - it had served me well thought the 90s and though Amazon was beginning to creep into my world - Tower still held a special place for me - particularly for special music.

… and the rest is history - I have heard it all (ok - not ‘all’ - the dude is prolific), but I do have over FIFTY of his albums in CD format and seen him live in different formats maybe eight times across two continents.

All this as a backdrop to this morning’s trip to the Supermarket.

.. and to say that if anyone spotted me this morning in the Supermarket - smiling, taking my head, bouncing even … this is why. (Jax believes Wilson’s music is sad and makes her sad.) Me? Yes it is sad - but I am with Wilson on this

ā€œI don’t tend to write songs about things that make me happy. I tend to write songs about things that make me angry or melancholic or sad. Those are the things that make me want to express or exercise something through my songwriting. There’s a lot of beauty to be found in sadness and melancholia."

šŸ’¬ Steven Wilson

In no particular order - other than this is the order the tracks got played .. and Yes … Apple Music - because why wouldn’t you?

šŸ”—šŸŽµ ā€ŽThe Watchmaker - Song by Steven Wilson - AppleĀ Music

šŸ”—šŸŽµ ā€Žā€ŽPariah (feat. Ninet Tayeb) - Song by Steven Wilson - AppleĀ Music

šŸ”—šŸŽµ ā€Žā€ŽPermanating (Ewan Pearson Mix) - Song by Steven Wilson - AppleĀ Music

šŸ”—šŸŽµ ā€Žā€ŽTrains - Song by Porcupine Tree - AppleĀ Music

šŸ”—šŸŽµ ā€Žā€ŽSectarian - Song by Steven Wilson - AppleĀ Music

ā€ŽšŸ”—šŸŽµ ā€ŽFour Chords That Made a Million - Song by Porcupine Tree - AppleĀ Music

ā€ŽšŸ”—šŸŽµ ā€ŽLike Dust I Have Cleared from My Eye - Song by Steven Wilson - AppleĀ Music

šŸ”—šŸŽµ ā€ŽThe Raven That Refused to Sing - Song by Steven Wilson - AppleĀ Music

ā€ŽšŸ”—šŸŽµ ā€ŽGrace for Drowning - Song by Steven Wilson - AppleĀ Music

šŸ”—šŸŽµ ā€Žā€ŽIndex - Song by Steven Wilson - AppleĀ Music

ā€ŽBelle De Jour - Song by Steven Wilson - AppleĀ Music

ā€ŽšŸ”—šŸŽµ ā€ŽPostcard - Song by Steven Wilson - AppleĀ Music

šŸ”—šŸŽµ ā€Žā€ŽPERSONAL SHOPPER - Song by Steven Wilson - AppleĀ Music - featuring Elton John on ‘Shopping List’.

šŸ”—šŸŽµ ā€Žā€ŽLuminol - Song by Steven Wilson - AppleĀ Music

šŸ”—šŸŽµ ā€Žā€ŽDeform to Form a Star - Song by Steven Wilson - AppleĀ Music

ā€ŽšŸ”—šŸŽµ ā€ŽSignify - Song by Porcupine Tree - AppleĀ Music


šŸŽ„ The Sleepover, 2020 - ā˜…ā˜…ā˜…

If you have run out of movies from the ā€˜Spy Kids’ franchise, well now you have one not from the franchise .. but that is pretty much the only reason to watch it .. with your kids/grandkids .. oh … and get ready for the question … 

> If mom was a baddy and all her old gang are not in prison .. how did she swing being in Witness Protection?

The answer?Ā 

Don’t be persnickety .. it’s a movie.


šŸŽ„ The Foreigner, 2017 - ā˜…ā˜…ā˜…Ā½

On the whole, when I eventually get to them (7 years in this case) I do enjoy Jackie Chan movies. This was no exception. If you aren’t into Jackie Chan movies, this won’t change your mind.


šŸŽˆ182/366 The Monkees Predicting ATS software THIRTY YEARS before it appeared.

A friend on LinkedIN recently made a comment and referenced a video clip in support of his argument, which truth be told, I can’t recall - but it definitely wasn’t about ‘ATS’.

šŸ”— šŸ“¼ This is the video clip .. it’s a scene from the Monkees TV show - this particular one directed by Bob Rafelson, written by David Panich - who I had never heard of - but given the subject matter of the clip, was intrigued enough to look him up .. IMHO - serious writing chops.

All this to say that if you have EVER been on the wrong side of one of those bloody ‘ATS’ machines that sift resumes before any human gets to it - this clip will resonate. It is from 1966 Series 1, Episode 3. The reality of ATS in business kicked off THIRTY YEARS LATER.