Most links I find interesting end up in my Google reader shared items feed but this one was special. I took the Nerve.com design quiz and this was my result:

You got 12 out of 20 correct.

You’re a Tasteful Trend Watcher. You’ve got a copy of Metropolis magazine on your Design Within Reach coffee table, a MacBook on your Ralph Lauren four-post bed and an area rug from the high-end of Target. Your clothes are vintage, or from Perry Ellis, Ben Sherman, Diesel or Betsy Johnson. You’re thinking of trading in your Mini Cooper for something equally green. You’ve been saving up for an iPhone, and wondering if you’re too old to pull off a Von Dutch cap. You’re not too old, my friend — wear it with those patterned Chucks high-tops.

As some might know… nothing in this could be further from the truth. It’s just painfully off base… iPhone, MacBook??!! Seriously…they’ve got to be kidding. I wonder what it would say if I got something like 18 correct?! ;)

I seriously want to dive into one of these…

The National Swimming Center (the Watercube) in Beijing is now open for business with “Good Luck Beijing” 2008 Swimming China Open… and I’d love to try it out.

Photo by Chris Bosse

via Tropolism

Phil Renaud of Fadtastic posted an interesting anectode regarding the effect different fonts had on his essay grades.

Total Times New Roman styled essays: 11
Average Grade: A-

Total Trebuchet MS styled essays: 18
Average Grade: B-

Total Georgia styled essays: 23
Average Grade: A

The only thing I know for certain, is that I’d give a negative grade to any paper set in Comic Sans. Wouldn’t even bother reading it.

Subvert posted a list of what they think are top 10 interactive design agencies but, as is common with such lists, the debate continues. Nobody denies their excellence but some dispute it should be renamed into “top web standards development agencies” or some such… that there are many agencies that rank higher, operate with higher budgets, attract bigger clients etc.

I think that’s a valid argument, after all… if you’re a fortune 500 CEO you likely don’t really give a damn about web standards. You want the job done regardless of how things work underneath. The Subvert list basically gives you a runthrough of standardista blog movement celebrities ignoring the much larger segment of the “real world agencies” that just get the job done (and get paid by people who don’t care and can afford not to care).

However, they should all strive to become the top 10 on Subvert list…