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Sep 23: Antisocial markets For some reason shoplifting is in the news. There’s evidently an epidemic of it. Not just in the UK,...
8th Oct 2023
116

Sep 23: Antisocial markets

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

8th Oct 2023
For some reason shoplifting is in the news. There’s evidently an epidemic of it. Not just in the UK, but wider afield too – hence major brands pulling out of cities like San Francisco. From what I hear there is a general increase in antisocial behaviour, dating from the covid-19...
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What do LLMs Want? Plus! Governance; Implementation Risk; Jailbreaking; In-Kind Deals; Revalued Inputs
1st Dec 2025
1

What do LLMs Want?

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

1st Dec 2025
Plus! Governance; Implementation Risk; Jailbreaking; In-Kind Deals; Revalued Inputs
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"I didn't launder the cash, your honor. The robot did." Crypto enthusiasts protest the trial of Alexey Pertsev As the multiple Tornado Cash legal cases...
11th Jun 2024
23

"I didn't launder the cash, your honor. The robot did."

from Moneyness [alt+shift+b] in finance

11th Jun 2024
Crypto enthusiasts protest the trial of Alexey Pertsev As the multiple Tornado Cash legal cases wend their way through courts in the Netherlands and the U.S., we continue to learn how society's money laundering laws will be applied to some of the more unique financial...
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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...
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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

AI Agents vs. SaaS: Is This the Beginning of a Structural Reset or Another Tech Overreaction?

from Mazdak [alt+shift+b] in finance

9th Feb 2026
Public software companies just had one of their worst weeks in years—and the market reaction was swift, brutal, and emotional.
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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,...
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The infrastructure behind ATMs ATMs are connected to banks by networks which operate little-understood payment rails.
2nd Jan 2023
47

The infrastructure behind ATMs

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

2nd Jan 2023
ATMs are connected to banks by networks which operate little-understood payment rails.
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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
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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

Country Risk: Drivers, Measures and Investment Implications - The 2026 Edition!

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

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...
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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...
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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

Move Your Business Abroad: A Step-by-Step Guide for Entrepreneurs

from Mazdak [alt+shift+b] in finance

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...
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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...
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Demystifying financial leverage Leverage is actually reasonably easy to understand, both in the math and in the implications for...
11th Nov 2022
38

Demystifying financial leverage

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

11th Nov 2022
Leverage is actually reasonably easy to understand, both in the math and in the implications for financial firms.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Requiem for a bank loan A brief retrospective on an attractive product First Republic used to offer, and a wider discourse...
16th Jun 2023
64

Requiem for a bank loan

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

16th Jun 2023
A brief retrospective on an attractive product First Republic used to offer, and a wider discourse on the banking crisis.
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Working Out Will Change Your Life Do you want to lose weight? Have more energy? Sleep better? Improve your mood? If so, then you need...
8th Aug 2023
39

Working Out Will Change Your Life

from Mazdak [alt+shift+b] in finance

8th Aug 2023
Do you want to lose weight? Have more energy? Sleep better? Improve your mood? If so, then you need to start working out. Working out has a myriad of benefits that can improve your life in many ways. Here are just a few of the ways that working out can change your life:
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Bond Villain When Powell devalued bonds, he destroyed the economy.
4th Jul 2023
46

Bond Villain

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

4th Jul 2023
When Powell devalued bonds, he destroyed the economy.
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Apple has a new CEO. Now comes the hard part. September is here, and there’s actually quite a bit going on.
1st Sep 2026
2

Apple has a new CEO. Now comes the hard part.

from Mazdak [alt+shift+b] in finance

1st Sep 2026
September is here, and there’s actually quite a bit going on.
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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.
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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

OpenAI Launches GPT‑4.1: What You Need to Know About the New Family of AI Models

from Mazdak [alt+shift+b] in finance

14th Apr 2025
OpenAI has officially released the GPT‑4.1 family — and it’s more than just a minor upgrade.
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Renovatio monetae This silver pfennig from the Archbishopric of Magdeburg (1152-1192) was subject to a policy of...
8th May 2024
27

Renovatio monetae

from Moneyness [alt+shift+b] in finance

8th May 2024
This silver pfennig from the Archbishopric of Magdeburg (1152-1192) was subject to a policy of renovatio monetae. Twice a year whoever held it had to bring it in to be changed for new coins at a rate of four old coins to three new coins. That suggests an annualized tax rate on...
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Brainwashing for Confidence My mom brainwashed me to be confident. She told me over and over that I was great and destined for...
15th Apr 2026
1

Brainwashing for Confidence

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

15th Apr 2026
My mom brainwashed me to be confident. She told me over and over that I was great and destined for great things. And it worked. To this day, when I lose or make a mistake, I get mad, but I always wind up where my mother left me: “You’re great. All you need is more practice.” And...
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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.
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The Digest #227 Final Issue: Bitcoin at $100K, Buffett and Munger Unscripted, Blue Chip Stamps, Flawed CPI...
5th Dec 2024
1

The Digest #227

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

5th Dec 2024
Final Issue: Bitcoin at $100K, Buffett and Munger Unscripted, Blue Chip Stamps, Flawed CPI Statistics, Ergodicity, The End of Shame, Notre Dame, Online Censorship, Healthcare Costs, and more ...
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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.
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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...
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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...
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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
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What I’ve Been Reading Thoughts on the books I read in Q1 2025
3rd Apr 2025
1

What I’ve Been Reading

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

3rd Apr 2025
Thoughts on the books I read in Q1 2025
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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...
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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
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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.
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A review of Number Go Up, on crypto shenanigans A review of Zeke Faux's Number Go Up, with some bonus commentary on financial journalism and Tether...
29th Sep 2023
54

A review of Number Go Up, on crypto shenanigans

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

29th Sep 2023
A review of Zeke Faux's Number Go Up, with some bonus commentary on financial journalism and Tether specifically.
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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
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Perpetual futures, explained Crypto’s most popular product offers capital efficiency for professionals, leveraged exposure for...
5th Dec 2025
2

Perpetual futures, explained

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

5th Dec 2025
Crypto’s most popular product offers capital efficiency for professionals, leveraged exposure for the masses, rich yields for market makers — and a poorly understood failure mode.
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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...
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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
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The Gambling King The start of the Asian Conglomerates Series: we open with a look at the life of Stanley Ho, gambling...
2nd Feb 2025
69

The Gambling King

from Commoncog [alt+shift+b] in finance

2nd Feb 2025
The start of the Asian Conglomerates Series: we open with a look at the life of Stanley Ho, gambling king of Macau.
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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.
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Announcing the Commoncog Case Library Public Beta We're testing a cognitive flexibility theory-driven learning library, designed to accelerate...
24th Aug 2022
92

Announcing the Commoncog Case Library Public Beta

from Commoncog [alt+shift+b] in finance

24th Aug 2022
We're testing a cognitive flexibility theory-driven learning library, designed to accelerate business expertise. Find out more.
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Mar ’23: Harvesting tax losses March has been rather a wet month in London. Wet, and cold. This translates into the ski slopes in...
7th Apr 2023
75

Mar ’23: Harvesting tax losses

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

7th Apr 2023
March has been rather a wet month in London. Wet, and cold. This translates into the ski slopes in the French Alps (finally) having great conditions – sadly too late for me to enjoy. Further north, it’s been a month of big change in Scotland. Nicola Sturgeon, the...
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Understanding Anthropic Plus! Pulled IPOs; Non-Fungibility; The News Business; Opt-Outs; Writing
a week ago
1

Understanding Anthropic

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

a week ago
Plus! Pulled IPOs; Non-Fungibility; The News Business; Opt-Outs; Writing
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Issue 94 – Backdoor deals Trump is still corrupt, a core developer warns bitcoin won’t survive an upcoming code change, and...
8th Oct 2025
34

Issue 94 – Backdoor deals

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

8th Oct 2025
Trump is still corrupt, a core developer warns bitcoin won’t survive an upcoming code change, and crypto lenders are ratcheting up leverage like it’s 2022.
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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.
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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.
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Issue 50 – Bitcoin busts Governments seize huge quantities of bitcoin, and a few people seem to be yearning for the days of...
2nd Feb 2024
131

Issue 50 – Bitcoin busts

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

2nd Feb 2024
Governments seize huge quantities of bitcoin, and a few people seem to be yearning for the days of peak crypto mania.
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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.
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You’re Always Selling to a Situation, Not an ICP One simple idea that falls out of the Heart of Innovation book — that you can use immediately — is...
19th Jun 2025
50

You’re Always Selling to a Situation, Not an ICP

from Commoncog [alt+shift+b] in finance

19th Jun 2025
One simple idea that falls out of the Heart of Innovation book — that you can use immediately — is this idea of selling into situations, not selling to ideal customer profiles. It’s what the pros do anyway.
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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...
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OpenAI is not becoming a for-profit company after all. In a significant reversal, OpenAI announced on May 5, 2025, that it will remain under the control of...
5th May 2025
45

OpenAI is not becoming a for-profit company after all.

from Mazdak [alt+shift+b] in finance

5th May 2025
In a significant reversal, OpenAI announced on May 5, 2025, that it will remain under the control of its nonprofit entity, abandoning earlier plans to restructure as a for-profit company.
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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.
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Make Every Day Count It was a 2012 evening, and I was driving home from the office. I was worried about finishing a big...
1st Nov 2023
169

Make Every Day Count

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

1st Nov 2023
It was a 2012 evening, and I was driving home from the office. I was worried about finishing a big project at work on time. I’d made the journey from the office to my home so many times, my car almost seemed to know the way by itself. My hands were on the wheel, but…
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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.
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A Golden Year (2025): Gold's Price Surge - The Signal in the Noise! I grew up in India in a time where if you had wealth, your investment options were limited. A stock...
6th Nov 2025
18

A Golden Year (2025): Gold's Price Surge - The Signal in the Noise!

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

6th Nov 2025
I grew up in India in a time where if you had wealth, your investment options were limited. A stock market with sparse listings, accompanied by a lack of trust in financial assets, led investors to put their wealth into tangible assets. Real estate was the most common choice but...
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Is China Taking Over US Retail? Yes. Let me explain. Amazon made it easy for Chinese companies to sell their products directly to...
17th Aug 2021
24

Is China Taking Over US Retail?

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

17th Aug 2021
Yes. Let me explain. Amazon made it easy for Chinese companies to sell their products directly to American consumers. In response, the Chinese, after having hollowed out American manufacturing, have moved up the value chain to do the same thing to American wholesale and retail....
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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.
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Caroline Ellison: A woman with agency or a helpless pawn? Why did the former Alameda Research CEO receive only two years imprisonment for her role in the FTX...
2nd Oct 2024
83

Caroline Ellison: A woman with agency or a helpless pawn?

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

2nd Oct 2024
Why did the former Alameda Research CEO receive only two years imprisonment for her role in the FTX collapse?
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Jan ’24: A giant tax bill lands One of several highlights for me in January was visiting Salisbury cathedral, which I did on an...
10th Feb 2024
141

Jan ’24: A giant tax bill lands

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

10th Feb 2024
One of several highlights for me in January was visiting Salisbury cathedral, which I did on an impulse while travelling back from the Coastal Folly. My main frame of reference to the cathedral being those notorious Russian nerve agent assassins citing it as their reason for...
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California Is Not A Democracy It's a one-party state. They hold elections, but the Party always wins.
10th Jun 2024
147

California Is Not A Democracy

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

10th Jun 2024
It's a one-party state. They hold elections, but the Party always wins.
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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...
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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.
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10 year review Wahoop! I have made it through ten years. In fact, I’ve had a trackable portfolio for over 20 years....
20th Jan 2023
83

10 year review

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

20th Jan 2023
Wahoop! I have made it through ten years. In fact, I’ve had a trackable portfolio for over 20 years. But 10 years ago I started tracking my portfolio in a consistent, monthly way – unitising its performance so I could measure its return. It wasn’t until 2015 that I started this...
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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.
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The Imitation Game: Defending against AI's Dark Side! A few weeks ago, I started receiving a stream of message about an Instagram post that I was...
5th Aug 2025
50

The Imitation Game: Defending against AI's Dark Side!

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

5th Aug 2025
A few weeks ago, I started receiving a stream of message about an Instagram post that I was allegedly starring in, where after offering my views on Palantir's valuation, I was soliciting investors to invest with me (or with an investment entity that had ties to me). I was not...
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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...
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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.
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Data Update 1 for 2026: The Push and Pull of Data! In my musings on valuation, I have long described myself as more of a number cruncher than a...
9th Jan 2026
1

Data Update 1 for 2026: The Push and Pull of Data!

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

9th Jan 2026
In my musings on valuation, I have long described myself as more of a number cruncher than a storyteller, but it is because I love numbers for their own sake, rather than a fondness for abstract mathematics. It is that love for numbers that has led me at the beginning of each...
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Stock Prices, Earnings and Cashflows: The AI Effect plays through! In a post at the end of August 2026, I talked about interest rates in 2026 and marveled at the...
8th Oct 2026
2

Stock Prices, Earnings and Cashflows: The AI Effect plays through!

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

8th Oct 2026
In a post at the end of August 2026, I talked about interest rates in 2026 and marveled at the capacity of equities to keep rising in the face of rising rates. I argued that the resilience of stocks during the year could be traced to higher-than-expected earnings being reported...
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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...
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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...
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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

Why sanctions didn’t stop Russia's Garantex from using stablecoins

from Moneyness [alt+shift+b] in finance

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...
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✈️ A FLIGHT THAT ALMOST ENDED VERY DIFFERENTLY October is here, the markets are coming off a pretty choppy September, and there’s a lot happening...
1st Oct 2026
2

✈️ A FLIGHT THAT ALMOST ENDED VERY DIFFERENTLY

from Mazdak [alt+shift+b] in finance

1st Oct 2026
October is here, the markets are coming off a pretty choppy September, and there’s a lot happening beneath the surface.
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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

How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie: A Summary and Key Takeaways

from Mazdak [alt+shift+b] in finance

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...
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Feb ’24: Envyidia I’ve had quite a lot of culture to enjoy in February. Aside from some travel for the Six Nations...
3rd Mar 2024
142

Feb ’24: Envyidia

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

3rd Mar 2024
I’ve had quite a lot of culture to enjoy in February. Aside from some travel for the Six Nations rugby, I’ve been to two shows – one in London’s Royal Opera House and one on the south coast. Both events were either full or practically full. Covid feels fully behind us now. But...
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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...
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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
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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...
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We can have a different web Many yearn for the “good old days” of the web. We could have those good old days back — or something...
1st May 2024
135

We can have a different web

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

1st May 2024
Many yearn for the “good old days” of the web. We could have those good old days back — or something even better — and if anything, it would be easier now than it ever was.
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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

What Expenses Can You Write Off Against Your Business Income?

from Mazdak [alt+shift+b] in finance

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...
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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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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.
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Goodhart's Law Isn't as Useful as You Might Think Goodhart's Law is useless. It tells you about a phenomenon, but it doesn't tell you how to solve it....
11th Jan 2023
120

Goodhart's Law Isn't as Useful as You Might Think

from Commoncog [alt+shift+b] in finance

11th Jan 2023
Goodhart's Law is useless. It tells you about a phenomenon, but it doesn't tell you how to solve it. We look at how organisations actually prevent Goodhart's Law, and illustrate this with Amazon's Weekly Business Review as an example.
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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...
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Tornado Cash un-OFAC'ed The next chapter in the Tornado Cash saga just dropped. Last week a court ruled last that Tornado...
5th Dec 2024
27

Tornado Cash un-OFAC'ed

from Moneyness [alt+shift+b] in finance

5th Dec 2024
The next chapter in the Tornado Cash saga just dropped. Last week a court ruled last that Tornado Cash, a bot that can be used for obfuscating crypto, is safe from being sanctioned. I first wrote about Tornado Cash in 2021, before its legal troubles began, warning of the risks...
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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....
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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"...
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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...
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Stay the course I spend a couple of weeks every February keeping up with my investments, timing it to coincide with...
5th Mar 2024
154

Stay the course

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

5th Mar 2024
I spend a couple of weeks every February keeping up with my investments, timing it to coincide with the release of Buffett’s annual letter to shareholders. I found something interesting while performing this ritual this time. I came across Aswath Damodaran’s website, where he has...
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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

Data Update 4 for 2024: Danger and Opportunity - Bringing Risk into the Equation!

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

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...
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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.
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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.
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Revisiting the SpaceX Valuation: A Post-Prospectus Update! A few weeks ago, I assessed the value of SpaceX ahead of its initial public offering, with the...
4th Jun 2026
1

Revisiting the SpaceX Valuation: A Post-Prospectus Update!

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

4th Jun 2026
A few weeks ago, I assessed the value of SpaceX ahead of its initial public offering, with the admission that I was making my estimates with drabs of data, some of it coming from unofficial sources. I also promised to revisit my valuation, when the prospectus came out, and now...
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Amazon’s Pricing Policies Promote Inflation The state of California has sued Amazon in what may be the biggest antitrust case for 25 years, when...
30th Apr 2023
25

Amazon’s Pricing Policies Promote Inflation

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

30th Apr 2023
The state of California has sued Amazon in what may be the biggest antitrust case for 25 years, when 20 states joined the US Department of Justice to sue Microsoft. These cases revolve around whether consumers are harmed by the company’s actions. The case against Amazon focuses...
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The DECIDE Algorithm — A Simple Step-by-Step Method for Converting Idle Time into Productive Action DECIDE D - Determine the Bottleneck E - Engage with the subject matter C - Clear distractions I -...
16th Mar 2025
52

The DECIDE Algorithm — A Simple Step-by-Step Method for Converting Idle Time into Productive Action

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

16th Mar 2025
DECIDE D - Determine the Bottleneck E - Engage with the subject matter C - Clear distractions I - Implement mental models D - Decide how to proceed E - Execute next steps When you’re traveling or waiting for something to happen, instead of listening to a podcast or scrolling on...
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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.
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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.
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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
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May ’24: UK election called The month of May seems a little while ago, so I’d better get on and write it up. This will be quick....
14th Jun 2024
141

May ’24: UK election called

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

14th Jun 2024
The month of May seems a little while ago, so I’d better get on and write it up. This will be quick. The big news in the UK was Rishi Sunak, the outgoing PM, calling a general election for 4 July. Independence-from-the-Tories Day. May was also the month that u-turner/blowharder...
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Issue 63 – RobConf 2024 Coinbase responds to campaign finance violation allegations, Trump panders to bitcoiners, and I chat...
7th Aug 2024
118

Issue 63 – RobConf 2024

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

7th Aug 2024
Coinbase responds to campaign finance violation allegations, Trump panders to bitcoiners, and I chat with Lyn Alden about sexism in bitcoin.
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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.
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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?
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15 mental Abilities & Traits Which Make You Successful But Are Not on an IQ Test 1. Empathy 2. Dexterity 3. Persuasion 4. Musicality 5. Confidence 6. Ambition 7. Grit 8....
2nd Jun 2024
26

15 mental Abilities & Traits Which Make You Successful But Are Not on an IQ Test

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

2nd Jun 2024
1. Empathy 2. Dexterity 3. Persuasion 4. Musicality 5. Confidence 6. Ambition 7. Grit 8. Creativity 9. Flexibility 10. Energy 11. Individualism 12. Willpower 13. Stoicisim 14. Objectivity 15. Allure
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Truth Be Told The ultimate truth is revealing the truth of the situation and our feelings about it are a relief,...
15th Oct 2026
1

Truth Be Told

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

15th Oct 2026
The ultimate truth is revealing the truth of the situation and our feelings about it are a relief, and the starting point to moving forward in a positive direction. This is the first in a series of posts around the theme of Truth Be Told, a theme that demands some...
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Reflections on the Software Dark Factory Q&A Some thoughts from watching a demo of a Software Dark Factory.
3rd Jun 2026
1

Reflections on the Software Dark Factory Q&A

from Commoncog [alt+shift+b] in finance

3rd Jun 2026
Some thoughts from watching a demo of a Software Dark Factory.
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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,...
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AI Scenarios: From Doomsday Destruction to Do-Nothing Bots! When Chat GPT made its debut on November 30, 2022, it unleashed the hype of AI, and in the three...
4th Mar 2026
1

AI Scenarios: From Doomsday Destruction to Do-Nothing Bots!

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

4th Mar 2026
When Chat GPT made its debut on November 30, 2022, it unleashed the hype of AI, and in the three years since, AI has taken on an outsized role not just in markets, but also in our lives. For much of the time, the AI story has been told by its advocates and its salespeople, and...
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Google: Monopolized? Is Google too big? For years, the tech giant has dominated the search market, facing little...
1st Dec 2024
65

Google: Monopolized?

from Mazdak [alt+shift+b] in finance

1st Dec 2024
Is Google too big? For years, the tech giant has dominated the search market, facing little competition.
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Few thoughts on life, psychology, and mindset I’ve been writing my thoughts on life, psychology, and mindset for some time. I’ve considered...
2nd Sep 2023
130

Few thoughts on life, psychology, and mindset

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

2nd Sep 2023
I’ve been writing my thoughts on life, psychology, and mindset for some time. I’ve considered transferring some of these writings from Notion into this post. In physics, three laws can explain 99% of observations. However, in life, psychology, and mindset, 99 laws can barely...
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Issue 54 – Cases continue Crypto-related litigation is in full swing, as the Terra civil fraud trial has kicked off and two...
2nd Apr 2024
143

Issue 54 – Cases continue

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

2nd Apr 2024
Crypto-related litigation is in full swing, as the Terra civil fraud trial has kicked off and two other cases against crypto companies have survived motions to dismiss.
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Crypto Twitter Found SBF's Fraud The establishment did nothing until the internet revealed everything.
6th Nov 2023
59

Crypto Twitter Found SBF's Fraud

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

6th Nov 2023
The establishment did nothing until the internet revealed everything.
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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.
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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.
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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...
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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.
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Putting Amazon’s PR/FAQ to Practice What it's like putting Amazon's famed Working Backwards process to practice in a small company...
8th Sep 2022
118

Putting Amazon’s PR/FAQ to Practice

from Commoncog [alt+shift+b] in finance

8th Sep 2022
What it's like putting Amazon's famed Working Backwards process to practice in a small company context, and what was surprising and difficult about it.
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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,...
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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.
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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

Setelinleikkaus: When Finns snipped their cash in half to curb inflation

from Moneyness [alt+shift+b] in finance

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....
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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...
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Binance reopened its doors and $3.6 billion walked out Binance’s first day back, OpenAI wants a nicer word for data centers, Google prices space compute at...
a week ago
1

Binance reopened its doors and $3.6 billion walked out

from Mazdak [alt+shift+b] in finance

a week ago
Binance’s first day back, OpenAI wants a nicer word for data centers, Google prices space compute at 100x, and a benchmark where the best AI scores 12%.
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May 2nd COVID Update: COVID Deaths Continue to Decline Note: Mortgage rates are from MortgageNewsDaily.com and are for top tier scenarios. For deaths, I'm...
2nd May 2025
18

May 2nd COVID Update: COVID Deaths Continue to Decline

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

2nd May 2025
Note: Mortgage rates are from MortgageNewsDaily.com and are for top tier scenarios. For deaths, I'm currently using 4 weeks ago for "now", since the most recent three weeks will be revised significantly. Note: "Effective May 1, 2024, hospitals are no longer required to report...
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Chinese Labor Isn't Just Cheaper; It’s Better. We Need to Fix That. A famous newspaper asked me to write an opinion article. But every time I submitted a draft, they'd...
25th Dec 2025
1

Chinese Labor Isn't Just Cheaper; It’s Better. We Need to Fix That.

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

25th Dec 2025
A famous newspaper asked me to write an opinion article. But every time I submitted a draft, they'd edit it, changing the message of the piece, even though the article was meant to be my opinion. Most people would have consented to the edits to have the honor of being in the...
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Can Tactical Decision Games Accelerate ... Maths? What if we could take Tactical Decision Games — a kind of accelerated expertise training method —...
6 days ago
1

Can Tactical Decision Games Accelerate ... Maths?

from Commoncog [alt+shift+b] in finance

6 days ago
What if we could take Tactical Decision Games — a kind of accelerated expertise training method — and apply it to subjects like maths?
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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
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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.
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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...
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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.
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The Amazon Weekly Business Review Everything you need to know about the Amazon Weekly Business Review: how it works, why it works, and...
2nd Jul 2024
176

The Amazon Weekly Business Review

from Commoncog [alt+shift+b] in finance

2nd Jul 2024
Everything you need to know about the Amazon Weekly Business Review: how it works, why it works, and how it helps Amazon win.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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...
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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...
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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?
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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...
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The Joy of Small Markets If you want to get rich, the irony is that small markets are often better than large ones.
2nd Sep 2025
45

The Joy of Small Markets

from Commoncog [alt+shift+b] in finance

2nd Sep 2025
If you want to get rich, the irony is that small markets are often better than large ones.
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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

Capital Gains Tax Hike: Sell Now or Hold On? A Canadian Investor's Guide

from Mazdak [alt+shift+b] in finance

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?...
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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,...
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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.
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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

Using the Quartz Crisis to Make Sense of Technological Disruption

from Commoncog [alt+shift+b] in finance

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.
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Tobi Lütke: AI Agents, Better Decisions, and the Future of Work Shopify founder and CEO Tobi Lütke joins Shane Parrish to discuss AI agents, better decision-making,...
10th Sep 2026
1

Tobi Lütke: AI Agents, Better Decisions, and the Future of Work

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

10th Sep 2026
Shopify founder and CEO Tobi Lütke joins Shane Parrish to discuss AI agents, better decision-making, and the future of work. He explains how he uses an AI council to examine his hardest decisions and why taste, judgment, and responsibility become more valuable as AI becomes more...
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Disney World's New Theme Park: The White House and Congress A "Pirates of the Caribbean" themed experience is planned, where the taxpayers are repeatedly robbed...
1st Apr 2026
1

Disney World's New Theme Park: The White House and Congress

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

1st Apr 2026
A "Pirates of the Caribbean" themed experience is planned, where the taxpayers are repeatedly robbed by a motley crew of miscreants. In a blockbuster deal, an obscure federal agency has granted Disney the rights to develop the White House and Congress as a new FantasyLand...
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Business Reality Without Frameworks A paradox: why it’s important to think about business without abstractions, even as we from what’s...
21st Oct 2024
102

Business Reality Without Frameworks

from Commoncog [alt+shift+b] in finance

21st Oct 2024
A paradox: why it’s important to think about business without abstractions, even as we from what’s come before.
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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.
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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.
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The Network School We’re starting a new school near Singapore for the dark talent of the world. Apply online at...
16th Aug 2024
144

The Network School

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

16th Aug 2024
We’re starting a new school near Singapore for the dark talent of the world. Apply online at ns.com/apply.
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What I’ve Been Reading Thoughts on the books I read in Q1 2025
3rd Apr 2025
1

What I’ve Been Reading

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

3rd Apr 2025
Thoughts on the books I read in Q1 2025
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How to Become an Asian Tycoon Every Asian tycoon becomes a tycoon in the exact same way. Learning to see this core pattern is half...
1st Apr 2025
56

How to Become an Asian Tycoon

from Commoncog [alt+shift+b] in finance

1st Apr 2025
Every Asian tycoon becomes a tycoon in the exact same way. Learning to see this core pattern is half the battle.
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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...
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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.
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The Digest #226 Warren Buffett donates $1.15 billion to his family foundations
26th Nov 2024
1

The Digest #226

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

26th Nov 2024
Warren Buffett donates $1.15 billion to his family foundations
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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...
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What Do Brontosauruses Know about Uncoordinated Conspiracies? Brontosaurus skeleton at the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History (allegedly) Let’s pretend for a...
2nd Sep 2024
33

What Do Brontosauruses Know about Uncoordinated Conspiracies?

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

2nd Sep 2024
Brontosaurus skeleton at the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History (allegedly) Let’s pretend for a moment that brontosauruses are made up, despite them being accepted by the public and scientific community, having ample evidence for their existence, and appearing in museums all...
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Why We Shouldn’t “Buy the Dip” “Buying the dip” is buy stocks whenever there is a short-term decline in stock prices, under the...
29th May 2023
22

Why We Shouldn’t “Buy the Dip”

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

29th May 2023
“Buying the dip” is buy stocks whenever there is a short-term decline in stock prices, under the assumption that asset prices will quickly revert, enabling you to make money. This article explains why a government-driven culture of “buying the dip” can be damaging to you and...
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Oct ’23: Terror erupts from Gaza It’s the Middle East again. I don’t have any perspective on it, sadly, other than that I hear of...
5th Nov 2023
110

Oct ’23: Terror erupts from Gaza

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

5th Nov 2023
It’s the Middle East again. I don’t have any perspective on it, sadly, other than that I hear of some nasty low level youth violence/intimidation/vandalism in North London in Jewish neighbourhoods by pro-Palestinian, dare-I-say-it pro-Hamas hotheads. But in most of London life...
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A Quarter Century of Investing Lessons learned from twenty-five years of enterprising investing
6th Jan 2025
1

A Quarter Century of Investing

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

6th Jan 2025
Lessons learned from twenty-five years of enterprising investing
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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...
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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

Bank of Canada Holds Rates Steady, Inflation Progress Seen as Insufficient

from Mazdak [alt+shift+b] in finance

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...
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The Network State Book A new book on starting new countries. Available on Kindle and for free at thenetworkstate.com.
19th Mar 2022
34

The Network State Book

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

19th Mar 2022
A new book on starting new countries. Available on Kindle and for free at thenetworkstate.com.
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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...
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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

Real Estate Newsletter Articles this Week: New Home Sales Decrease to 657,000 Annual Rate in January

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

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...
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Bits about Money yearly recap and plans What we covered in 2024, what are plans are in 2025, and a solicitation for supporting memberships.
15th Jan 2025
91

Bits about Money yearly recap and plans

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

15th Jan 2025
What we covered in 2024, what are plans are in 2025, and a solicitation for supporting memberships.
Direct Link [→] Remove from reading list Add to reading list [alt+a]
The One-Big-Side-Bet Model of Wealth Creation Plus! Diff Jobs; Building Japan's Financial Ecosystem; The New Balance of Trade; Where Return on...
2nd Dec 2024
51

The One-Big-Side-Bet Model of Wealth Creation

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

2nd Dec 2024
Plus! Diff Jobs; Building Japan's Financial Ecosystem; The New Balance of Trade; Where Return on Investment Goes; Broken ETFs; Swipe Fees and Accounting
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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."
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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...
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The Network School Fellowship Anyone from anywhere can apply for $100k in funding at ns.com.
18th Apr 2025
67

The Network School Fellowship

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

18th Apr 2025
Anyone from anywhere can apply for $100k in funding at ns.com.
Direct Link [→] Remove from reading list Add to reading list [alt+a]
A Sketch of Meta as an Enterprise AI Company Plus! IP; Gemini; Interfaces; The End Customer; Humans
1st Oct 2026
1

A Sketch of Meta as an Enterprise AI Company

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

1st Oct 2026
Plus! IP; Gemini; Interfaces; The End Customer; Humans
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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

Question #3 for 2025: What will the unemployment rate be in December 2025?

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

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...
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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...
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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.
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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.
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The Irresistible Temptations of Centralized Power The only "reform" that changes our lives in a fundamentally positive way is radical decentralization...
1st Sep 2026
1

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...
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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...
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Twitter vs. Instagram Threads: The Battle for the Short-Form Social Media Crown Twitter and Instagram are two of the most popular social media platforms in the world. They both...
8th Jul 2023
42

Twitter vs. Instagram Threads: The Battle for the Short-Form Social Media Crown

from Mazdak [alt+shift+b] in finance

8th Jul 2023
Twitter and Instagram are two of the most popular social media platforms in the world. They both offer users a way to share short-form content, but they have different approaches to how that content is displayed and consumed. Twitter is a more public platform, where anyone can...
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The Two Types of Data Analysis Broadly speaking, there are two approaches to data analysis in business. The two approaches have...
3rd Nov 2023
112

The Two Types of Data Analysis

from Commoncog [alt+shift+b] in finance

3rd Nov 2023
Broadly speaking, there are two approaches to data analysis in business. The two approaches have different worldviews, and express different tradeoffs. Here's why that matters.
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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.
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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
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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...
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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

Lessons on Leadership: Michael Abrashoff on Turning the Worst Ship in the Navy into the Best

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

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...
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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.
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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,...
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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.
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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...
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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...
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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?
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In the Future, Every AI Lab is a Neocloud for Fifteen Minutes Plus! FDE Crunch; Fable!; Egg Futures?; Becoming IBM; Surtaxes
2nd Jul 2026
1

In the Future, Every AI Lab is a Neocloud for Fifteen Minutes

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

2nd Jul 2026
Plus! FDE Crunch; Fable!; Egg Futures?; Becoming IBM; Surtaxes
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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

We Still Have No Idea Whether Passive Investing is a Meaningful Risk

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

26th Nov 2024
Plus! Complements and Strategy; Privacy, Competition, and Scale; Platforms and Ownership; KYC; Tariff Man
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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
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September ’26: Income rush Last month saw “La rentree” – the return to the real world, after an enjoyable summer. Very much so...
12th Oct 2026
1

September ’26: Income rush

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

12th Oct 2026
Last month saw “La rentree” – the return to the real world, after an enjoyable summer. Very much so for me, as it happens – but with plenty of enjoyment still to be found. I’ve taken in Frida Kahlo at the Tate Modern, a spot of luxury in the south of France, a City ritual…...
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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.
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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.
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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...
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A Few Books and Resources I’ve Found Useful Over the Years If someone had told me three and a half years ago that there would be something called ChatGPT that...
31st Dec 2025
1

A Few Books and Resources I’ve Found Useful Over the Years

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

31st Dec 2025
If someone had told me three and a half years ago that there would be something called ChatGPT that could answer questions across almost any discipline, I would have called them a lunatic. And yet, here we are. That’s exactly what ChatGPT does today. I can ask it coding...
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The Seven Samurai: How Big Tech Rescued the Market in 2023! I was planning to finish my last two data updates for 2024, but decided to take a break and look at...
9th Feb 2024
29

The Seven Samurai: How Big Tech Rescued the Market in 2023!

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

9th Feb 2024
I was planning to finish my last two data updates for 2024, but decided to take a break and look at the seven stocks (Apple, Amazon, Alphabet, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia and Tesla) which carried the market in 2023. While I will use the "Magnificent Seven" moniker attached by these...
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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...
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