From Stratechery: “Generative AI flips this paradigm on its head: suddenly, there isn’t an abundance of supply, at least from the perspective of the end users; there is simply one answer. To put it another way, AI is the anti-printing press: it collapses all published knowledge to that single answer, and it is impossible for that single answer to make everyone happy.” ~ learn more
Wired reporting from the cutting edge… “There’s a wave of companies building so-called app-less phones and gadgets, leveraging artificial intelligence advancements to create smarter virtual assistants that can handle all kinds of tasks through one portal, bypassing the need for specific apps for a particular function. We might be witnessing the early stages of the first major smartphone evolution since the introduction of the iPhone—or an AI-hype-fueled gimmick.” ~ learn…
This was an interesting interview with Jason Carp, founder of Hu Products, Hu Kitchen, and HumanCo, a private holding company that invests in and builds brands focused on healthier living and sustainability. Listening to this, I was reminded exactly why I prioritize organic fruits and vegetables. ~ learn more
They write, “the problem with the current retail theft crackdown is that it is not based on actual crime trends nor the evidence on what works to reduce theft.” The data they point to certainly supports their claim. That data also, at the very very end, discloses this study limitation: “Without detailed information on the specific anti-shoplifting measures or reporting procedures taken by the retail industry, it is difficult to…
“Shein and Temu together send almost 600,000 packages to the United States every day, according to a June 2023 report by the U.S. Congress - is boosting air-freight costs from Asian hubs like Guangzhou and Hong Kong, making off-peak seasons almost disappear and causing capacity shortages, the sources said.” ~ learn more
Our bodies produce keratin, and it’s already added to shampoos to strengthen hair. When researchers encapsulated it in microspheres, good things happened. “In the keratin microsphere-treated group, hair regrowth commenced on the second day after treatment, with the growth rate subsequently accelerating. The effect was similar to that seen in minoxidil-treated mice.” ~ learn more
“For the high-experience musicians, the high-flow state was associated with increased activity in auditory and visual areas and reduced activity in key parts of the default-mode network. This suggested that the default-mode network wasn’t contributing much to flow-related idea generation. In contrast, the low-experience musicians showed little flow-related brain activity.” ~ learn more
“The largest tuna fishery in the world is also the most sustainable. How do the small island states of the Pacific prevent overfishing, develop their economies, and prepare for the imminent effects of climate change? Our report from the Marshall Islands.” I don’t love that this entire article is couched in climate change context, but I do love that the rest of this article is full of interesting info! ~…
“Invenergy founder Michael Polsky created the largest U.S. private renewable energy developer from scratch and says politics should get out of energy.” ~ learn more
Originally presented to me as a low-carbon alternative to flying arctic ice to Dubai for cocktails. “Here, a numerical model is used to simulate the deterioration of icebergs towed to Cape Town, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Moved at a speed of 0.5 m/s, an iceberg able to reach Cape Town must be at least ~ 300 m long and ~ 200 m thick at its time…