Founders Fund hosts a game of Mafia. “Venture capital firm Founders Fund gathered a group of tech leaders for an evening of Mafia, a murder mystery style parlor game. Players are secretly assigned roles and must use deception and debate […]
Why Japanese companies do so many different things. Toilet maker Toto is rolling in profits recently. “But Toto’s remarkable year doesn’t have much to do with toilets or bidets.” The piece uses Toto’s pivot into semiconductor components to explain why […]
Europe demands family dynasties. “Many European countries have ‘forced heirship’ laws that require people to leave 50-75% of their estates to their children.” It can even claw back lifetime gifts, making it harder to fund charities and foundations at scale. […]
Queensbridge. I spent a night in Long Island City and walking from the train stop to my hotel, I passed the housing project where one of my favorite artists, Nas, grew up. “From a neighborhood perspective, the album was very […]
I hired a pro to debunk aliens; it backfired. “When he published, I was shocked by the results. They actually made me slightly more confident in UFOs.” The author hires famed debunker Peter Miller expecting a clean takedown of the […]
The world’s most complex objects. “To ship one requires 40 freight containers, three cargo planes, and 20 trucks.” ASML’s EUV lithography machines are basically rolling miracles, and the whole semiconductor industry is bottlenecked on them. ~ learn more
Protein mania meets math. “Americans, broadly speaking, are in a state of protein mania.” Whey prices are spiking and the USDA says “inventories remain tight,” with some manufacturers already sold out for the year. ~ learn more
The creation of instant coffee. “These essences were made by boiling down brewed coffee to concentrate it. This damages the flavor, producing a bitter, unpleasant drink, hence the old saying that ‘coffee boiled is coffee spoiled’.” Instant coffee only became […]
Why airlines are always going bankrupt. “Airlines are the classic example of an “empty core” industry: an industry that is structurally incapable of reaching competitive equilibrium.” The piece argues that the sector can be profitable or competitive, but not both, […]
What is dry needling and does it work?. “Dry needling targets trigger points, or tight knots of muscle, with the goal of relieving pain and improving range of motion.” The NYT breaks down what it actually is, what the evidence […]