Reading

This Slate article argues that despite disturbing events, violence is historically low, supported by statistical trends in homicide, war, and genocide.

Research suggests that mindfulness practices can help mitigate biases related to age and race that people may not be aware they have. via Harvard Business Review.

GQ's New Standards of 2015 article highlights six menswear pieces, offering a modern take on classic style. via GQ.

Zen Habits encourages readers to practice being present and appreciate the small things to find peace in the current moment.

via Zen Habits

A WIRED writer attends a Jonathan Coulton fan cruise and reflects on what the experience says about nerds and "nerd culture". via WIRED

Good ideas are more valuable than predicting the future, especially in a world of constant change. via paulgraham.com

Programmer Fogus shares his picks for ten technical papers every programmer should read twice, covering topics from functional programming to distributed systems. The post links to each paper and encourages exploring their bibliographies to discover more relevant works.

via @fogus

Julie Irwin argues in this article that loyalty to leadership can be detrimental, challenging the idea that it's key to success.

FlowingData shares their picks for the best data visualization projects of 2014, including work from The Upshot, Mike Bostock, and more. via FlowingData.

This product review uses satire to comment on aspects of white privilege. via The source of this content is McSweeney's Internet Tendency.

This article lists 10 recipes that use leftover ham bone. via The Kitchn.

A confusing video about 2014 provides a unique look at how the year was experienced by those with Alzheimer's disease.