The Annual Japanese Phone Answering Competition

Robert Capa's surprising color photos, Google's 2013 Zeitgeist, Nico Muhly's review of Beyoncé and more

“Ohayou gozaimasu!” A record 12,613 office workers competed for the national title at the 52nd All-Japan Phone Answering Competition. Only one was crowned champion but the top finalists all exuded politeness and eloquence—and showed that formal phone answering is serious business in Japan. If you want to brush up on your own skills, take note of what it takes to win: “A strong contestant takes …

The WeTransfer Experience

Robert Capa's surprising color photos, Google's 2013 Zeitgeist, Nico Muhly's review of Beyoncé and more

Since Amsterdam-based WeTransfer hit the internet four years ago, file-sharing has never been easier—or sexier—and the service has been a hit among the creative community. Not satisfied with the status quo, WeTransfer recently appointed “mad scientist” and designer Nelly Ben Hayoun (whose well-known projects include a rocket ship-simulating La-Z-Boy armchair and inconvenient semi-domestic volcanoes planted in living rooms) as head of experience. Ben Hayoun has …

Link About It: This Week’s Picks

Robert Capa's surprising color photos, Google's 2013 Zeitgeist, Nico Muhly's review of Beyoncé and more

1. Japanese Temari Spheres Temari spheres, a craft brought to Japan from China in the seventh century, are hand-embroidered using bits of thread—often from old kimonos—which are carefully crafted into spherical balls (though they’re most certainly not meant for kicking around). A Flickr user recently discovered her grandmother’s collection of over 500 of the the folk art masterpieces, each revealing a unique geometric pattern with …