Why is Argentina poor? “Around 1900, Argentina was 2x richer than Japan, and over 4x richer than Taiwan, South Korea, and China. But all these countries are now richer than Argentina.” Factors like land concentration and poor economic policies have […]
How well does anti-money laundering work? Not that well, it seems. Despite international efforts, “most claims of ‘success’…are unsupported by relevant empirical evidence.” Recent scandals, such as a major U.S. bank failing to monitor $18.3 trillion, cast doubt on the […]
This 1993 Atlantic article stood against laissez-faire economics. I don’t endorse this view, yet it isn’t completely baseless. “Today’s Anglo-American world view rests on the shoulders of three men: Isaac Newton, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and Adam Smith.” This perspective treats their […]
Solar energy hits new low cost. “In the sunniest countries, it costs as little as £0.02 to produce one unit of power, making it cheaper than electricity generated from coal, gas or wind.” Researchers from the University of Surrey argue […]
A different view on data centers and rising electricity rates. “Someone asked me about electricity rates increasing in areas that are serving new AI datacenters. It’s a fascinating story because it reveals multiple levels of coordination failure.” ~ learn more
A Bitcoin-denominated regulated life insurer. The news is they raised some venture money, not not super newsy, but I look at it as the continued growth in the landscape of crypto products. “Founded in Bermuda, Meanwhile offers life insurance and […]
The case for insane asylums. This is probably controversial and borderline political, but I will share anyway. “a recounting of recent attacks by the insane, a history of america’s attempts to deal with severe mental illness, and an argument for […]
Per capita energy-related CO2 emissions down in every US state. Between the years 2005 and 2023 the average decrease is -30%, driven by a shift away from coal power plants. “In Maryland, coal and natural gas accounted for 56% and […]
Data centers could make or break electricity affordability. “But here’s the twist: if we plan them intelligently, the very data centers driving costs today could become one of our best defenses against rising rates. The reason is this: whether a […]
Humanity will shrink, far sooner than you think. Not long ago I shared an optimistic take from Tomas Pueyo. His point of view was that technology may soon make it easier and more desirable to have more kids. This Economist […]