Dub is an open-source link shortener with detailed analytics for each link you generate, including geolocation, device, browser and referrer information. Obviously, you can bring your own domain. Team features allow you to share the same link database among multiple users.

Concepts is a sketching up for all mobile devices, providing an infinite canvas where everything you draw is an editable vector. With a variety of tools for drawing, colour selection, laying and aligning, Concepts is a great companion for engineers, illustrators, UX designers, architects – pretty much any visual thinker. Friends of DD enjoy an extended 30-day free trial. Become a Friend to access specials like this.

This iOS app distils a number of newsletters that you select (mostly news related) into an audio version you can listen to. I don’t think this would work with a curation newsletter like DD and, to be frank, I’m generally sceptical about converting everything into machine-made audio just because we can. Synthetic voices make me feel even more like I’m transforming into an automaton.

We can’t predict the exact impacts of a warming climate on any specific location, but we can make assumptions based on broad projections. In this mapping tool, enter your location to see what climate it compares to 60 years into the future. E.g. London may feel more like Bordeaux; NYC may feel more like the middle of Arkansas.

Our Biggest Fight →

Reclaiming liberty, humanity & dignity in the digital age

An urgently needed call to action for building a healthier and more equitable internet that frees users from Big Tech’s exploitation, recognises individuals’ rights to their data, safeguards children and prioritises the common good. “Information is the lifeblood of any society, and our current system for distributing it is corrupted at its heart. Everything comes down to our ability to communicate openly and trustfully with each other. But, thanks to the dominant digital platforms and the ways they distort human behavior, we have lost that ability – while, at the same time, we’ve been robbed of the data that is rightfully ours.”

The Invisible Doctrine →

How neoliberalism runs our life

In his newest book, political writer/activist George Monbiot along with filmmaker Peter Hutchison offer sharp criticism of the “invisible doctrine” that they claim is at the core of the polycrisis of our time: neoliberalism. “They show how a fringe philosophy in the 1930s – championing competition as the defining feature of humankind – was systematically hijacked by a group of wealthy elites, determined to guard their fortunes and power. Think tanks, corporations, the media, university departments and politicians were all deployed to promote the idea that people are consumers, rather than citizens.”

I don’t agree with all of her arguments here (especially her generalised view of ‘therapy culture’), but Freya India has a point when she says that traditional religion used to provide us with a kind of stability and guidance we’re desperately searching for today. I don’t think religion has fitting answers to many of today’s complex challenges but there is a spiritual hole that causes us much distress. “Mental health apps teaching us to track and take seriously our every emotion. Wellness companies pretending we can buy our way to spiritual well-being. The whole lot of it – this nudging to put our own needs first, this message that makes no room for kindness or generosity, that sees obligations to other people as obstacles to our mental health. And that we kid ourselves is self-reflection but really is self-obsession.”

I didn’t know that Jack Conte, the founder of Patreon, is such a prolific musician and artist himself. In this talk, he shares his story of starting one of the first ‘internet bands’ that still makes music today, and why he so strongly believes in the ‘true fans’ concept. Like most tech talks, there are a few cringe-worthy cliché moments, but I’m generally aligned with his vision of an internet where small, passionate communities support creative endeavours that don’t (solely) depent on Big Tech.

Another solid piece by Psyche, offering practical advice on how to keep your cool when something is triggering your ‘threat system’. “As you become more familiar with the things that tend to trigger a threat response in you, and learn to anticipate and notice when they occur, you can intentionally plan to help your threatened self feel a bit safer in these tough situations – setting yourself up to choose a different path. You can learn to take the high road, even when things get challenging.”