Web pioneer and writer Aaron Swartz committed suicide yesterday. He was 26. Cory Doctorow’s obit is excellent, and the last sentence in Larry Lessig’s post is incredibly sad. Many know Aaron for his breadth of political, legal, and technology interests and accomplishments. It was an extreme example of transparency, of living out loud. MORE >>

As the on-going battle between parties in the congress winds on, it occurs to me that USA citizens might want to change how and why they vote for a representative. We’ve got it wrong. We voted for Gridlock! Representatives in a republic are not supposed to “do your bidding.” It’s the opposite of innovative. MORE >>

Summary : Finding the right technical parter is the biggest need I hear from Entrepreneurs. In this interview I share insights from Rob Di Marco, one of the most accomplished developers and businesspeople I know. Before you approach the next developer about joining your startup you may want to get insights into how Rob thinks about opportunities. MORE >>

Andrew Douglass, a University of Houston undergraduate majoring in Management Information Systems, just won a $2,500 WordPress scholarship from WordCamp Houston. He plans to put the cash prize towards software, hosting services, and tuition payments. WordCamp Houston is a day long event focused on the WordPress Community. Congratulations Andrew! MORE >>

Alain de Botton is amazing person to follow on Twitter. He’s also a stimulating author and an inspiring ideas entrepreneur (via the School of Life ). Recommended. Highlights below. For instance, much of what is best about Christmas is entirely unrelated to the story of the birth of Christ. Prejudice and ethnic strife feed off abstraction. MORE >>