fun facts
A real life Weekend at Bernie’s.
“Police in Brazil have detained a woman suspected of wheeling a dead man, who she said was her uncle, to a bank to withdraw a four-figure loan.” ~ learn more
under the microscope
Things could be better.
Science does not have to be written with dry language and locked away behind inaccessible journals. Adam Mastroianni proves the point by publishing the results of eight studies he conducted. “It goes like this: when people imagine how things could […]
better doing
Lindley’s paradox.
On null effects in science. “What’s more convincing? p = 0.04 in a sample of 10 or p = 0.04 in a sample of 1,000,000?” ~ learn more
better doing
A word to the resourceful.
One of Paul Graham’s essays from 2012: “A year ago I noticed a pattern in the least successful startups we’d funded: they all seemed hard to talk to. It felt as if there was some kind of wall between us. […]
under the microscope
A critical take on Lantern Bio’s cavity-defying microbes.
In January of 2024 I shared a post about Lantern Bio, who’s “product is a genetically modified bacterium which infects your mouth, outcompetes all the tooth-decay-causing bacteria, and doesn’t cause tooth decay itself”. This data scientist makes the valid point […]
better doing
How to speak more confidently and persuasively.
This is an interesting interview with Matt Abrahams, who teaches a class on strategic communication at Stanford. I liked this framework because it’s easy to remember: “What? So What? Now What?” ~ learn more
tech, startups, internet
Mark Zuckerberg interview where he comes off quite likable.
With podcast host Dwarkesh Patel, he discusses Llama 3 (and 4) and the how regulations around energy production could become the rate-limiter for AI because data centers are power hungry. ~ learn more
big ideas
Bill Gurley speaks from the heart on regulatory capture.
He shares the story of his Washington DC lawyer advising him to get some friends in a room together for a visit from a congressman. He was early in his investing career and the startup he had backed needed support! […]
profiles of people
Rags-to-riches of the century: Francis Ngannou.
“His story even starts like a folk tale. Poor even by the standards of his native Cameroon, Francis lived with his grandmother in a one-room, brick-and-dirt house in the village of Batié. From the age of 10, he worked in […]
thoughts of food
3G Capital quietly exited its Kraft Heinz investment last year.
Warren Buffett is supporting the company, or holding the bag — depending on your perspective. “Brazilian private equity firm 3G Capital quietly sold off its 16.1% stake in Kraft Heinz in the fourth quarter, nearly nine years after masterminding the […]