Collection 002 of the Miscellaneous Materials reading club has several themes to offer this month.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/gp1br29qy6deaam/20190329-002-MicellaneousMaterials.zip?dl=0

I've been working on some ideas related to how AI/Machine Learning/Neural Networks might enable interesting design directions. In my discussions the ideas revolve around how the computer can become a collaborator to help find novel analogies or interesting variations on a layout or design direction rather than come up with everything itself. Basically its a way to rapidly sketch; or perhaps a sort of oblique strategies generator that provides actual design-spiration; not just a prompt. So, with that aim, I reread and rewatched some things from Robin Sloan. In his Eyeo talk from a couple years ago he mentioned two sicentific papers about neural networks. I searched some of them out, and they're included in Collection002 today.

- Generating Sentences from a Continuous Space.pdf
- TheAnnalsOfTheParrigues.pdf
- A Hybrid Convolutional Variational Autoencoder for Text Generation.pdf
- Curating Simulated Storyworlds.pdf

If you have any other ideas related to this; use cases you want to try; whatever, message me and we can see how to progress together!

There are also some pieces about sustainability from a few different vantages

- Creating Sustainable Mobility and Mobility Justice.pdf
- An interesting, incomplete accounting for the "sustainability" of various electronics: SUSTAINABLEELECTRONICS.pdf
- SustainableWelfareDegrowthAndEco-socialPoliciesInEurope.pdf
- decolonization and sustainable self-determination.pdf
- NordicGuideSustainableFoodPolicyFULLTEXT01.pdf
- Scaling_Civic_Tech_final.pdf
- Sustainable Ancient Aquaculture mini-white with footnotes.pdf

And then a handful of just some other interesting things I came across:

- ApproriationIsItFinished.pdf
- FF_JCR_Feedback.pdf » dealing with feedback in different forms...
- howtobeincludedonwikipedia.pdf » part of the art+feminism project; interesting advice
- IntroductionToOceanWaves.pdf » holy cow; woah; so interesting.
- Kepes_Gyorgy_Language_of_Vision.pdf » oldie but a goodie; happy to have come across this pdf!
- The Cat is Out of the Bag_ Orientalism Anti-Blackness and White.pdf » interesting investigation into some less positive takes on Dr. Seuss's oevre
- The framing of politics.pdf

Sorry if this is too much; or too random!

https://www.dropbox.com/s/gp1br29qy6deaam/20190329-002-MicellaneousMaterials.zip?dl=0

The next collection is meant to have more of a focus on the ethics of designing; who we design for; how we decide what to design; and also how our humanness plays a role in what we do & how we do it … that said I'm sure some other things will work their way in.

Let me know if you want to discuss anything further; have recommendations of your own; or just want to chat.

(Image from www.flickr.com/photos/library_of_congress/3239319120)