Reading

Al Jazeera's live news updates covered developing stories in February 2010, including the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Hurricane Milton, and US aid to Israel. via Al Jazeera.

Boing Boing shares a Reddit discussion debating the most depressing films.

E. Barandiaran comments on the new Chilean cabinet's strong educational backgrounds, noting their degrees from prestigious universities and experience in various sectors. via Marginal Revolution

Einstein had a very busy year in 1905, formulating special relativity, writing about the photoelectric effect, and finishing his doctorate, all before turning 27. Read more about Einstein's incredible 1905 chronology on kottke.org. via kottke.org

Older books required readers to cut open each page with a paper knife, and the "deckle edge" seen on many modern books imitates that look. via kottke.org

Jason Kottke shares his experience using Chatroulette, where he encountered a wide range of users and situations. He also links to a New York magazine article that discusses the platform.

This weekend roundup of blog posts from Steven Landsburg covers topics ranging from debt and deficits to a proposal to reduce carbon emissions.

Coordination Problem is a blog written by Steven Horwitz that shares recent and archived posts about economics. The blog features links to a variety of economics resources, including other blogs, organizations, and books written by the blog creators.

via The source of this content is Coordination Problem.

Michael Jacobson found it ironic that Coca-Cola charges more per ounce for smaller cans of Coke while also opposing soda taxes.

FlowingData's blog post compares Data.gov.uk and Data.gov, examining the design and usability of both government data platforms. via FlowingData

Scott H Young's blog post, "Does the Ideal Life Depend on Your City?", explores how location can unexpectedly impact lifestyle, using his experience of biking more in France as an example.

via Scott H Young

Garry Kasparov discusses the history of machines playing chess against humans and how computer analysis has subsequently changed how humans play the game. via kottke.org