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Lessons on Leadership: Michael Abrashoff on Turning the Worst Ship in the Navy into the Best Michael Abrashoff was in his mid-thirties when he took command of the USS Benfold, a guided missile...
23rd Oct 2022
118
23rd Oct 2022
Michael Abrashoff was in his mid-thirties when he took command of the USS Benfold, a guided missile destroyer and one of the worst-performing ships in the navy. Despite her potency, the “dysfunctional ship had a sullen crew that resented being there and could not wait to get out...
How to Become Data Driven The answer, like most things from Statistical Process Control, is more surprising and more obvious...
6th Feb 2023
106

How to Become Data Driven

from Commoncog [alt+shift+b] in finance

6th Feb 2023
The answer, like most things from Statistical Process Control, is more surprising and more obvious than you might think.
Apple’s 2025 Product Unveiling: What’s New and What Actually Matters Apple’s latest keynote delivered a sweeping set of updates across AirPods, iPhones, and the Apple...
9th Sep 2025
59
9th Sep 2025
Apple’s latest keynote delivered a sweeping set of updates across AirPods, iPhones, and the Apple Watch lineup.
The Creation of a Skilled Tycoon What it looks like when an Asian tycoon gets good at the game of business.
8th Dec 2025
1

The Creation of a Skilled Tycoon

from Commoncog [alt+shift+b] in finance

8th Dec 2025
What it looks like when an Asian tycoon gets good at the game of business.
Warren Buffett on Berkshire’s Valuation Warren Buffett has typically avoided commenting on Berkshire's stock price, but he has provided some...
3rd Mar 2025
1

Warren Buffett on Berkshire’s Valuation

from The Rational Walk [alt+shift+b] in finance

3rd Mar 2025
Warren Buffett has typically avoided commenting on Berkshire's stock price, but he has provided some clues that are worth considering.
Greg Abel’s Unique Challenge Greg Abel takes over as Chief Executive Officer of Berkshire Hathaway on January 1, 2026, a job that...
31st Dec 2025
1

Greg Abel’s Unique Challenge

from The Rational Walk [alt+shift+b] in finance

31st Dec 2025
Greg Abel takes over as Chief Executive Officer of Berkshire Hathaway on January 1, 2026, a job that will involve at least three major challenges.
Capital Gains Tax Hike: Sell Now or Hold On? A Canadian Investor's Guide Canada's recent federal budget has sent ripples through the investment and real estate communities....
24th May 2024
149
24th May 2024
Canada's recent federal budget has sent ripples through the investment and real estate communities. A key change: a looming increase in capital gains tax on sizeable transactions. This has many wondering – should I sell assets before June 25th, 2024, to avoid the taxman's bite?...
Deposit franchises as natural hedges Many observe that banks seem to be blowing up due to predictable consequences of rising interest...
5th May 2023
45

Deposit franchises as natural hedges

from Bits about Money [alt+shift+b] in finance

5th May 2023
Many observe that banks seem to be blowing up due to predictable consequences of rising interest rates. How did we get here?
What I’ve Been Reading Thoughts on the books I read in the second quarter of 2025
11th Jul 2025
1

What I’ve Been Reading

from The Rational Walk [alt+shift+b] in finance

11th Jul 2025
Thoughts on the books I read in the second quarter of 2025
The Irresistible Temptations of Centralized Power The only "reform" that changes our lives in a fundamentally positive way is radical decentralization...
1st Sep 2026
2

The Irresistible Temptations of Centralized Power

from oftwominds-Charles Hugh Smith [alt+shift+b] in finance

1st Sep 2026
The only "reform" that changes our lives in a fundamentally positive way is radical decentralization via distributing centralized power. Presidents like to deal with the CEOs of corporate monopolies for self-evident reasons: Rather than engage in the tedious, contentious...
The Fiacracy; A Mental Model for Modern Government This article will explain the following: 1. What is a Fiacracy 2. How do Fiacracies NOT work 3. How...
10th Aug 2024
50

The Fiacracy; A Mental Model for Modern Government

from Molson Hart's Blog - Molson Hart [alt+shift+b] in finance

10th Aug 2024
This article will explain the following: 1. What is a Fiacracy 2. How do Fiacracies NOT work 3. How Fiacracies work 4. Are Fiacracies sustainable 5. Why Fiacracies matter 1. What is a fiacracy? It’s government by fiat (money). The driving mechanism by which it works is not...
June ’26: Is zero tax worth the hassle? Monaco I was lucky enough to go to Monaco for the F1 in June. Something I feel quite strongly about...
19th Jul 2026
1

June ’26: Is zero tax worth the hassle?

from FIRE v London [alt+shift+b] in finance

19th Jul 2026
Monaco I was lucky enough to go to Monaco for the F1 in June. Something I feel quite strongly about and have written about before on this blog is how strong the monkey brain wiring is for us all to peg ourselves off the next rung up on the ladder. No matter how high up… Continue...
How to Run Smart Experiments When You Just Don’t Know How all good entrepreneurs run experiments at the earliest stages of a business, and how you can use...
20th Aug 2025
44

How to Run Smart Experiments When You Just Don’t Know

from Commoncog [alt+shift+b] in finance

20th Aug 2025
How all good entrepreneurs run experiments at the earliest stages of a business, and how you can use this approach for your own career.
Modeling Life: Foundations Herman Wouk was researching for a novel he planned to write about World War II. He interviewed...
7th Apr 2024
140

Modeling Life: Foundations

from Seeking Wisdom [alt+shift+b] in finance

7th Apr 2024
Herman Wouk was researching for a novel he planned to write about World War II. He interviewed several physicists at Caltech who had worked on the bomb, including Richard Feynman. After the interview, Feynman asked Wouk if he knew Calculus. “No,” said Wouk. To which Feynman...
Setting the Business Expertise Series Free Removing the paywall on The Business Expertise Series, which covers the work of Lia DiBello and her...
6th Jun 2023
110

Setting the Business Expertise Series Free

from Commoncog [alt+shift+b] in finance

6th Jun 2023
Removing the paywall on The Business Expertise Series, which covers the work of Lia DiBello and her collaborators.
Why Healthcare Is in a Death Spiral: Follow the Money If each of these is not a part of any 'reform,' than all that is being done is pouring money into a...
1st Dec 2025
2

Why Healthcare Is in a Death Spiral: Follow the Money

from oftwominds-Charles Hugh Smith [alt+shift+b] in finance

1st Dec 2025
If each of these is not a part of any 'reform,' than all that is being done is pouring money into a monopolizing cartel, just in a slightly different way. Unbeknownst to those of us with little inside knowledge of the complex financial plumbing of the US healthcare system,...
An Ode to Restraint: Lessons from the Tim Cook Legacy Through time, we have glorified conquerors and empire builders in politics, civic life and business,...
6th May 2026
1

An Ode to Restraint: Lessons from the Tim Cook Legacy

from Musings on Markets [alt+shift+b] in finance

6th May 2026
Through time, we have glorified conquerors and empire builders in politics, civic life and business, from Alexander the Great and Genghis Khan to the tech titans of today. That is no surprise, since these individuals have oversized personas and often change the course of history,...
Mar ’24: A towering influence I’ve enjoyed March. I managed to enjoy a few days’ skiing, despite less snow than any of us would...
1st Apr 2024
146

Mar ’24: A towering influence

from FIRE v London [alt+shift+b] in finance

1st Apr 2024
I’ve enjoyed March. I managed to enjoy a few days’ skiing, despite less snow than any of us would like, in the Austrian alps. Back at home, the sun has been getting stronger, and the evenings have been getting lighter – and now with Summer Time we will enjoy lovely late evenings...
One Definition of Wisdom Charlie Munger’s biggest business mistake, and what it tells us about wisdom.
14th Feb 2024
123

One Definition of Wisdom

from Commoncog [alt+shift+b] in finance

14th Feb 2024
Charlie Munger’s biggest business mistake, and what it tells us about wisdom.
Two Americas, one bank branch, and $50,000 cash Ever wondered what happens if you try to take $50,000 in cash out of a bank? Answer: a year of...
5th Mar 2025
83

Two Americas, one bank branch, and $50,000 cash

from Bits about Money [alt+shift+b] in finance

5th Mar 2025
Ever wondered what happens if you try to take $50,000 in cash out of a bank? Answer: a year of investigative journalism.
Imperfectly Enforced Rules Create Bad Local Maxima Plus! Ads; Marketing; Pricing; Take Rates; SPVs
1st Sep 2026
1

Imperfectly Enforced Rules Create Bad Local Maxima

from The Diff [alt+shift+b] in finance

1st Sep 2026
Plus! Ads; Marketing; Pricing; Take Rates; SPVs
Why sanctions didn’t stop Russia's Garantex from using stablecoins Stablecoins, a new type of financial institution, are unique in two ways. First, they use...
2nd Apr 2025
73
2nd Apr 2025
Stablecoins, a new type of financial institution, are unique in two ways. First, they use decentralized databases like Ethereum and Tron to run their platforms. Secondly, and more important for the purposes of this article, they grant access to almost anyone, no questions...
The Market for Contrarian Talent Doesn't Clear Plus! Bootstrapping a Consumer-Facing Negawatt Market; Real Estate; Aggregators; Training Data;...
1st May 2026
1

The Market for Contrarian Talent Doesn't Clear

from The Diff [alt+shift+b] in finance

1st May 2026
Plus! Bootstrapping a Consumer-Facing Negawatt Market; Real Estate; Aggregators; Training Data; Supply Chains
Introducing Xmrit Some free software to create, modify, experiment with and share XmR charts. Unlock the ability to...
10th Apr 2024
144

Introducing Xmrit

from Commoncog [alt+shift+b] in finance

10th Apr 2024
Some free software to create, modify, experiment with and share XmR charts. Unlock the ability to become more data driven today.
Deposit insurance maximization as a service In the wake of the recent banking crisis, there is some attention to deposit insurance limits. Some...
5th Apr 2023
40

Deposit insurance maximization as a service

from Bits about Money [alt+shift+b] in finance

5th Apr 2023
In the wake of the recent banking crisis, there is some attention to deposit insurance limits. Some products increase them; here is how.
Trump to launch branded crypto trading application New crypto trading and wallet application, created in partnership with Magic Eden, invites fans of...
3rd Jun 2025
36

Trump to launch branded crypto trading application

from Citation Needed [alt+shift+b] in finance

3rd Jun 2025
New crypto trading and wallet application, created in partnership with Magic Eden, invites fans of President Trump to buy his memecoin
Markets in power How physics and infrastructure combine to generate (ba dum bum) the power market.
30th Sep 2022
43

Markets in power

from Bits about Money [alt+shift+b] in finance

30th Sep 2022
How physics and infrastructure combine to generate (ba dum bum) the power market.
June ’24: Election fever June was busy. I travelled more than usual in June. Partly in the UK – visiting Glasgow, the west...
9th Jul 2024
148

June ’24: Election fever

from FIRE v London [alt+shift+b] in finance

9th Jul 2024
June was busy. I travelled more than usual in June. Partly in the UK – visiting Glasgow, the west country, the south coast and the Isle of Wight; partly overseas – I visited Ibiza for a few days of R&R. Meanwhile, the election campaigns were in full swing. Nigel Farage did his...
The Global Trade Game: Jokers Are Wild There may be no winners of the game of Global Domination (tm), and that is likely the best outcome....
2nd Apr 2025
49

The Global Trade Game: Jokers Are Wild

from oftwominds-Charles Hugh Smith [alt+shift+b] in finance

2nd Apr 2025
There may be no winners of the game of Global Domination (tm), and that is likely the best outcome. Okay, players: jokers are wild, but with a twist: the entire deck is jokers. Since everyone at the table will have five Aces, nobody wins. Welcome to the Trade War Poker...
Warren Buffett’s Final Brushstrokes Warren Buffett is retiring as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway but he may still make a few final...
5th May 2025
1

Warren Buffett’s Final Brushstrokes

from The Rational Walk [alt+shift+b] in finance

5th May 2025
Warren Buffett is retiring as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway but he may still make a few final brushstrokes on his canvas as Chairman.
25 Years of Higher Interest Rates Ahead? Interest rates are linked to inflation, but they're also linked to risk. As a result of...
2nd May 2025
36

25 Years of Higher Interest Rates Ahead?

from oftwominds-Charles Hugh Smith [alt+shift+b] in finance

2nd May 2025
Interest rates are linked to inflation, but they're also linked to risk. As a result of recency bias, where we assume the recent past is a permanent state of affairs, many believe near-zero interest rates are "normal." They aren't. As the chart of 10-year US Treasury...
Popups are the new startups Now you can materialize your cloud community into the real world.
12th Oct 2025
30

Popups are the new startups

from balajis.com [alt+shift+b] in finance

12th Oct 2025
Now you can materialize your cloud community into the real world.
The Fiat Crisis This is not a financial crisis. It’s a fiat crisis.
2nd May 2023
40

The Fiat Crisis

from balajis.com [alt+shift+b] in finance

2nd May 2023
This is not a financial crisis. It’s a fiat crisis.
Dec ’25: 2025 in review It’s over. The year of 2025, the thirteenth year I’ve been systematically tracking my investment...
19th Jan 2026
1

Dec ’25: 2025 in review

from FIRE v London [alt+shift+b] in finance

19th Jan 2026
It’s over. The year of 2025, the thirteenth year I’ve been systematically tracking my investment portfolio every month, is over. One of the reasons I blog is to track my performance with a bit more discipline and rigour than I might manage otherwise. And part of that process is...
Under The Hood How do you shape employee culture? How do you win employee commitment? Under The Hood has a coherent...
12th Nov 2024
85

Under The Hood

from Commoncog [alt+shift+b] in finance

12th Nov 2024
How do you shape employee culture? How do you win employee commitment? Under The Hood has a coherent model for building this skill.
My exits – a post mortem Readers will know that I dabble with active investing – I pick stocks. Lord, make me passive, but...
4th Feb 2025
75

My exits – a post mortem

from FIRE v London [alt+shift+b] in finance

4th Feb 2025
Readers will know that I dabble with active investing – I pick stocks. Lord, make me passive, but not yet Rather like The Investor at Monevator, I firmly believe in the merits of low cost index tracking as an investment strategy, but I also enjoy the thrills / intellectual...
May ’23: Magic megatech May has been election month. In the UK, some (but not all – and not London) local councils had...
4th Jun 2023
91

May ’23: Magic megatech

from FIRE v London [alt+shift+b] in finance

4th Jun 2023
May has been election month. In the UK, some (but not all – and not London) local councils had elections. The Tories took a drubbing, as expected. And overseas the notable election seemed to be Turkey, where autocratic Erdogan won (however fairly) another five year term – taking...
The Situational Awareness Blow-up: The Collateral Damage from Investing Conviction! Earlier this year, I was asked what I thought about Leopold Aschenbrenner and I admitted that I knew...
11th Aug 2026
1
11th Aug 2026
Earlier this year, I was asked what I thought about Leopold Aschenbrenner and I admitted that I knew little about him other than what I had read about him, more in social media, than in the press - that he was a 25-year-old wunderkind who had started at OpenAI but had left to...
Pretense, Staging, Expediency: the "Solutions" That Implode the Whole Shebang Slapdash quick fixes and policies share one characteristic: they eventually implode the whole...
1st Jan 2026
2

Pretense, Staging, Expediency: the "Solutions" That Implode the Whole Shebang

from oftwominds-Charles Hugh Smith [alt+shift+b] in finance

1st Jan 2026
Slapdash quick fixes and policies share one characteristic: they eventually implode the whole shebang. We all know how this works: the business is failing and the divorce papers have been filed, but the optics are ugly, so the couple waltzes in, all smiles and lovey-dovey,...
How to Improve at Sensemaking AI? What we can learn from the disorienting changes hitting the software industry, and how we can use...
3rd May 2026
1

How to Improve at Sensemaking AI?

from Commoncog [alt+shift+b] in finance

3rd May 2026
What we can learn from the disorienting changes hitting the software industry, and how we can use that to improve at sensemaking this uncertain new technology.
Modeling Life: Linear Algebra This is the 4th post in my series summarizing the key takeaways from reading the book Modeling Life....
2nd May 2024
140

Modeling Life: Linear Algebra

from Seeking Wisdom [alt+shift+b] in finance

2nd May 2024
This is the 4th post in my series summarizing the key takeaways from reading the book Modeling Life. I recommend reading my previous posts first to gain a solid understanding on how to model dynamic systems. This post focuses on how linear algebra is employed in modeling dynamic...
May ’26: Angelic timing May was an enjoyable month. I kept reasonably busy, as well as doing a bit of travel around the UK....
17th Jun 2026
1

May ’26: Angelic timing

from FIRE v London [alt+shift+b] in finance

17th Jun 2026
May was an enjoyable month. I kept reasonably busy, as well as doing a bit of travel around the UK. I visited King Charles’ Poundbury for the first time, as well as the south coast and the Cotswolds for a weekend. Meanwhile, the news has been dominated by Trump’s Iran war, and in...
There Is No Truth in Business, Only Knowledge 'Knowledge' here is defined as 'theories or models that help you predict better'. How an idea from...
4th Apr 2023
108

There Is No Truth in Business, Only Knowledge

from Commoncog [alt+shift+b] in finance

4th Apr 2023
'Knowledge' here is defined as 'theories or models that help you predict better'. How an idea from W. Edwards Deming may well be a working philosophy of business.
The 2023 Commoncog Recap Everything that we covered in 2023, and what to expect now that Commoncog has a new direction.
4th Jan 2024
129

The 2023 Commoncog Recap

from Commoncog [alt+shift+b] in finance

4th Jan 2024
Everything that we covered in 2023, and what to expect now that Commoncog has a new direction.
How to Use Power How do you gain power, use power, and identify those who have power, so that you may protect...
2nd Dec 2024
98

How to Use Power

from Commoncog [alt+shift+b] in finance

2nd Dec 2024
How do you gain power, use power, and identify those who have power, so that you may protect yourself against them? Part two of three in a series on power in business.
Markets Under Pressure: What Really Happens When the World Feels Unstable When global tension rises, investors instinctively reach for the exit.
19th Jan 2026
2
19th Jan 2026
When global tension rises, investors instinctively reach for the exit.
The Capital Cycle What a famous investing framework — part of the modern canon of value investing — tells us about the...
20th Sep 2023
125

The Capital Cycle

from Commoncog [alt+shift+b] in finance

20th Sep 2023
What a famous investing framework — part of the modern canon of value investing — tells us about the expertise of capital in business.
The Greed & Fear Tango: The Markets in April 2025! I started the month on a trip to Latin America, just as the tariff story hit my newsfeed and the...
3rd May 2025
55

The Greed & Fear Tango: The Markets in April 2025!

from Musings on Markets [alt+shift+b] in finance

3rd May 2025
I started the month on a trip to Latin America, just as the tariff story hit my newsfeed and the market reacted with a sell off that knocked more than $9 trillion in market cap for global equities in the next two days. The month was off to a bad start, and tariffs remained the...
Longreads + Open Thread Funds, Slop, Schools, Lookism, Automation, Bots, Efficiency, Magnitogorsk
1st Aug 2026
2

Longreads + Open Thread

from The Diff [alt+shift+b] in finance

1st Aug 2026
Funds, Slop, Schools, Lookism, Automation, Bots, Efficiency, Magnitogorsk
April ’24: Juggling cash as new UK tax year begins The temperature in the Middle East got even hotter in April, with Israel and Iran trading attacks on...
11th May 2024
184

April ’24: Juggling cash as new UK tax year begins

from FIRE v London [alt+shift+b] in finance

11th May 2024
The temperature in the Middle East got even hotter in April, with Israel and Iran trading attacks on each other’s sovereign buildings/territory. Somehow World War III has never really seemed in danger of breaking out but it is a reminder that only change is constant. Over in New...
A Sketch of Meta as an Enterprise AI Company Plus! IP; Gemini; Interfaces; The End Customer; Humans
4 days ago
1

A Sketch of Meta as an Enterprise AI Company

from The Diff [alt+shift+b] in finance

4 days ago
Plus! IP; Gemini; Interfaces; The End Customer; Humans
Working title (insurance) Title insurance is grossly overpriced relative to actual risks involved. Why is that?
30th Jun 2024
147

Working title (insurance)

from Bits about Money [alt+shift+b] in finance

30th Jun 2024
Title insurance is grossly overpriced relative to actual risks involved. Why is that?
The Ultimate Small Business Hiring Guide How to Find the Right Fit for Your Team
9th Oct 2024
105

The Ultimate Small Business Hiring Guide

from Mazdak [alt+shift+b] in finance

9th Oct 2024
How to Find the Right Fit for Your Team
Begging Bowl '25: I'm Looking for Two Readers Willing to Help Me Buy a New Thrift-Store Shirt The goal is to move incrementally toward a kind of happiness that actually makes us happy. That's...
2nd Feb 2025
32

Begging Bowl '25: I'm Looking for Two Readers Willing to Help Me Buy a New Thrift-Store Shirt

from oftwominds-Charles Hugh Smith [alt+shift+b] in finance

2nd Feb 2025
The goal is to move incrementally toward a kind of happiness that actually makes us happy. That's the goal of my work. I admire unvarnished honesty, which is scarce. And like everything else that's increasingly scarce, it behooves us to hoard our stash. In the unvarnished...
Should Congress be Allowed to Trade? Plus! Norms Trading; Point-of-Sale; Trade Trench Warfare; AI and Ads; Bluffing Your Way to Better...
1st May 2025
19

Should Congress be Allowed to Trade?

from The Diff [alt+shift+b] in finance

1st May 2025
Plus! Norms Trading; Point-of-Sale; Trade Trench Warfare; AI and Ads; Bluffing Your Way to Better Management
Issue 87 – SO ORDERED Trump’s crypto empire attracts more foreign millions, the FHFA pushes crypto on mortgage lenders,...
1st Jul 2025
47

Issue 87 – SO ORDERED

from Citation Needed [alt+shift+b] in finance

1st Jul 2025
Trump’s crypto empire attracts more foreign millions, the FHFA pushes crypto on mortgage lenders, and Mamdani’s mayoral primary win makes billionaires sweat
THE SLOW, EXCRUCIATING, DISASTEROUS DUMBING DOWN OF AMERICA Austin is a more pleasant place to live than Dallas because people are smarter on average. This does...
24th Sep 2023
26

THE SLOW, EXCRUCIATING, DISASTEROUS DUMBING DOWN OF AMERICA

from Molson Hart's Blog - Molson Hart [alt+shift+b] in finance

24th Sep 2023
Austin is a more pleasant place to live than Dallas because people are smarter on average. This does not mean there are not smart people in Dallas. There are. What it does mean is the typical Austinite is just a little sharper. This makes for more pleasant conversations. It’s...
Guys what is wrong with ACATS Ever transferred assets between brokerages? Impressive, terrifying machinations happened in the...
24th May 2024
134

Guys what is wrong with ACATS

from Bits about Money [alt+shift+b] in finance

24th May 2024
Ever transferred assets between brokerages? Impressive, terrifying machinations happened in the background. No cats were harmed.
Setting Up For The Second Half of 2024 A new set of cases for two concept sequences, and the end of the Data Driven Series.
19th May 2024
178

Setting Up For The Second Half of 2024

from Commoncog [alt+shift+b] in finance

19th May 2024
A new set of cases for two concept sequences, and the end of the Data Driven Series.
Look Out Below As I often note, making Plans B and C is free. The stock market is always looking past "bad...
7th Oct 2025
1

Look Out Below

from oftwominds-Charles Hugh Smith [alt+shift+b] in finance

7th Oct 2025
As I often note, making Plans B and C is free. The stock market is always looking past "bad news" to front-run "good news." Once it became clear that the Titanic was indeed going to sink, the stock market would rally on the prospect of sharp growth in lifeboat shares. In...
Business Ecosystem Change Takes Time The birth of Sony, and the possibility that private corporations and private individuals can change...
11th Jun 2024
141

Business Ecosystem Change Takes Time

from Commoncog [alt+shift+b] in finance

11th Jun 2024
The birth of Sony, and the possibility that private corporations and private individuals can change broader business ecosystems.
Nov ’24: 3x London life I’ve been keeping busy as winter in London sets in. The Christmas lights are all out and...
7th Dec 2024
110

Nov ’24: 3x

from FIRE v London [alt+shift+b] in finance

7th Dec 2024
London life I’ve been keeping busy as winter in London sets in. The Christmas lights are all out and looking resplendent, and both the West End and the City are feeling pretty buzzy. For all the general ‘UK stuck in the weeds’ economic commentary, we feel a long way from any talk...
Markets are calmer. The bigger questions aren't. A quick run through the stories that actually matter today — rates, trade, cancer research, robots,...
20th Aug 2026
2

Markets are calmer. The bigger questions aren't.

from Mazdak [alt+shift+b] in finance

20th Aug 2026
A quick run through the stories that actually matter today — rates, trade, cancer research, robots, and a few things that could affect how business gets done.
Power and Impunity Those acting with impunity are confident that their powers or god-like because they appear so in the...
2nd Feb 2026
1

Power and Impunity

from oftwominds-Charles Hugh Smith [alt+shift+b] in finance

2nd Feb 2026
Those acting with impunity are confident that their powers or god-like because they appear so in the human realm. But there are limits to everything in the human realm. One of the first things we learned about the Internet is that anything sent via email could readily become...
Open Banking and payments competition Why the banks really hate fintechs that allow businesses to learn your account number easily.
13th Aug 2025
38

Open Banking and payments competition

from Bits about Money [alt+shift+b] in finance

13th Aug 2025
Why the banks really hate fintechs that allow businesses to learn your account number easily.
Elon Musk and the right’s war on Wikipedia The world's richest man has joined a growing chorus of right-wing voices attacking Wikipedia as part...
2nd Jan 2025
73

Elon Musk and the right’s war on Wikipedia

from Citation Needed [alt+shift+b] in finance

2nd Jan 2025
The world's richest man has joined a growing chorus of right-wing voices attacking Wikipedia as part of an intensifying campaign against free and open access information.
Stablecoins are non-fungible, bank deposits are fungible On Twitter/X, I recently suggested that the network effects of the stablecoin market are massive....
14th Jan 2025
32

Stablecoins are non-fungible, bank deposits are fungible

from Moneyness [alt+shift+b] in finance

14th Jan 2025
On Twitter/X, I recently suggested that the network effects of the stablecoin market are massive. Tether, which has four times more wallets than all other stablecoins, is locked-in as the stablecoin lingua franca, just like English has been locked-in as the global language of...
The Trial: How I lost $1 million dollars and 7 years in a lawsuit over Brain Flakes I thought I was good. Until I met Sol. Solomon Rosengarten is a lawyer from Brooklyn. He has an AOL...
25th Nov 2025
2

The Trial: How I lost $1 million dollars and 7 years in a lawsuit over Brain Flakes

from Molson Hart's Blog - Molson Hart [alt+shift+b] in finance

25th Nov 2025
I thought I was good. Until I met Sol. Solomon Rosengarten is a lawyer from Brooklyn. He has an AOL email address. He is not great with the mute button on his phone. He sometimes comes across as incompetent. But, he is the best damned lawyer I have ever known. Sol is a killer....
The Heart of Innovation: Why Most Startups Fail A theory of demand (and product market fit) that explains it all, and does NOT require ‘pain’ to do...
12th May 2025
70

The Heart of Innovation: Why Most Startups Fail

from Commoncog [alt+shift+b] in finance

12th May 2025
A theory of demand (and product market fit) that explains it all, and does NOT require ‘pain’ to do it.
Claude vs. ChatGPT: A Comprehensive Comparison In today’s rapidly evolving AI landscape, two names stand out in the realm of conversational...
4th Mar 2025
59

Claude vs. ChatGPT: A Comprehensive Comparison

from Mazdak [alt+shift+b] in finance

4th Mar 2025
In today’s rapidly evolving AI landscape, two names stand out in the realm of conversational assistants—Anthropic’s Claude and OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Although both are built on large language models, they diverge sharply in design philosophy, technical implementation, safety...
Why the CrowdStrike bug hit banks hard Regulation-induced monocultures meet unfortunate but explicable engineering decisions.
31st Jul 2024
135

Why the CrowdStrike bug hit banks hard

from Bits about Money [alt+shift+b] in finance

31st Jul 2024
Regulation-induced monocultures meet unfortunate but explicable engineering decisions.
Operational Excellence is the Pursuit of ‘Knowledge’ It turns out that operational excellence results from the pursuit of a certain form of knowledge....
16th Mar 2023
141

Operational Excellence is the Pursuit of ‘Knowledge’

from Commoncog [alt+shift+b] in finance

16th Mar 2023
It turns out that operational excellence results from the pursuit of a certain form of knowledge. This is Part 3 of the Becoming Data Driven series, and the result of a deep dive into the field of statistical process control.
Nov ’23 revalues the future In the news It has been quite a busy month out there. The Israel/Gaza crisis continues. Public...
5th Dec 2023
124

Nov ’23 revalues the future

from FIRE v London [alt+shift+b] in finance

5th Dec 2023
In the news It has been quite a busy month out there. The Israel/Gaza crisis continues. Public opinion is shifting against the Israel government here, even in North London – which would normally be one of the most sympathetic neighbourhoods outside Tel Aviv. The Ukrainians are...
In Credit Underwriting, Better is Worse Plus! IRR; Structure; Financial Epiphytes; Shale; Weakening the Cartel
2nd Jan 2025
61

In Credit Underwriting, Better is Worse

from The Diff [alt+shift+b] in finance

2nd Jan 2025
Plus! IRR; Structure; Financial Epiphytes; Shale; Weakening the Cartel
Gil Duran Faked A Quote For the New Republic Then they stealth edited the piece. They knew they'd committed libel.
1st May 2024
147

Gil Duran Faked A Quote For the New Republic

from balajis.com [alt+shift+b] in finance

1st May 2024
Then they stealth edited the piece. They knew they'd committed libel.
Dec ’23 – 2023 in review It’s the start of a calendar year. Let’s take a look at what 2023 did to me financially. I’m...
2nd Jan 2024
128

Dec ’23 – 2023 in review

from FIRE v London [alt+shift+b] in finance

2nd Jan 2024
It’s the start of a calendar year. Let’s take a look at what 2023 did to me financially. I’m following the same structure I’ve used for the last few years (2022, 2021, and 2020). Overall, 2023 was a good year on almost all measures – thanks in particular to Q4 which saw the US...
America Underestimates the Difficulty of Bringing Manufacturing Back On April 2nd, 2025, our president announced major new taxes on imports from foreign countries...
6th Apr 2025
107

America Underestimates the Difficulty of Bringing Manufacturing Back

from Molson Hart's Blog - Molson Hart [alt+shift+b] in finance

6th Apr 2025
On April 2nd, 2025, our president announced major new taxes on imports from foreign countries (“tariffs”), ranging from 10% to 49%. The stated goal is to bring manufacturing back to the United States and to “make America wealthy again”. These tariffs will not work. In fact, they...
Too Fake to Tell US government stats aren't reliable. More importantly, neither are US government bonds.
5th Jun 2023
41

Too Fake to Tell

from balajis.com [alt+shift+b] in finance

5th Jun 2023
US government stats aren't reliable. More importantly, neither are US government bonds.
Nov ’25: Coastal Folly loan repaid Trump dominated the headlines again. This time partly due to some very biased editing by the BBC of...
14th Dec 2025
2

Nov ’25: Coastal Folly loan repaid

from FIRE v London [alt+shift+b] in finance

14th Dec 2025
Trump dominated the headlines again. This time partly due to some very biased editing by the BBC of a Panorama show about Trump before the US election. There was also the omnipresent UK Budget. Which has had more than enough coverage. I did a ‘damage assessment‘ at the time and...
Issue 59 – Hot damn, this is going to get interesting quickly Are US legislators warming to crypto? The SEC approves Ethereum ETPs, and a crypto bill gets through...
7th Jun 2024
134

Issue 59 – Hot damn, this is going to get interesting quickly

from Citation Needed [alt+shift+b] in finance

7th Jun 2024
Are US legislators warming to crypto? The SEC approves Ethereum ETPs, and a crypto bill gets through the House.
What I learned from Prof. Sanjay Bakshi’s Behavioral Economics Course at FLAME University I had the privilege to attend Prof. Sanjay Bakshi’s Behavioral Economics course at FLAME University....
7th Aug 2022
45
7th Aug 2022
I had the privilege to attend Prof. Sanjay Bakshi’s Behavioral Economics course at FLAME University. Being his student since 2011, I realized my dream by sitting in his class for 3.5 days. Prof. Bakshi taught us around 20 different models from Charlie Munger’s Psychology of Human...
Issue 90 – Crime szn bro The Trump administration cracks down on software to limit surveillance of crypto transactions, while...
13th Aug 2025
40

Issue 90 – Crime szn bro

from Citation Needed [alt+shift+b] in finance

13th Aug 2025
The Trump administration cracks down on software to limit surveillance of crypto transactions, while celebrating a “deregulatory blitz” tailored for its billionaire benefactors
Move Your Business Abroad: A Step-by-Step Guide for Entrepreneurs Expanding your business abroad can be a great way to reach new markets, increase revenue, and...
6th Nov 2023
93
6th Nov 2023
Expanding your business abroad can be a great way to reach new markets, increase revenue, and diversify your portfolio. However, it's important to do your research and take the necessary steps to ensure a successful transition. Here are some practical tips for entrepreneurs...
One Regulation E, Two Very Different Regimes How consumer protection in payments works, why it was designed that way, and why it’s being...
7th Jan 2026
1

One Regulation E, Two Very Different Regimes

from Bits about Money [alt+shift+b] in finance

7th Jan 2026
How consumer protection in payments works, why it was designed that way, and why it’s being contested today.
Fiction and Finance Recommendations of works of fiction of interest to financial practitioners or enthusiasts.
7th Oct 2024
122

Fiction and Finance

from Bits about Money [alt+shift+b] in finance

7th Oct 2024
Recommendations of works of fiction of interest to financial practitioners or enthusiasts.
Focus on the process, not the outcome Woorkeri Raman, a former Indian cricketer and former coach of the India women’s national cricket...
12th Aug 2024
149

Focus on the process, not the outcome

from Seeking Wisdom [alt+shift+b] in finance

12th Aug 2024
Woorkeri Raman, a former Indian cricketer and former coach of the India women’s national cricket team, has two non-negotiables. As an offspinner, you must never get cut, and you must never get driven through the covers. Even when Ravichandran Ashwin takes five wickets, Raman will...
July ’24: New UK government July has been quite a busy month. I’ve been getting about a bit. Some South Coast action, some...
5th Aug 2024
125

July ’24: New UK government

from FIRE v London [alt+shift+b] in finance

5th Aug 2024
July has been quite a busy month. I’ve been getting about a bit. Some South Coast action, some Mediterranean fun, a trip up to Oxford, a visit to one of England’s great Cathedrals, and more. And July saw some fine times in London. Both outdoors and inside. And of course we had...
Is the wholesale marketplace Faire right for your e-commerce business or brand? My company has sold $2.6 million on Faire over the past 4.5 years. As selling on Amazon has become...
6th Feb 2026
1

Is the wholesale marketplace Faire right for your e-commerce business or brand?

from Molson Hart's Blog - Molson Hart [alt+shift+b] in finance

6th Feb 2026
My company has sold $2.6 million on Faire over the past 4.5 years. As selling on Amazon has become tougher and tougher, we are thankful for the growing sales Faire has brought us. That said, it's a difficult, counterintuitive marketplace to operate on, and one that is getting,...
A window into modern loan origination A four party consortium can underwrite, fund, and execute a consumer loan in 15 minutes. Here's how.
10th Oct 2025
46

A window into modern loan origination

from Bits about Money [alt+shift+b] in finance

10th Oct 2025
A four party consortium can underwrite, fund, and execute a consumer loan in 15 minutes. Here's how.
Mar ’25: Anticipating tariffs What’s in the news? Talking about the news in March, give nwhat’s been happing on the tariff front...
11th Apr 2025
58

Mar ’25: Anticipating tariffs

from FIRE v London [alt+shift+b] in finance

11th Apr 2025
What’s in the news? Talking about the news in March, give nwhat’s been happing on the tariff front over the last few weeks, seems a bit pointless. We entered March with a lot of drama about Ukraine, and some notable ‘ceasefire’ activity on the diplomatic front. We finished March...
A “Fairly Highly Valued” Market: A Fed Chair Opines on Stocks, but should we listen? In December 1996, Alan Greenspan used the words "irrational exuberance" to describe the stock market...
6th Oct 2025
43
6th Oct 2025
In December 1996, Alan Greenspan used the words "irrational exuberance" to describe the stock market at the time, and those words not only became the title of Robert Shiller's cautionary book on market bubbles, but also the beginnings of the belief that central bankers had the...
Feb ’23: taking profits February was cold, but mercifully dry. The days are becoming a welcome bit longer. London is filling...
14th Mar 2023
70

Feb ’23: taking profits

from FIRE v London [alt+shift+b] in finance

14th Mar 2023
February was cold, but mercifully dry. The days are becoming a welcome bit longer. London is filling up again, post covid, though Mondays and Fridays remain subdued to put it mildly. Market movements in February In the markets, February started strongly, but then something...
Why Write Why write an essay when you can type a few words and have AI generate one for you? Why write an...
9th Mar 2023
121

Why Write

from Farnam Street [alt+shift+b] in finance

9th Mar 2023
Why write an essay when you can type a few words and have AI generate one for you? Why write an email when AI can auto-respond for you with all the typical pleasantries and talking-points? While AI doing these things for you is likely to happen, it’s not necessarily a good thing....
The Best Summary of Atlas Shrugged A brief, no-fluff, summary of Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. If you want to learn how capitalist...
9th Jul 2026
3

The Best Summary of Atlas Shrugged

from Farnam Street [alt+shift+b] in finance

9th Jul 2026
A brief, no-fluff, summary of Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. If you want to learn how capitalist countries become socialist, this book will help you. Let’s dive in. Atlas Shrugged: The Simple Version The world depends on a relatively small number of people who build, invent, and...
OpenAI Launches GPT-5 On August 7, 2025, OpenAI officially released GPT-5, its latest flagship model, to the world.
7th Aug 2025
49

OpenAI Launches GPT-5

from Mazdak [alt+shift+b] in finance

7th Aug 2025
On August 7, 2025, OpenAI officially released GPT-5, its latest flagship model, to the world.
The Power of Expectations: Nvidia's Earnings and the Market Reaction! Last Wednesday (August 28), the market waited with bated breath for Nvidia’s earning call, scheduled...
6th Sep 2024
30

The Power of Expectations: Nvidia's Earnings and the Market Reaction!

from Musings on Markets [alt+shift+b] in finance

6th Sep 2024
Last Wednesday (August 28), the market waited with bated breath for Nvidia’s earning call, scheduled for after the market closed. That call, at first sight, contained exceptionally good news, with revenues and earnings coming in at stratospheric levels, and above expectations,...
The Edge Thinking with Machines was such a joyful read that I finished it in a single sitting during a...
8th Feb 2026
1

The Edge

from Seeking Wisdom [alt+shift+b] in finance

8th Feb 2026
Thinking with Machines was such a joyful read that I finished it in a single sitting during a seven-hour flight. Do read it if you want to understand how AI will change the way we live and work. Vasant has lived through every major shift in AI, from expert systems to today’s push...
AI is polytheistic, not monotheistic And ten more thoughts on AI.
3rd Aug 2025
61

AI is polytheistic, not monotheistic

from balajis.com [alt+shift+b] in finance

3rd Aug 2025
And ten more thoughts on AI.
Data Update 4 for 2024: Danger and Opportunity - Bringing Risk into the Equation! In my last data updates for this year, I looked first at how equity markets rebounded in 2023,...
28th Jan 2024
27
28th Jan 2024
In my last data updates for this year, I looked first at how equity markets rebounded in 2023, driven by a stronger-than-expected economy and inflation coming down, and then at how interest rates mirrored this rebound. In this post, I look at risk, a central theme in finance and...
Network School 2025 Network School reopens March 1 with double the capacity. Apply now at ns.com.
2nd Feb 2025
82

Network School 2025

from balajis.com [alt+shift+b] in finance

2nd Feb 2025
Network School reopens March 1 with double the capacity. Apply now at ns.com.
Why did Stu Woo of the Wall Street Journal Follow Me to Singapore? Thirty five million people change countries every year. I'm one of them, and so is Stu Woo.
28th Jul 2026
1

Why did Stu Woo of the Wall Street Journal Follow Me to Singapore?

from balajis.com [alt+shift+b] in finance

28th Jul 2026
Thirty five million people change countries every year. I'm one of them, and so is Stu Woo.
We Still Have No Idea Whether Passive Investing is a Meaningful Risk Plus! Complements and Strategy; Privacy, Competition, and Scale; Platforms and Ownership; KYC;...
26th Nov 2024
44
26th Nov 2024
Plus! Complements and Strategy; Privacy, Competition, and Scale; Platforms and Ownership; KYC; Tariff Man
The Surprising Distribution Effects of "Buy-Borrow-Die" Plus! Full-Stack; Scarcity; Sum-of-the-Parts; Nice Problems to Have; Distribution
2nd Jan 2026
1

The Surprising Distribution Effects of "Buy-Borrow-Die"

from The Diff [alt+shift+b] in finance

2nd Jan 2026
Plus! Full-Stack; Scarcity; Sum-of-the-Parts; Nice Problems to Have; Distribution
Case for indexing Warren Buffet made a compelling case in favor of indexing in the 2021 Berkshire Hathaway’s AGM. In...
5th Feb 2023
49

Case for indexing

from Seeking Wisdom [alt+shift+b] in finance

5th Feb 2023
Warren Buffet made a compelling case in favor of indexing in the 2021 Berkshire Hathaway’s AGM. In 1989, 65% of the top 20 global companies were domiciled in Japan. After three decades, 65% of the top 20 global companies are from the US. No companies from Japan made into the top...
Mental Strength in Judo; Mental Strength in Life Results of a four month accelerated expertise experiment in Judo. Or: "I expected to learn about...
3rd May 2023
178

Mental Strength in Judo; Mental Strength in Life

from Commoncog [alt+shift+b] in finance

3rd May 2023
Results of a four month accelerated expertise experiment in Judo. Or: "I expected to learn about deliberate practice but instead learnt a ton about my mental shortcomings."
How should money laundering laws apply to DeFi? Everyone agrees that money laundering laws apply to DeFi. The question is: how to apply them? DeFi,...
14th Sep 2024
25

How should money laundering laws apply to DeFi?

from Moneyness [alt+shift+b] in finance

14th Sep 2024
Everyone agrees that money laundering laws apply to DeFi. The question is: how to apply them? DeFi, or decentralized finance, is an emerging segment of the broader financial industry that delivers traditional financial services, say like trading or lending, using a novel type of...
[Outliers] Charlie Munger’s Interview with Todd Combs I’m excited to share this previously unreleased 2022 conversation between Charlie Munger and Todd...
4 days ago
1

[Outliers] Charlie Munger’s Interview with Todd Combs

from Farnam Street [alt+shift+b] in finance

4 days ago
I’m excited to share this previously unreleased 2022 conversation between Charlie Munger and Todd Combs.  Public Release: Oct 6th. Members have access now.Join us. As with any Munger talk, the subjects are both deep and wide. I’ve pulled out the ideas that most resonated with me....
Just do it! Brand Name Lessons from Nike'sTroubles! I have spent the last week reading "Shoe Dog", Phil Knight's memoir of how  a runner on the Oregon...
1st Oct 2024
26

Just do it! Brand Name Lessons from Nike'sTroubles!

from Musings on Markets [alt+shift+b] in finance

1st Oct 2024
I have spent the last week reading "Shoe Dog", Phil Knight's memoir of how  a runner on the Oregon University track team built one of the great shoe companies in the world, in Nike. In addition to its entertainment value, and it is a fun book to read, I read it for two...
The Inevitable Drift Down from "Can't Lose" Owning Stocks to "Can't Win" Even if an AI program advises selling everything and walking away from the market for five years,...
3rd Nov 2025
1

The Inevitable Drift Down from "Can't Lose" Owning Stocks to "Can't Win"

from oftwominds-Charles Hugh Smith [alt+shift+b] in finance

3rd Nov 2025
Even if an AI program advises selling everything and walking away from the market for five years, how many of us would take this advice? Only those who experienced the heady euphoria of the late 1990s dot-com bubble in tech stocks know what the shift from "can't lose"...
Decentralizing Education with Synthesis I'm co-leading a round in Synthesis, a startup scaling the custom school built for Elon Musk’s kids.
21st Apr 2022
37

Decentralizing Education with Synthesis

from balajis.com [alt+shift+b] in finance

21st Apr 2022
I'm co-leading a round in Synthesis, a startup scaling the custom school built for Elon Musk’s kids.
Sam Bankman-Fried: guilty on all charges Jurors spent less than five hours deliberating before returning the verdict.
3rd Nov 2023
59

Sam Bankman-Fried: guilty on all charges

from Citation Needed [alt+shift+b] in finance

3rd Nov 2023
Jurors spent less than five hours deliberating before returning the verdict.
Notes on a non-profit indicted for bank fraud Well-regarded non-profit runs domestic intelligence agency; distributes intelligence product;...
1st May 2026
1

Notes on a non-profit indicted for bank fraud

from Bits about Money [alt+shift+b] in finance

1st May 2026
Well-regarded non-profit runs domestic intelligence agency; distributes intelligence product; achieves adoption in financial infrastructure; recruits agents and allies; intervenes against U.S. political fundraising.
What Kills Cartels? Plus! Diff Jobs; Strategic Investments; Media Form Factors; Fees; Critical Minerals; Brand Names
2nd Feb 2026
0

What Kills Cartels?

from The Diff [alt+shift+b] in finance

2nd Feb 2026
Plus! Diff Jobs; Strategic Investments; Media Form Factors; Fees; Critical Minerals; Brand Names
1st Sept 2026: An Increase in Membership Prices Commoncog is increasing membership prices on 1st September 2026. If you’d like to lock in the old...
11th Aug 2026
1

1st Sept 2026: An Increase in Membership Prices

from Commoncog [alt+shift+b] in finance

11th Aug 2026
Commoncog is increasing membership prices on 1st September 2026. If you’d like to lock in the old prices, you should probably sign up before then.
Meet Trump’s memecoin dinner guests Trump's crypto-for-access dinner triggers broad ethics alarms, and 73% non-US attendance raises...
7th May 2025
51

Meet Trump’s memecoin dinner guests

from Citation Needed [alt+shift+b] in finance

7th May 2025
Trump's crypto-for-access dinner triggers broad ethics alarms, and 73% non-US attendance raises fresh concerns over foreign influence
It’s Time to Build… Assets? One of the main reasons for the decline in goods and services in the United States, and to a lesser...
28th Mar 2026
1

It’s Time to Build… Assets?

from Molson Hart's Blog - Molson Hart [alt+shift+b] in finance

28th Mar 2026
One of the main reasons for the decline in goods and services in the United States, and to a lesser extent, the world, is the financialization of our economies by excessive money printing. Let's break that down into simpler language. The quality of the things and services you buy...
LinkedIn Goes All In on Vertical Video For years, platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts have dominated the short-form...
4th Feb 2025
46

LinkedIn Goes All In on Vertical Video

from Mazdak [alt+shift+b] in finance

4th Feb 2025
For years, platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts have dominated the short-form video space.
June 2025: Show times I really want to stop mentioning Trump. Even when he sends troops into LA, one of my favourite...
11th Jul 2025
57

June 2025: Show times

from FIRE v London [alt+shift+b] in finance

11th Jul 2025
I really want to stop mentioning Trump. Even when he sends troops into LA, one of my favourite cities. But when he launches 30kt bombs on Iran, it is very hard to avoid talking about him. In the context of what Trump’s been up to, the welfare reform screw-ups by the Labour...
What happens if the US loses reserve currency status? A reserve currency is the currency that people all over the world prefer to store their savings...
29th Apr 2024
23

What happens if the US loses reserve currency status?

from Molson Hart's Blog - Molson Hart [alt+shift+b] in finance

29th Apr 2024
A reserve currency is the currency that people all over the world prefer to store their savings in. Today that currency is the US dollar. From the Middle East, to Asia, to South America — Whether it's a family that needs to keep some money around just in case or a country, most...
Anatomy of a credit card rewards program Credit card rewards are mostly funded out of interchange, a fee paid by businesses to accept cards.
29th Mar 2024
113

Anatomy of a credit card rewards program

from Bits about Money [alt+shift+b] in finance

29th Mar 2024
Credit card rewards are mostly funded out of interchange, a fee paid by businesses to accept cards.
Jan ’23: Mr Market defuses my tax bombshell January is always a miserable month to be in London. Thankfully I managed to get away a bit during...
1st Feb 2023
91

Jan ’23: Mr Market defuses my tax bombshell

from FIRE v London [alt+shift+b] in finance

1st Feb 2023
January is always a miserable month to be in London. Thankfully I managed to get away a bit during the month (not to Davos, no), and enjoy myself in London despite the wintry weather. What you’re paying for in Mayfair these days Market movements in January The markets on the...
Sep ’24: Ominous politics, juicy economics September was fairly action-packed. I enjoyed getting out on a friend’s boat around Poole and the...
13th Oct 2024
98

Sep ’24: Ominous politics, juicy economics

from FIRE v London [alt+shift+b] in finance

13th Oct 2024
September was fairly action-packed. I enjoyed getting out on a friend’s boat around Poole and the Solent. I made it to the Labour party conference in Liverpool, which was fascinating albeit wet. I am apparently firmly in the tax-raising sights of the Government, but I wasn’t the...
May 2025: market springtime I’ve had quite a busy May. It’s been a lovely month, featuring a wedding in the country, a trip to...
8th Jun 2025
74

May 2025: market springtime

from FIRE v London [alt+shift+b] in finance

8th Jun 2025
I’ve had quite a busy May. It’s been a lovely month, featuring a wedding in the country, a trip to the Isle of Wight, my first visit to a dairy farm in 40+ years, a lovely trip to the Cotswolds, and more. If you can identify any of the locations above feel free to shout… Continue...
Focus Is Saying No To Good Ideas Several stories about one of the hardest maxims to put to practice in business.
18th Oct 2022
111

Focus Is Saying No To Good Ideas

from Commoncog [alt+shift+b] in finance

18th Oct 2022
Several stories about one of the hardest maxims to put to practice in business.
Global Crypto Regulation: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not? Global crypto regulation is confusing. So I surveyed the information available and created a...
25th May 2022
49

Global Crypto Regulation: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not?

from balajis.com [alt+shift+b] in finance

25th May 2022
Global crypto regulation is confusing. So I surveyed the information available and created a heatmap.
Trillions Flow into AI: The New Infrastructure Arms Race 🌐 Big Tech Bets Trillions on AI Infrastructure
26th Jun 2025
66

Trillions Flow into AI: The New Infrastructure Arms Race

from Mazdak [alt+shift+b] in finance

26th Jun 2025
🌐 Big Tech Bets Trillions on AI Infrastructure
Routers, Apps, AGI Plus! Diff Jobs; Peripheral Bets; Fragmentation and Industry Maturity; Deepfakes as Pull Quotes;...
20th Oct 2025
1

Routers, Apps, AGI

from The Diff [alt+shift+b] in finance

20th Oct 2025
Plus! Diff Jobs; Peripheral Bets; Fragmentation and Industry Maturity; Deepfakes as Pull Quotes; Benchmarks; Platforms
Real Estate Newsletter Articles this Week: New Home Sales Decrease to 657,000 Annual Rate in January At the Calculated Risk Real Estate Newsletter this week: Click on graph for larger image. New Home...
1st Mar 2025
37
1st Mar 2025
At the Calculated Risk Real Estate Newsletter this week: Click on graph for larger image. New Home Sales Decrease to 657,000 Annual Rate in January Case-Shiller: National House Price Index Up 3.9% year-over-year in December Inflation Adjusted House Prices 1.0% Below 2022...
Country Risk: Drivers, Measures and Investment Implications - The 2026 Edition! I am a creature of habit in my personal and professional life, and in the context of the content...
15th Jul 2026
1
15th Jul 2026
I am a creature of habit in my personal and professional life, and in the context of the content that I post online, there is a ritual that I follow with my data updates. I start the year with my general data update online, and follow up with a series of posts where I examine the...
Bank of Canada Holds Rates Steady, Inflation Progress Seen as Insufficient The Bank of Canada (BoC) opted to maintain its key interest rate at 5% today, signaling a cautious...
6th Mar 2024
102
6th Mar 2024
The Bank of Canada (BoC) opted to maintain its key interest rate at 5% today, signaling a cautious stance on inflation despite recent declines. Governor Tiff Macklem acknowledged progress in bringing inflation down to 2.9% in January, but emphasized the need for continued...
All Property Becomes Cryptography For 99%+ of what's valuable, for every financial asset and capital asset, we will secure it onchain.
28th Jul 2025
52

All Property Becomes Cryptography

from balajis.com [alt+shift+b] in finance

28th Jul 2025
For 99%+ of what's valuable, for every financial asset and capital asset, we will secure it onchain.
Greg Abel’s 2026 Letter to Shareholders Greg Abel's first letter to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders emphasized the need to keep the...
2nd Mar 2026
1

Greg Abel’s 2026 Letter to Shareholders

from The Rational Walk [alt+shift+b] in finance

2nd Mar 2026
Greg Abel's first letter to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders emphasized the need to keep the company's unique culture.
Aug ’23: … A belated write-up of the month of August. Thinking back a month, two stories pop out for me. One...
18th Sep 2023
86

Aug ’23: …

from FIRE v London [alt+shift+b] in finance

18th Sep 2023
A belated write-up of the month of August. Thinking back a month, two stories pop out for me. One was the death of Russian mutineer Yevgeny Prigozhin – a larger-than-life modern day warlord, responsible for the ‘little green men’ at the start of the Russian/Ukraine war in 2014,...
Risk and AI: It's Tricky The possibility that AI will end up unleashing waves of 'Anti-Progress'--malicious uses,...
1st Jul 2026
1

Risk and AI: It's Tricky

from oftwominds-Charles Hugh Smith [alt+shift+b] in finance

1st Jul 2026
The possibility that AI will end up unleashing waves of 'Anti-Progress'--malicious uses, untrustworthy output and uncontrollable floods of slop--also doesn't occur to those confined in the current belief construct. A funny thing happens on the way to understanding risk: we...
The Bitcoin ETF is the spiritual reversal of Executive Order 6102 Back in 1935, they seized the gold. But now, digital gold is back.
11th Jan 2024
128

The Bitcoin ETF is the spiritual reversal of Executive Order 6102

from balajis.com [alt+shift+b] in finance

11th Jan 2024
Back in 1935, they seized the gold. But now, digital gold is back.
Issue 65 – World Liberty Fiasco Even the most pro-Trump crypto faithful think Trump’s new crypto scheme is a terrible idea.
6th Sep 2024
111

Issue 65 – World Liberty Fiasco

from Citation Needed [alt+shift+b] in finance

6th Sep 2024
Even the most pro-Trump crypto faithful think Trump’s new crypto scheme is a terrible idea.
Danny Meyer’s Business Expertise Let's break down Danny Meyer's business expertise as an exercise in biography reading.
7th Aug 2024
120

Danny Meyer’s Business Expertise

from Commoncog [alt+shift+b] in finance

7th Aug 2024
Let's break down Danny Meyer's business expertise as an exercise in biography reading.
It’s a treasure trove of health insights! Use Insulin wisely Life on Earth started simple. For nearly 2 billion years, tiny single-celled...
21st Oct 2024
132

It’s a treasure trove of health insights!

from Seeking Wisdom [alt+shift+b] in finance

21st Oct 2024
Use Insulin wisely Life on Earth started simple. For nearly 2 billion years, tiny single-celled organisms dominated. Then, a lucky accident changed everything. One cell swallowed another, and the swallowed cell became mitochondria, the powerhouse of complex cells. This chance...
Data Update 9 for 2025: Dividends and Buybacks - Inertia and Me-tooism! In my ninth (and last) data post for 2025, I look at cash returned by businesses across the world,...
5th Mar 2025
60

Data Update 9 for 2025: Dividends and Buybacks - Inertia and Me-tooism!

from Musings on Markets [alt+shift+b] in finance

5th Mar 2025
In my ninth (and last) data post for 2025, I look at cash returned by businesses across the world, looking at both the magnitude and the form of that return. I start with a framework for thinking about how much cash a business can return to its owners, and then argue that, in the...
Sep ’25: Gains continue, and I trim September was a busy month. In the middle of it we saw a disruptive tube strike. I don’t use the...
11th Oct 2025
35

Sep ’25: Gains continue, and I trim

from FIRE v London [alt+shift+b] in finance

11th Oct 2025
September was a busy month. In the middle of it we saw a disruptive tube strike. I don’t use the tube that much so didn’t expect it to affect me much but two important meetings were postponed, one of which still hasn’t happened, so that event has stayed in my memory. Thank...
The Hospitality Solution in Your Business A look at the main provocation of Will Guidara’s Unreasonable Hospitality: that you can solve...
11th Sep 2024
122

The Hospitality Solution in Your Business

from Commoncog [alt+shift+b] in finance

11th Sep 2024
A look at the main provocation of Will Guidara’s Unreasonable Hospitality: that you can solve (certain) business problems with hospitality, and that it only takes a little thoughtfulness to do so.
April 2025 – balmy weather, barmy markets Better late than never, I’m doing a quick update on April. More for the record than because anything...
24th May 2025
63

April 2025 – balmy weather, barmy markets

from FIRE v London [alt+shift+b] in finance

24th May 2025
Better late than never, I’m doing a quick update on April. More for the record than because anything particularly notable happened in the portfolio, ignoring the mid month gyrations. It was a lovely month, April. I did a bit of travelling, but the UK had generally lovely spring...
Trump claims US banks can't open in Canada—US banks disagree In what seems to be an effort to extort Canada for additional benefits, Donald Trump complained...
4th Feb 2025
42

Trump claims US banks can't open in Canada—US banks disagree

from Moneyness [alt+shift+b] in finance

4th Feb 2025
In what seems to be an effort to extort Canada for additional benefits, Donald Trump complained yesterday on social media that CANADA DOESN'T EVEN ALLOW U.S. BANKS TO OPEN OR DO BUSINESS THERE. And so according to Trump, Canada doubly deserves to be disciplined with...
The business of check cashing Check cashing, as a business, is a poorly understood "alternative" financial service.
30th Jan 2024
146

The business of check cashing

from Bits about Money [alt+shift+b] in finance

30th Jan 2024
Check cashing, as a business, is a poorly understood "alternative" financial service.
Anatomy of a Market Crisis: Tariffs, Markets and the Economy! I was boarding a plane for a trip to Latin America late in the evening last Wednesday (April 2), and...
7th Apr 2025
54

Anatomy of a Market Crisis: Tariffs, Markets and the Economy!

from Musings on Markets [alt+shift+b] in finance

7th Apr 2025
I was boarding a plane for a trip to Latin America late in the evening last Wednesday (April 2), and as is my practice, I was checking the score on the Yankee game, when I read the tariff news announcement. Coming after a few days where the market seemed to have found its...
Sovereign Ratings, Default Risk and Markets: The Moody's Downgrade Aftermath! I was on a family vacation in August 2011 when I received an email from a journalist asking me what...
2nd Jun 2025
60
2nd Jun 2025
I was on a family vacation in August 2011 when I received an email from a journalist asking me what I thought about the S&P ratings downgrade for the US. Since I stay blissfully unaware of most news stories and things related to markets when I am on the beach, I had to look up...
What Expenses Can You Write Off Against Your Business Income? Taxes are an inevitable part of running a business, but that doesn't mean you have to pay more than...
6th Feb 2024
122
6th Feb 2024
Taxes are an inevitable part of running a business, but that doesn't mean you have to pay more than your fair share. Fortunately, the law allows you to deduct certain expenses from your business income, lowering your taxable amount and saving you money. But navigating the world...
The 2024 Commoncog Recap Everything that we covered in 2024, and what to expect in the coming year.
8th Jan 2025
86

The 2024 Commoncog Recap

from Commoncog [alt+shift+b] in finance

8th Jan 2025
Everything that we covered in 2024, and what to expect in the coming year.
Setelinleikkaus: When Finns snipped their cash in half to curb inflation On the last day of 1945, with World War II finally behind it, Finland's government announced a new...
8th Nov 2024
29
8th Nov 2024
On the last day of 1945, with World War II finally behind it, Finland's government announced a new and very strange policy. All Finns were required to take out a pair of scissors and snip their banknotes in half. This was known in Finland as setelinleikkaus, or banknote cutting....
How Experts Sensemake Two decades ago, the US military funded some research into how humans sensemake. This piece is about...
7th Apr 2026
1

How Experts Sensemake

from Commoncog [alt+shift+b] in finance

7th Apr 2026
Two decades ago, the US military funded some research into how humans sensemake. This piece is about that theory — the best theory of sensemaking that we have — why it matters for expertise, and how you can apply it to make sense of AI.
Google’s New AI Summaries in Discover: The Next Blow to Publishers? If you work in media or publishing, brace yourself — another platform update from Google is quietly...
15th Jul 2025
47
15th Jul 2025
If you work in media or publishing, brace yourself — another platform update from Google is quietly shifting the ground beneath us.
How to Handle Disruptive Change As a business, how do you deal with disruption — technological or otherwise? Some patterns from a...
2 weeks ago
-2

How to Handle Disruptive Change

from Commoncog [alt+shift+b] in finance

2 weeks ago
As a business, how do you deal with disruption — technological or otherwise? Some patterns from a collection of case studies.
The Scaling and Profitability Trade off: Venture Capital's Weakest Link! It is undeniable technology companies have found their most hospitable setting in the United States...
2nd Sep 2026
1

The Scaling and Profitability Trade off: Venture Capital's Weakest Link!

from Musings on Markets [alt+shift+b] in finance

2nd Sep 2026
It is undeniable technology companies have found their most hospitable setting in the United States and while there are many reasons for the US dominance of technology, easier access to capital for young businesses has been a key ingredient. Venture capital in the US, in its...
The Winner’s Edge A lot of otherwise talented people are too pessimistic to actually do anything. They are paralyzed...
19th Apr 2023
183

The Winner’s Edge

from Farnam Street [alt+shift+b] in finance

19th Apr 2023
A lot of otherwise talented people are too pessimistic to actually do anything. They are paralyzed by risks that don’t exist and greatly exaggerate them where they do, preventing them from being one of the best. Consider this lightly edited excerpt from a conversation between...
2024 Tax Strategies for Optimization and Savings The new year dawns, not just with fresh resolutions, but also the opportunity to reassess and...
3rd Jan 2024
126

2024 Tax Strategies for Optimization and Savings

from Mazdak [alt+shift+b] in finance

3rd Jan 2024
The new year dawns, not just with fresh resolutions, but also the opportunity to reassess and optimize your tax strategy. While taxes may not be the most exhilarating topic, savvy planning can significantly reduce your liability and boost your financial well-being. So, grab your...
Credit card debt collection Credit card debt is the waste stream of consumer finance. The debt collection industry ends up being...
11th Aug 2023
43

Credit card debt collection

from Bits about Money [alt+shift+b] in finance

11th Aug 2023
Credit card debt is the waste stream of consumer finance. The debt collection industry ends up being sordid, for complex structural and microeconomic reasons.
Issue 45 – I'm the director now Rising bitcoin prices bring echoes of the crypto mania from years past, and an ambitious hacker...
5th Dec 2023
88

Issue 45 – I'm the director now

from Citation Needed [alt+shift+b] in finance

5th Dec 2023
Rising bitcoin prices bring echoes of the crypto mania from years past, and an ambitious hacker decides to manifest a new job for themselves.
2nd Look at Local Housing Markets in November Today, in the Calculated Risk Real Estate Newsletter: 2nd Look at Local Housing Markets in...
11th Dec 2024
43

2nd Look at Local Housing Markets in November

from Calculated Risk [alt+shift+b] in finance

11th Dec 2024
Today, in the Calculated Risk Real Estate Newsletter: 2nd Look at Local Housing Markets in November A brief excerpt: NOTE: The tables for active listings, new listings and closed sales all include a comparison to November 2019 for each local market (some 2019 data is not...
Issue 81 – Crypto crime is legal Trump continues to dismantle crypto enforcement while expanding his personal crypto empire
8th Apr 2025
48

Issue 81 – Crypto crime is legal

from Citation Needed [alt+shift+b] in finance

8th Apr 2025
Trump continues to dismantle crypto enforcement while expanding his personal crypto empire
AI Agents vs. SaaS: Is This the Beginning of a Structural Reset or Another Tech Overreaction? Public software companies just had one of their worst weeks in years—and the market reaction was...
9th Feb 2026
1
9th Feb 2026
Public software companies just had one of their worst weeks in years—and the market reaction was swift, brutal, and emotional.
Data and the Capital Cycle: How Koch Became an Empire How Koch Industries became an empire. We draw on ideas from both the Becoming Data Driven series and...
11th Dec 2023
112

Data and the Capital Cycle: How Koch Became an Empire

from Commoncog [alt+shift+b] in finance

11th Dec 2023
How Koch Industries became an empire. We draw on ideas from both the Becoming Data Driven series and the Capital Expertise series.
Chesterton’s Fence: A Lesson in Second Order Thinking A core component of making great decisions is understanding the rationale behind previous decisions....
5th Sep 2022
99

Chesterton’s Fence: A Lesson in Second Order Thinking

from Farnam Street [alt+shift+b] in finance

5th Sep 2022
A core component of making great decisions is understanding the rationale behind previous decisions. If we don’t understand how we got “here,” we run the risk of making things much worse. *** When we seek to intervene in any system created by someone, it’s not enough to view...
Issue 53 – Choose rich Euphoria has risen along with crypto prices, but nothing has changed from the last bubble.
13th Mar 2024
121

Issue 53 – Choose rich

from Citation Needed [alt+shift+b] in finance

13th Mar 2024
Euphoria has risen along with crypto prices, but nothing has changed from the last bubble.
What are the Key Properties of Bitcoin? There are plenty of unwritten rules when it comes to proposing protocol changes in Bitcoin. Some are...
11th Jan 2025
22

What are the Key Properties of Bitcoin?

from balajis.com [alt+shift+b] in finance

11th Jan 2025
There are plenty of unwritten rules when it comes to proposing protocol changes in Bitcoin. Some are philosophical, some are technical, and some are a blend.
Country Risk: My 2024 Data Update After the 2008 market crisis, I resolved that I would be far more organized in my assessments and...
24th Jul 2024
27

Country Risk: My 2024 Data Update

from Musings on Markets [alt+shift+b] in finance

24th Jul 2024
After the 2008 market crisis, I resolved that I would be far more organized in my assessments and updating of equity risk premiums, in the United States and abroad, as I looked at the damage that can be inflicted on intrinsic value by significant shifts in risk premiums, i.e., my...
Your finances are being snooped on. Here's how We all have a pretty good idea that our finances are being snooped on, but most of us aren't quite...
12th Jul 2024
28

Your finances are being snooped on. Here's how

from Moneyness [alt+shift+b] in finance

12th Jul 2024
We all have a pretty good idea that our finances are being snooped on, but most of us aren't quite able to articulate how. We know that we're being snooped on by two groups, corporations and the government. This post will focus on how the government surveils our transactions,...
Putting the Jobs to be Done Interview to Practice Things we wished someone told us, before we put the JTBD interview to practice.
9th Jul 2025
55

Putting the Jobs to be Done Interview to Practice

from Commoncog [alt+shift+b] in finance

9th Jul 2025
Things we wished someone told us, before we put the JTBD interview to practice.
The Corporate Life Cycle: Managing, Valuation and Investing Implications! As I reveal my ignorance about TikTok trends, social media celebrities and Gen Z slang, my children...
20th Aug 2024
27

The Corporate Life Cycle: Managing, Valuation and Investing Implications!

from Musings on Markets [alt+shift+b] in finance

20th Aug 2024
As I reveal my ignorance about TikTok trends, social media celebrities and Gen Z slang, my children are quick to point out my age, and I accept that reality, for the most part. I understand that I am too old to exercise without stretching first or eat a heaping plate of cheese...
Jan ’26 January media seemed dominated by Greenland and Davos. As part of my efforts to avoid amplifying...
8th Feb 2026
1

Jan ’26

from FIRE v London [alt+shift+b] in finance

8th Feb 2026
January media seemed dominated by Greenland and Davos. As part of my efforts to avoid amplifying unstable narcissistic media-whore leaders, I haven’t got much to comment about. London has been pretty wet and miserable, as is January’s reputation. Meanwhile, markets were up quite...
August ’24: From triumph to tragedy Looking back on the month, it was more eventful than Augusts are reputed to be. In the UK we are...
7th Sep 2024
127

August ’24: From triumph to tragedy

from FIRE v London [alt+shift+b] in finance

7th Sep 2024
Looking back on the month, it was more eventful than Augusts are reputed to be. In the UK we are getting used to our new government. And, in some cases, violently testing its boundaries with some summer rioting. We’ve seen some dreadful street behaviour, frequently of a racist /...
The Wisdom and Madness of Crowds: Market Prices as Political Predictors! In this, the first full week in November 2024, the big news stories of this week are political, as...
7th Nov 2024
31

The Wisdom and Madness of Crowds: Market Prices as Political Predictors!

from Musings on Markets [alt+shift+b] in finance

7th Nov 2024
In this, the first full week in November 2024, the big news stories of this week are political, as the US presidential election reached its climactic moment on Tuesday, but I don't write about politics, not because I do not have political views, but because I reserve those views...
If We Set Aside Ideology, Is There Anything We Can Agree On? Just the experiment of setting aside ideological certainties for a moment would be instructive. ...
3rd Mar 2025
47

If We Set Aside Ideology, Is There Anything We Can Agree On?

from oftwominds-Charles Hugh Smith [alt+shift+b] in finance

3rd Mar 2025
Just the experiment of setting aside ideological certainties for a moment would be instructive. Humans are hard-wired to prefer simplicity over complexity, and this is the foundation of ideology, which like mythology takes a complex world and radically simplifies it to an...
OpenAI Launches GPT‑4.1: What You Need to Know About the New Family of AI Models OpenAI has officially released the GPT‑4.1 family — and it’s more than just a minor upgrade.
14th Apr 2025
65
14th Apr 2025
OpenAI has officially released the GPT‑4.1 family — and it’s more than just a minor upgrade.
Trump says he has “no idea” who he just pardoned President Trump reacts to condemnations of his recent pardon of Binance founder Changpeng Zhao by...
3rd Nov 2025
9

Trump says he has “no idea” who he just pardoned

from Citation Needed [alt+shift+b] in finance

3rd Nov 2025
President Trump reacts to condemnations of his recent pardon of Binance founder Changpeng Zhao by claiming he doesn’t know who he is.
All It Takes Is All You Got Your assets are the government's collateral.
29th Mar 2024
145

All It Takes Is All You Got

from balajis.com [alt+shift+b] in finance

29th Mar 2024
Your assets are the government's collateral.
Data Update 5 for 2025: It's a small world, after all! If the title of this post sounds familiar, it is because is one of Disney’s most iconic rides, one...
6th Feb 2025
37

Data Update 5 for 2025: It's a small world, after all!

from Musings on Markets [alt+shift+b] in finance

6th Feb 2025
If the title of this post sounds familiar, it is because is one of Disney’s most iconic rides, one that I have taken hundreds of times, first with my own children and more recently, with my grandchildren. It is a mainstay of every Disney theme park, from the original Disneyland...
Debanking (and Debunking?) Crypto advocates kicked off a recent, somewhat politicized, discussion of debanking. Strap in for...
9th Dec 2024
117

Debanking (and Debunking?)

from Bits about Money [alt+shift+b] in finance

9th Dec 2024
Crypto advocates kicked off a recent, somewhat politicized, discussion of debanking. Strap in for scintillating banking compliance trivia.
America's $175 Trillion Problem The true state of the global financial system, in ten charts.
25th Jul 2024
132

America's $175 Trillion Problem

from balajis.com [alt+shift+b] in finance

25th Jul 2024
The true state of the global financial system, in ten charts.
Evaluating Information: Find the Signal in the Noise We are drowning in information. Most of that information is irrelevant. If only we could sort what...
3rd Aug 2022
78

Evaluating Information: Find the Signal in the Noise

from Farnam Street [alt+shift+b] in finance

3rd Aug 2022
We are drowning in information. Most of that information is irrelevant. If only we could sort what matters from what doesn’t. The good news is that you can train your brain to evaluate the quality of information. Not only can you quickly determine if someone knows what they are...
Data Update 4 for 2026: The Global Perspective! If you have read my first three data updates in 2026, I won’t blame you if you skip this one,...
2nd Feb 2026
1

Data Update 4 for 2026: The Global Perspective!

from Musings on Markets [alt+shift+b] in finance

2nd Feb 2026
If you have read my first three data updates in 2026, I won’t blame you if you skip this one, because you found them long and boring. I won't take issue with you either if you viewed them as too US-focused, because I did spend my second data update, looking at US equities, and my...
Being an Amazon Seller in 2021; Year in Review I’m the founder and CEO of Viahart (est. 2010), an e-commerce focused educational toy company. We...
23rd Jan 2022
27

Being an Amazon Seller in 2021; Year in Review

from Molson Hart's Blog - Molson Hart [alt+shift+b] in finance

23rd Jan 2022
I’m the founder and CEO of Viahart (est. 2010), an e-commerce focused educational toy company. We did $8.8 million in sales in 2021. This article is going to tell you what it was like to run this business in 2021 vs. 2020, amidst threats like the Amazon aggregators, supply chain...
Using the Quartz Crisis to Make Sense of Technological Disruption Also: the quartz crisis isn’t really about quartz at all. A sensemaking exercise for those who want...
3rd Jul 2026
1
3rd Jul 2026
Also: the quartz crisis isn’t really about quartz at all. A sensemaking exercise for those who want to get better at making sense of possible AI disruption.
Warren Buffett’s Thanksgiving Letter Warren Buffett's Thanksgiving Letter sheds more light on why he decided to retire.
11th Nov 2025
1

Warren Buffett’s Thanksgiving Letter

from The Rational Walk [alt+shift+b] in finance

11th Nov 2025
Warren Buffett's Thanksgiving Letter sheds more light on why he decided to retire.
How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie: A Summary and Key Takeaways Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People is one of the most popular and influential...
13th Oct 2023
117
13th Oct 2023
Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People is one of the most popular and influential self-help books ever written. First published in 1936, it has sold over 50 million copies and been translated into over 30 languages. The book is a practical guide to improving...
Question #3 for 2025: What will the unemployment rate be in December 2025? Earlier I posted some questions on my blog for next year: Ten Economic Questions for 2025. Some of...
1st Jan 2025
47
1st Jan 2025
Earlier I posted some questions on my blog for next year: Ten Economic Questions for 2025. Some of these questions concern real estate (inventory, house prices, housing starts, new home sales), and I posted thoughts on those in the newsletter (others like GDP and employment will...
Letter to a Young Person Worrying About AI It is a common misperception that you must be able to predict the future to do well. But it’s...
20th Oct 2025
42

Letter to a Young Person Worrying About AI

from Commoncog [alt+shift+b] in finance

20th Oct 2025
It is a common misperception that you must be able to predict the future to do well. But it’s possible to act without prediction, even in the face of AI. This is how.
Apr ’23: Wind and windfalls April saw the season of long weekends begin here in the UK. Easter saw me inspired by the Ermine to...
6th May 2023
113

Apr ’23: Wind and windfalls

from FIRE v London [alt+shift+b] in finance

6th May 2023
April saw the season of long weekends begin here in the UK. Easter saw me inspired by the Ermine to check out Dorset’s Chesil beach. We struck lucky with the weather and had a fine, distinctly non-London, time, over a very blustery Easter weekend. My walking shoes seem to have...
Feb ’26: Before Iran So, for the avoidance of doubt, the end of the month is the last trading day of the month. Which for...
16th Mar 2026
1

Feb ’26: Before Iran

from FIRE v London [alt+shift+b] in finance

16th Mar 2026
So, for the avoidance of doubt, the end of the month is the last trading day of the month. Which for February, meant Friday February 27th. The fact that the Israelis and the Americans invaded Iran on February 28th is going to impact March, not February. Which is just as well...
When Labor is Scarce, Equity is the Mezzanine Tranche Plus! What Goes Up; Refinancing; Investor Relations; Scaling; Infrastructure
2nd Apr 2026
1

When Labor is Scarce, Equity is the Mezzanine Tranche

from The Diff [alt+shift+b] in finance

2nd Apr 2026
Plus! What Goes Up; Refinancing; Investor Relations; Scaling; Infrastructure
Money laundering and AML compliance A brief overview of what money laundering is, what financial institutions do about it, and why.
10th Feb 2023
52

Money laundering and AML compliance

from Bits about Money [alt+shift+b] in finance

10th Feb 2023
A brief overview of what money laundering is, what financial institutions do about it, and why.
Minimal Impact to Insurers from Icelandic Volcano Eruption At least for now, most air travel restrictions caused by the eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull...
11th Aug 2026
1

Minimal Impact to Insurers from Icelandic Volcano Eruption

from The Rational Walk [alt+shift+b] in finance

11th Aug 2026
At least for now, most air travel restrictions caused by the eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano have been lifted throughout Europe.
Is This a Moat: Mailchimp and PayPal’s Algorithmic Advantage Two case studies of real world competitive advantage, followed by a question: was this a moat or...
12th Dec 2022
104

Is This a Moat: Mailchimp and PayPal’s Algorithmic Advantage

from Commoncog [alt+shift+b] in finance

12th Dec 2022
Two case studies of real world competitive advantage, followed by a question: was this a moat or not?
Credit cards as a legacy system Credit cards have been in use for almost 75 years. Some long-ago decisions still cause consequences...
2nd Dec 2022
38

Credit cards as a legacy system

from Bits about Money [alt+shift+b] in finance

2nd Dec 2022
Credit cards have been in use for almost 75 years. Some long-ago decisions still cause consequences in the present day. But change is possible.
Heureka A “heureka” is a surprisingly powerful yet simple solution to a complex optimization problem, which...
20th Sep 2025
1

Heureka

from Molson Hart's Blog - Molson Hart [alt+shift+b] in finance

20th Sep 2025
A “heureka” is a surprisingly powerful yet simple solution to a complex optimization problem, which is theoretically inferior to more complicated solutions, but is, in practice, optimal. Example: “I’m a 22 year old Phi Beta Kappa alumnus of University of Iowa and I have this idea...
Primary Sources Consulting primary sources represents table stakes for intelligent investors and responsible...
11th Feb 2025
1

Primary Sources

from The Rational Walk [alt+shift+b] in finance

11th Feb 2025
Consulting primary sources represents table stakes for intelligent investors and responsible citizens.
Feb ’25: The top comes off What’s in the news? The Trump, is in the news. He gets more than enough coverage without me adding...
15th Mar 2025
61

Feb ’25: The top comes off

from FIRE v London [alt+shift+b] in finance

15th Mar 2025
What’s in the news? The Trump, is in the news. He gets more than enough coverage without me adding to it. From the point of view of what affects portfolios like mine, a few things happened What’s going on with me? My personal life was quite busy in February. I visited the UK city...
For the fun of it: An Open House for my Spring 2025 Classes I am a teacher at heart, and every year, for more than two decades, I have invited people to join me...
11th Dec 2024
24

For the fun of it: An Open House for my Spring 2025 Classes

from Musings on Markets [alt+shift+b] in finance

11th Dec 2024
I am a teacher at heart, and every year, for more than two decades, I have invited people to join me in the classes that I teach at the Stern School of Business at New York University. Since I teach these classes only in the spring, and the first sessions for each of the classes...
The Network State Conference Come to Singapore on September 22, 2024 to build technodemocracy.
15th Oct 2023
4

The Network State Conference

from balajis.com [alt+shift+b] in finance

15th Oct 2023
Come to Singapore on September 22, 2024 to build technodemocracy.
July ’25: New high watermark There wasn’t a huge amount to report from July. Politically/economically I fear the most important...
16th Aug 2025
40

July ’25: New high watermark

from FIRE v London [alt+shift+b] in finance

16th Aug 2025
There wasn’t a huge amount to report from July. Politically/economically I fear the most important event in the UK was the Labour government’s failure to enact its intended welfare reforms. This leaves the government a) unable to control spending b) unable to nudge the economy...
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