👓 SoundCloud, Which Rose to Stardom on Indie Talent, Lays Off 173 | NYTimes

Read SoundCloud, Which Rose to Stardom on Indie Talent, Lays Off 173 by Ben Sisario (New York Times)
The layoffs cut the streaming music site’s work force by about 40 percent and could be a way to make it more attractive to a buyer.
Yet another reminder to own your own data and have your own website. Exporting and hosting all this data won’t be easy and if it goes under, it’s a huge hole in the internet.

👓 A Former Politico Editor Is Using Ethereum to Help Fix Journalism | CoinDesk

Read A Former Politico Editor Is Using Ethereum to Help Fix Journalism by Michael del Castillo (CoinDesk)
A new project staffed with media heavyweights envisions how news outlets could be disrupted and decentralized by blockchain tech.

👓 Media Companies Are Getting Sick of Facebook | Bloomberg

Read Media Companies Are Getting Sick of Facebook (Bloomberg)
News outlets are complaining about Facebook’s terms for TV-quality videos meant to compete with YouTube.

👓 Some Trump supporters thought NPR tweeted ‘propaganda.’ It was the Declaration of Independence. | Washington Post

Read Some Trump supporters thought NPR tweeted ‘propaganda.’ It was the Declaration of Independence. by Amy B. Wang (Washington Post)
Some Twitter users reacted angrily to the thread, accusing NPR of spamming them or pushing an agenda.
HA!

👓 Meet the Authors of a Mind at Play: How Claude Shannon Invented the Information Age | IEEE Spectrum

Read Meet the Authors of a Mind at Play: How Claude Shannon Invented the Information Age (IEEE Spectrum)
Jimmy Soni and Rob Goodman wrote the first biography of the digital pioneer

📺 Brexit II | Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)

Watched Brexit II from Last Week Tonight (HBO)
In the wake of a divisive election, the UK will begin the process of leaving the European Union. John Oliver and an intergalactic space lord propose a plan.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyVz5vgqBhE

📺 Harding | Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)

Watched Harding from Last Week Tonight (HBO)
John Oliver unveils Last Week Tonight's collection of presidential wax statues and brings Warren G. Harding's incredible life story to the big screen.
I’m so excited to see this as I’ve just made an offer on a house in a neighborhood known as “President’s Row” on a street named Harding!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cBV8KFFasY

📺 Sinclair Broadcast Group | Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)

Watched Sinclair Broadcast Group from Last Week Tonight (HBO)
Sinclair Broadcast Group is the largest owner of local TV stations in the country. That's alarming considering that they often inject political views into local news.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvtNyOzGogc

👓 How to See What the Internet Knows About You (And How to Stop It) | New York Times

Read How to See What the Internet Knows About You (And How to Stop It) (New York Times)
Welcome to the second edition of the Smarter Living newsletter.

📺 The Bridge S1, E13; S2, E1

Watched The Bridge S1, E13; S2, E1 from FX
When a body is found on the bridge connecting El Paso and Juarez, two detectives, one from the United States and one from Mexico, must work together to hunt down a serial killer operating on both sides of the border.
I feel like season 1 should have ended at episode 10ish with the big showdown on the bridge.

The final few episodes of the season should have just been part of season 2.

📺 The Bridge S1, E6-12 (FX)

Watched The Bridge S1, E6-12 from FX
When a body is found on the bridge connecting El Paso and Juarez, two detectives, one from the United States and one from Mexico, must work together to hunt down a serial killer operating on both sides of the border.
Still not sure quite what to think of this. There are some interesting characters, some quirky plot points, and regular and perverse surprises one wouldn’t have suspected. Things come to head in a hokey manner but then keep moving on without any real thrust. While it might be the idea of cinéma vérité they’re going after, it really just feels like unprofessional and unfocused writing.

There’s only two seasons, so I may press on, but it’s becoming more and more reluctant. Perhaps I’ve just been spoiled by some great stuff lately.

👓 Owner of Frederick Douglass property incorporates Baltimore history, African-American artwork to continue abolitionist’s legacy | Baltimore Sun

Read Owner of Frederick Douglass property incorporates Baltimore history, African-American artwork to continue abolitionist's legacy by Brittany Britto (Baltimore Sun)
After years of living away from his native Baltimore, Gregory Morton was looking for a hometown haven. Little did he know that his search would lead to a property so filled with history that he would be proud to share it with the world. Today, home for the 35-year-old Morton is 524 S. Dallas St. in Fells Point — one of five alley houses on the street that abolitionist Frederick Douglass had built in the 1890s. Douglass, who was born into slavery on the Eastern Shore and went on to become a world-renowned orator, author and newspaper editor, built the homes as rental properties for African-Americans, according to the Maryland Historical Trust.

👓 IndieWeb Summit 2017 Wrap-Up! | Aaron Parecki

Read IndieWeb Summit 2017 Wrap-Up! by Aaron PareckiAaron Parecki (Aaron Parecki)
Thanks to everyone for coming to IndieWeb Summit 2017! We had a fantastic and productive weekend! This year was the best documented IndieWeb event yet! Thanks to everyone who contributed to documenting the sessions and demos! Saturday We started off with a few keynotes, videos of which you can find ...