Links for 2005-05-11

Posted May 11, 2005 1:18 AM.

• On (Design) Bullshit - An interesting piece on the rationalisation for design decisions that people make on fundamentally aesthetic grounds I think it underestimates the value of the expert in knowing what will work but not being able to express it, but otherwise it's pretty interesting and funny / relevant.
• Colonel Sanders Gets A Face Lift The omni-present feel of smoothed-out Illustrator derived imagery is starting to alarm me a little...
• A New York Times' internal study suggests starting a weblog to better connect with their audience It's not the dumbest idea in the world - more interesting was the stuff about putting supporting material onto the internet...
• Malcolm Gladwell on Steven Johnson on pop culture and its capacity to make us more intelligent... "At the elementary-school level, homework seems to be of marginal or no academic value. Its effect on discipline and personal responsibility is unproved... They could be playing a video game, and giving their minds a rigorous workout."
• The Disney Muppets: why that just isn't funny (by Caitlin Moran - ex-NME superstar - of all people) Disney bought the Muppets for $30m last year and is now relaunching them. Will the corporation get the show's anarchic humour?