Thursday 13: Thirteen interesting articles I read this week

eth and I returned Wednesday evening from journalism camp in Ellensburg, Wash. A great camp, and lots was learned by all. But the lack of wi-fi in the dorms was a bit sad for this internet-dependent soul; the iPad saved my bacon, truly. I streamed Netflix, I checked email, I tweeted and Facebooked, I took notes while sitting in class sessions... it really played the role of a mini-computer. Thank the 3G gods for connectivity!

But my ability to save/bookmark articles was limited (I still haven't gotten that piece of things working properly yet on the iPad), so I emailed articles to myself quite frequently. Kind of your lazy-woman's approach to a feed, don't you think? Very 2000 of me, if I do say so myself!

As I was cleaning out my email upon my return home (to my happy wi-fi situation), I thought I'd share some of my favorite news or blog articles of this week, in no particular order.

1. The secret to success article on The White Hot Truth site. I swear, I've been saying this for years... now to actually DO it, consistently. Therein lies the challenge!

2. From a blogger who is tired of the "brand" mantra, her manifesto:
The internet is made of people. People matter. This includes you. Stop trying to sell everything about yourself to everyone. Don’t just hammer away and repeat and talk at people—talk TO people. It’s organic. Make stuff for the internet that matters to you, even if it seems stupid. Do it because it’s good and feels important. Put up more cat pictures. Make more songs. Show your doodles. Give things away and take things that are free. Look at what other people are doing, not to compete, imitate, or compare... but because you enjoy looking at the things other people make. Don’t shove yourself into that tiny, airless box called a brand—tiny, airless boxes are for trinkets and dead people. -Maureen Johnson

3. On Twitter, my friend Jen shared this piece on how 16 companies got their names. Enjoyable trivia!

4. This Why I'm Not Hiring article from the Wall Street Journal is an interesting read on how it stacks up from the employers' side, dollars-wise. Frankly, the current system doesn't seem to work well for either side of the equation right now.

5. I like copyblogger most all of the time, and this article on increasing your online influence is valuable--if I implemented a fraction of these it would be helpful!

6. Can't help but put a spoonful of food love in here: The LA Times had a tidbit on figs and I loved the following paragraph especially: "The fig lover develops almost a mystical rapport with his fruit, alert to the many external hints—striated or stretch-marked skin, a touch of sunburn and a drop of honey at the bottom—that a supreme treat lies within." Mystical rapport. Supreme treat. Yep, that about sums it up!

7. This New York Times opinion piece on plagiarism got my wheels turning. Tiny sample: "All texts are palimpsests of earlier texts; there’s been nothing new under the sun since Plato and Aristotle  and they weren’t new either; everything belongs to everybody." This is not necessarily the author's opinion, but one that has been floated in recent years as viable, and one that calls into question the very notion of originality... these days plagiarism relates to much more than academic papers/books or journalistic practices, as the world of the internet has broadened everyone's horizons and makes "borrowing" easy and source-citing quickly forgotten and rarely noticed.

8. 20 magazines with the largest circulation from the Huffington Post. You'll at least get a smile from the one with the highest circulation, OR maybe not be surprised at all...

9. Anne Rice quits Christianity. This news gem has gotten a fair bit of play, and I read a number of articles about the whys and wherefores; not really surprising to me, her perspective. I appreciated this piece from the Washington Post, as well as this one written by Rev. Bill Schuler. Always intriguing when someone's innermost life (I can't think of anything more inner than spirituality) makes mainstream news. Or rather, when someone chooses to reveal these things to the world. I get why she's revealing, but it just seems rather orchestrated for a sound bite.

10. Five tools for productivity. Again, now to implement... I think I will start the experimentation with RescueTime, though it freaks me out a bit... maybe I don't want to know how I allocate time on my computer?! (Or, maybe I already know...)

11. Tips for music blogging. Not that I'm considering starting a music blog, but I'm always on the lookout for new music, and this gave me more than a few good ideas of where to be looking...

12. iPhone coverage moving from AT&T to Verizon? We follow this particular news thread rather religiously around here. Just waiting for the day when our coverage improves and my (and now Seth's) cell bill gets smaller, with a simple switch in carrier.

13. Procrastination smashers. Some really good thoughts here; I think my personal favorite is #6: Sprint Against the Clock. I do love a deadline!

It's been an interesting week of reading online... I hope there was an article or two that you found interesting in that eclectic bunch!

For more Thursday 13s, go here.