Platformer
Susan Wojcicki makes her exit
She had a legendary run. Will YouTube's end with it?
a year ago
She had a legendary run. Will YouTube's end with it?
Rest of World -...
TikTok follow-up Lemon8 is flopping in the U.S.
Users complain the ByteDance app feels inorganic and curated, prioritizing the needs of influencers...
a year ago
Users complain the ByteDance app feels inorganic and curated, prioritizing the needs of influencers over ordinary people.
Rest of World -...
How Indians are watching Succession after HBO ditched Disney
With HBO walking away from Disney+ Hotstar, shows like Succession, The Last of Us, and Game of...
a year ago
With HBO walking away from Disney+ Hotstar, shows like Succession, The Last of Us, and Game of Thrones can no longer be streamed in the country.
Paul Graham: Essays
The Two Kinds of Moderate
over a year ago
haseeb qureshi
DeFi in Eth2: Cities, suburbs, and farms
Ethereum today is incredibly congested—it’s even more congested now than it was during the height of...
over a year ago
Ethereum today is incredibly congested—it’s even more congested now than it was during the height of the ICO bubble.
This is impressive, but also worrying! Ethereum 2.0 is still a ways away, but the tiny island of Ethereum 1.0 is already populated to the point of...
Rest of World -...
It’s never goodbye in South Asia
South Asians don’t like to say goodbye — instead, across the many languages we speak in the region,...
a year ago
South Asians don’t like to say goodbye — instead, across the many languages we speak in the region, we prefer versions of the phrase “see you again."
Stephen Diehl
Building a Better Custom Haskell Prelude
over a year ago
Rest of World -...
How we measured air quality for gig workers in South Asia
Rest of World gave pollution monitors to riders in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh so they could...
10 months ago
Rest of World gave pollution monitors to riders in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh so they could gather data on what they breathe.
Data Boutique
Scrape Or Buy? The Zalando Case Study
Cost of Web Data in a Real-Life Example
a year ago
Cost of Web Data in a Real-Life Example
Platformer
How Google's Bard AI could shake up search
Dependence on search traffic has already kickstarted a race to the bottom for publishers. Will...
a year ago
Dependence on search traffic has already kickstarted a race to the bottom for publishers. Will Google's new AI tools accelerate it?
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Coinbase
One of the interesting things about Bitcoin is the contrast between how it is portrayed in the press...
over a year ago
One of the interesting things about Bitcoin is the contrast between how it is portrayed in the press and how it is understood by…
Internal Tech Emails
Elon Musk and OpenAI
Guys, I've had enough. This is the final straw.
a month ago
Guys, I've had enough. This is the final straw.
Rest of World -...
India’s plan to export its wildly successful digital payments system
After starting cross-border payments with Singapore, India is now setting up more international...
a year ago
After starting cross-border payments with Singapore, India is now setting up more international partnerships.
Rest of World -...
Conservative evangelicals use social media to sway Brazil election
The popularity of evangelical content, which often amplifies criticisms of the ruling party, could...
5 months ago
The popularity of evangelical content, which often amplifies criticisms of the ruling party, could play an important role during October’s municipal elections.
Paul Graham: Essays
Chapter 1 of Ansi Common Lisp
a year ago
Rest of World -...
In Nigeria, government and local VCs are helping startups weather the tech downturn
Sensing an existential threat to the country's tech scene, the government and local VCs are filling...
a year ago
Sensing an existential threat to the country's tech scene, the government and local VCs are filling the expanding funding gap.
Noahpinion
Energy Bell: The sketch of an idea
How can we get America back to the forefront of energy research?
6 months ago
How can we get America back to the forefront of energy research?
Rest of World -...
Mexicans say some police officers are taking bribes with mobile payment services
Victims of extortion say reimbursements are extremely difficult since apps and banks say they handed...
a year ago
Victims of extortion say reimbursements are extremely difficult since apps and banks say they handed over their cards voluntarily.
AVC
Noya
Six months ago, I wrote about Direct Air Carbon Capture and ended with this: I remember hearing that...
a year ago
Six months ago, I wrote about Direct Air Carbon Capture and ended with this: I remember hearing that “we’ve spent hundreds of years taking carbon out of the ground and putting it into our atmosphere and we are going to spend hundreds of years taking carbon out of the atmosphere...
Noahpinion
What are the checks and balances on the power of Elon Musk?
The question we'll all be asking over the next year or more.
a week ago
The question we'll all be asking over the next year or more.
Rest of World -...
Apple’s biggest competition in India? Used iPhone sellers
“We give them the same phone, in the same brand-new condition,” says one seller.
a year ago
“We give them the same phone, in the same brand-new condition,” says one seller.
Stephen Diehl
In Praise of 'Line Goes Up'
over a year ago
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Strong and weak technologies
During a media tour in 2007 in which Steve Jobs showed the device to reporters, there was one...
over a year ago
During a media tour in 2007 in which Steve Jobs showed the device to reporters, there was one instance in which a journalist criticized the…
Paul Graham: Essays
Chapter 2 of Ansi Common Lisp
a year ago
Rest of World -...
Scale AI’s Remotasks platform is dropping whole countries without explanation
Workers in Kenya, Nigeria, and Pakistan were booted off the AI-training service earlier this month.
9 months ago
Workers in Kenya, Nigeria, and Pakistan were booted off the AI-training service earlier this month.
AVC
What Will Happen In 2023
I want to focus this post on the macro environment for tech, startups, web3, and climate because...
over a year ago
I want to focus this post on the macro environment for tech, startups, web3, and climate because that is where my head is at right now. I believe that sometime in the first half of 2023, the central banks around the world will start backing off the tightening that they have been...
Nothing Human
Reflections on Politics at Thanksgiving Dinner
political incorrectness as bid for closeness
a month ago
political incorrectness as bid for closeness
Noahpinion
Is immigration raising rents in America?
No, but in a few big cities it might be.
a year ago
No, but in a few big cities it might be.
Stephen Diehl
Exotic Programming Ideas: Part 3 (Effect Systems)
over a year ago
Ed Zitron's Where's...
The Apple Vision Pro: A Review
I’ve spent a lot of time with the Vision Pro, turning my experience into both the newsletter you’re...
10 months ago
I’ve spent a lot of time with the Vision Pro, turning my experience into both the newsletter you’re reading and one of the first two episodes of my upcoming iHeartRadio podcast Better Offline. I wrote the majority of this newsletter on the Vision Pro itself, though
Essays - Benedict...
Mainframes, ML and digital transformation
‘Digital transformation’ sounds like a parody of meaningless tech
marketing, but actually captures...
over a year ago
‘Digital transformation’ sounds like a parody of meaningless tech
marketing, but actually captures some pretty interesting and important
shifts in big company tech. It’s not as exciting as crypto or AR, and it
takes a decade or two, but it’s just as big as smartphones.
Rest of World -...
The role of trust in building fintech for Africa
Yanmo Omorogbe of Nigerian wealth management firm Bamboo talks about navigating government...
5 months ago
Yanmo Omorogbe of Nigerian wealth management firm Bamboo talks about navigating government regulations and the role of longevity.
Rest of World -...
Illegal wildlife trafficking thrives in Facebook groups for “animal lovers”
“It’s very easy to sell on Facebook, and very easy to earn money. Not to brag.”
a year ago
“It’s very easy to sell on Facebook, and very easy to earn money. Not to brag.”
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The product lens
There has been a lot of discussion lately about the markets for startup financing. Many of the...
over a year ago
There has been a lot of discussion lately about the markets for startup financing. Many of the discussions use words like “valuations…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
As elegantly produced as movies and as engaging as great novels
MIT professor Woodie Flowers argues that higher education's current approach to online learning is...
over a year ago
MIT professor Woodie Flowers argues that higher education's current approach to online learning is misguided: We decided to assume that the…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
"A lot of the best tech startups are ideas that have been around for years"
A lot of the best tech startups are ideas that have been around for years but the time is finally...
over a year ago
A lot of the best tech startups are ideas that have been around for years but the time is finally right. * Some people get jaded. "We tried…
Business Brainstorms
The Algorithm, rebuilding GA3, a new drink for the productivity-chasing professional managerial...
Hey, this is Jakob Greenfeld, author of the Business Brainstorms newsletter - every week I write...
a year ago
Hey, this is Jakob Greenfeld, author of the Business Brainstorms newsletter - every week I write this email to share the most interesting trends, frameworks, opportunities, and ideas with you. Let's dive in! 💡 Opportunities “Huge startup opportunity to just literally rebuild...
Business Brainstorms
Never launch, AI as an anti-signal, slow news, zero shame in pulling the plug.
Hey, this is Jakob Greenfeld, author of the Business Brainstorms newsletter - every week I write...
a year ago
Hey, this is Jakob Greenfeld, author of the Business Brainstorms newsletter - every week I write this email to share the most interesting trends, frameworks, opportunities, and ideas with you. Let's dive in! 💡 Opportunities “Billing for software is broken. Stripe is REALLY good...
Rest of World -...
The Northeast Indian YouTubers challenging cultural stereotypes through mukbang
Tribes in Northeast India have long been isolated from the rest of the country. Creators are using...
5 months ago
Tribes in Northeast India have long been isolated from the rest of the country. Creators are using YouTube to challenge the cliches that isolate them.
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things for your weekend (#45)
Intel; Canada's economy; infrastructure and state capacity; East Asian development; race in America;...
5 months ago
Intel; Canada's economy; infrastructure and state capacity; East Asian development; race in America; corrupt nonprofits
Rest of World -...
The startup working to teach AI about African history
There’s less historical material about Africa for AI to find online. Archivi.ng believes its work...
a year ago
There’s less historical material about Africa for AI to find online. Archivi.ng believes its work will change that.
Internal Tech Emails
Steve Jobs emails Bill Gates
They are really going out of their way to say that they intend to kill QuickTime, and are being...
a year ago
They are really going out of their way to say that they intend to kill QuickTime, and are being quite threatening and rude about it.
Platformer
New cracks emerge in Elon Musk's Twitter
Jira went down, Slack's gone, and site performance is degraded. What's next?
a year ago
Jira went down, Slack's gone, and site performance is degraded. What's next?
Ed Zitron's Where's...
Never Forgive Them
In the last year, I’ve spent about 200,000 words on a kind of personal journey where I’ve tried...
2 weeks ago
In the last year, I’ve spent about 200,000 words on a kind of personal journey where I’ve tried again and again to work out why everything digital feels so broken, and why it seems to keep getting worse, despite what tech’s “brightest&
Rest of World -...
The secret ingredient to hustle culture: A virtual assistant in the Philippines
How the office grind is being outsourced from Silicon Valley to Manila.
a year ago
How the office grind is being outsourced from Silicon Valley to Manila.
Stephen Diehl
Countering the Crypto Lobbyists
over a year ago
Internal Tech Emails
Mark Zuckerberg: "Please Resign"
This was an act of betrayal.
a year ago
This was an act of betrayal.
Stephen Diehl
The Non-Innovation of Cryptocurrency
over a year ago
Rest of World -...
In the “Galapagos of Asia,” angry Philippine islanders fight the great nickel rush
“It’s very ironic that, in order to mitigate the impact of global warming, you have to cut down our...
a year ago
“It’s very ironic that, in order to mitigate the impact of global warming, you have to cut down our trees … just to support the initiatives of Elon Musk.”
Noahpinion
Book Review: "The End of the World is Just the Beginning"
Peter Zeihan gives us his vision of the collapse of globalization.
a year ago
Peter Zeihan gives us his vision of the collapse of globalization.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Man and superman
There are two broad philosophical approaches to explaining the forces that drive world events. The...
over a year ago
There are two broad philosophical approaches to explaining the forces that drive world events. The first one is sometimes called the Great…
42!
Finding and fixing slow queries
Photo by Caspar Camille Rubin on Unsplash
I love dashboards, and I run several on my system to...
over a year ago
Photo by Caspar Camille Rubin on Unsplash
I love dashboards, and I run several on my system to monitor my HR startup in real time. I love collecting data points around subscriptions, user activity, and most importantly, server uptime and performance. Especially now that we are...
SatPost by Trung...
Costco's $9B clothes business, explained
The retailer has that incredible Kirkland drip and sells more clothes than Lululemon, Ralph Lauren...
a year ago
The retailer has that incredible Kirkland drip and sells more clothes than Lululemon, Ralph Lauren or Levi Strauss.
Rest of World -...
A preacher who moonlights as a cab driver is suing Uber and Bolt in Kenya
Zakaria Johana believes ride-hailing apps have been playing dirty, and is among a growing group...
a year ago
Zakaria Johana believes ride-hailing apps have been playing dirty, and is among a growing group taking them to court to prove it.
Rest of World -...
Elon Musk said he’d eliminate bots from X. Instead, election influence campaigns are running wild
In a year of global elections, X is making it easy to meddle.
4 months ago
In a year of global elections, X is making it easy to meddle.
Working Theorys
Two Shticks
Everyone needs two shticks.
2 weeks ago
Everyone needs two shticks.
Rest of World -...
A little-understood role in a global VC could also be one of the most influential
Ana Jiménez, 500 Global’s chief of staff for Latin America, on building a relationship of trust and...
a year ago
Ana Jiménez, 500 Global’s chief of staff for Latin America, on building a relationship of trust and strategic vision with her organization’s leader.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Top 10 websites
Top 10 websites in the US according to Quantcast: A few observations: As Josh Kopelman points out,...
over a year ago
Top 10 websites in the US according to Quantcast: A few observations: As Josh Kopelman points out, 4 of the top 10 sites (YouTube, Facebook…
Tech + Economics +...
The worst part of tech layoffs? The corporate bullshit.
EBay to eliminate about 1,000 jobs, or 9% of full-time workforce
Jamie Iannone, eBay’s CEO,...
11 months ago
EBay to eliminate about 1,000 jobs, or 9% of full-time workforce
Jamie Iannone, eBay’s CEO, told employees in a letter published on a
corporate blog, that the company will also “scale back the number of
contracts we have within our alternate workforce over the...
Internal Tech Emails
Elon Musk's Twitter texts
I'm not joining the board. This is a waste of time.
over a year ago
I'm not joining the board. This is a waste of time.
42!
Pitch competitions as a measure of success
In our early days of my startup, I would try to enter as many pitch competitions as was feasible,...
a year ago
In our early days of my startup, I would try to enter as many pitch competitions as was feasible, just to try and get our project in front of as many eyes as possible and get our names mentioned in the popular startup press.
I used to give everything in these competitions, and we...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Techies and normals
There are techies (if you are reading this blog you are almost certainly one of them) and there are...
over a year ago
There are techies (if you are reading this blog you are almost certainly one of them) and there are mainstream users – some people call them…
Working Theorys
How to Be Like Derek Guy
If you spend any time on Twitter, you know the handle @dieworkwear by heart. And you know it’s the...
6 months ago
If you spend any time on Twitter, you know the handle @dieworkwear by heart. And you know it’s the handle of Derek Guy, menswear expert extraordinaire. (I’m still unsure if that’s his real name, but I haven’t bothered to look it up because at this point I trust him implicitly.) I...
Rest of World -...
The TikTok ban is bigger than just ByteDance
The U.S. clampdown on Chinese-owned companies won't end here.
8 months ago
The U.S. clampdown on Chinese-owned companies won't end here.
Ed Zitron's Where's...
The Cult of Microsoft
At the core of Microsoft, a three-trillion-dollar hardware and software company, lies a kind of...
2 months ago
At the core of Microsoft, a three-trillion-dollar hardware and software company, lies a kind of social poison — an ill-defined, cult-like pseudo-scientific concept called 'The Growth Mindset" that drives company decision-making in everything from how products are sold, to how...
SatPost by Trung...
"Now is the Most Important Time"
Jensen Huang, Cillian Murphy, Michael Jordan, Jerry Seinfeld and Oprah Winfrey on the power of being...
9 months ago
Jensen Huang, Cillian Murphy, Michael Jordan, Jerry Seinfeld and Oprah Winfrey on the power of being present.
Noahpinion
Why is China producing so many export goods, anyway?
Six theories.
7 months ago
Rest of World -...
Welcome to Exporter
A new way of thinking about the global tech industry.
a year ago
A new way of thinking about the global tech industry.
Rest of World -...
How Apple’s India gamble paid off
India’s growing middle class is fueling a billion-dollar sales surge.
5 months ago
India’s growing middle class is fueling a billion-dollar sales surge.
Working Theorys
The "High Potential" Handicap | Theory No. 20
"Smart" kids are always praised for their high potential. They’re deemed inherently capable of so...
a year ago
"Smart" kids are always praised for their high potential. They’re deemed inherently capable of so much, largely because of their natural talents. They can do anything they want, if they just try.
Rest of World -...
African startups need more than just funds from their investors
Anne-Marie Chidzero, chief investment officer at FSD Africa Investments, talks about the risks and...
a year ago
Anne-Marie Chidzero, chief investment officer at FSD Africa Investments, talks about the risks and opportunities in backing Africa’s early-stage startups.
Rest of World -...
The betting app fueling fantasy cricket’s rise in India
On Dream11, Indian sports fans create groups, participate in tournaments, and win millions by...
a year ago
On Dream11, Indian sports fans create groups, participate in tournaments, and win millions by picking their favorite players.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Once you take money, the clock starts ticking
One of the interesting things about having been investing in startups for a number of years is that...
over a year ago
One of the interesting things about having been investing in startups for a number of years is that at any moment you get an inside peek at…
Data Boutique
Should Websites Open Access to Data?
Looking at web data from the website perspective
a year ago
Looking at web data from the website perspective
Steve Blank
The Department of Defense Is Getting Its Innovation Act Together – But More Can Be Done
This post previously appeared in Defense News and C4SIR. Despite the clear and present danger of...
11 months ago
This post previously appeared in Defense News and C4SIR. Despite the clear and present danger of threats from China and elsewhere, there’s no agreement on what types of adversaries we’ll face; how we’ll fight, organize, and train; and what weapons or systems we’ll need for...
essay – snarfed.org
Content negotiation considered harmful
Matilda, 1996 Content negotiation is a feature of HTTP that lets clients ask for, and servers...
a year ago
Matilda, 1996 Content negotiation is a feature of HTTP that lets clients ask for, and servers return, different content types based on the request’s Accept header. Sounds great, right? Well, no. Content negotiation is the classic example of an idea that sounds good in theory, but...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Inferring intent on mobile devices
[Google CEO Eric] Schmidt said that while the Google Instant predictive search technology helps...
over a year ago
[Google CEO Eric] Schmidt said that while the Google Instant predictive search technology helps shave an average of 2 seconds off users…
essay – snarfed.org
So long, Twitter API, and thanks for all the fish
Well, it’s come to this. Twitter is burning, a billionaire owes money, an API will soon get...
a year ago
Well, it’s come to this. Twitter is burning, a billionaire owes money, an API will soon get lobotomized, so Bridgy‘s Twitter support will die within the month is dead. Granary‘s and twitter-atom too. The Twitter API may now be effectively unmaintained, but they still managed to...
Noahpinion
Why Trump (or Harris) might fail to stand up to China
A very real possibility that more people need to be worried about.
5 months ago
A very real possibility that more people need to be worried about.
Internal Tech Emails
The Sam Bankman-Fried Files
In LA last weekend, I met with Michael Kives and his firm, K5. He is, probably, the most connected...
a year ago
In LA last weekend, I met with Michael Kives and his firm, K5. He is, probably, the most connected person I’ve ever met. In attendance at the dinner at his house were: 1) Hillary Clinton 2) Doug Emhoff 3) Katy Perry 4) Orlando Bloom 5) Kate Hudson
SatPost by Trung...
Taylor Sheridan's Extreme Productivity
The prolific mind behind "Sicario" and "Yellowstone" only started his writing career at 40. The...
3 weeks ago
The prolific mind behind "Sicario" and "Yellowstone" only started his writing career at 40. The realest deadlines (a young family, a $350m ranch) have pushed him to grind at an unbelievable pace.
SatPost by Trung...
Who Will Run Berkshire After Buffett?
PLUS: Group Chat Rules, 5 Banks in Disguise, Chipotle's Memo.
7 months ago
PLUS: Group Chat Rules, 5 Banks in Disguise, Chipotle's Memo.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
There are two ways to make large datasets useful
I’ve spent the majority of my career building technologies that try to do useful things with large...
over a year ago
I’ve spent the majority of my career building technologies that try to do useful things with large datasets.* One of the most important…
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things for the middle of your week (#21)
Saudi oil, delayed economic optimism, the EV revolution, U.S. education performance, Indian...
a year ago
Saudi oil, delayed economic optimism, the EV revolution, U.S. education performance, Indian industrialization, and Chinese urbanism
Ed Zitron's Where's...
Matt Stoller Explains Monopolies
The latest episode of my podcast Better Online is a conversation with Matt Stoller — America’s...
4 months ago
The latest episode of my podcast Better Online is a conversation with Matt Stoller — America’s leading voice on monopoly and antitrust matters, and a thoughtful and prolific writer. You can find Matt on Twitter here, and his newsletter here.
It was a timely conversation. At the
Noahpinion
Will Elon Musk kill Substack?
The fragmentation of the internet gets a push.
a year ago
The fragmentation of the internet gets a push.
Rest of World -...
Bolt’s drive-to-win insurance scheme is putting drivers’ lives at risk
Many drivers who attempted to win health care said they’ve become ill while doing so — and still...
7 months ago
Many drivers who attempted to win health care said they’ve become ill while doing so — and still can’t afford treatment.
Rest of World -...
A changing tech landscape makes for weird birthdays online
As social media as we know it crumbles around us, birthday greetings have become the province of...
a year ago
As social media as we know it crumbles around us, birthday greetings have become the province of aunties and corporations.
Working Theorys
Crypto social games don’t need the crypto
Crypto social games, work "trials," and meeting your creations in the wild
11 months ago
Crypto social games, work "trials," and meeting your creations in the wild
Internal Tech Emails
Sam Altman emails Elon Musk
The mission would be to create the first general Al and use it for individual empowerment—ie, the...
10 months ago
The mission would be to create the first general Al and use it for individual empowerment—ie, the distributed version of the future that seems the safest.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
As [Edwin] Land ultimately recognized, the adoption of his [polarized headlight] system was fatally…
As Edwin Land ultimately recognized, the adoption of his polarized headlight system was fatally...
over a year ago
As Edwin Land ultimately recognized, the adoption of his polarized headlight system was fatally hampered by the fact that there was no…
Rest of World -...
The SoftBank-backed company that lets you buy glasses over WhatsApp
The Indian eyewear company, Lenskart, is now an Asian giant.
a year ago
The Indian eyewear company, Lenskart, is now an Asian giant.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Why the integrated approach to mobile devices is winning
Until last week’s announcement of the new Surface tablet, Microsoft had taken the same approach to...
over a year ago
Until last week’s announcement of the new Surface tablet, Microsoft had taken the same approach to mobile devices that they had with PCs…
Platformer
How banning one Palestinian slogan roiled Etsy
The company secretly banned the phrase “from the river to the sea” on sellers’ wares. Some employees...
a year ago
The company secretly banned the phrase “from the river to the sea” on sellers’ wares. Some employees aren’t happy
Rest of World -...
Online sports betting in South Asia has a new target: Archery
Teer, a century-old game in India, is now attracting gamblers from Bangladesh and Bhutan.
a year ago
Teer, a century-old game in India, is now attracting gamblers from Bangladesh and Bhutan.
Data Boutique
Using Historical Data: Basic Knowledge
Elements to consider when using historical data from web scraping
6 months ago
Elements to consider when using historical data from web scraping
Noahpinion
Is it time for the Revenge of the Normies?
An optimistic take on technology and inequality.
a year ago
An optimistic take on technology and inequality.
Noahpinion
China at the peak
The country's rise is complete, but don't expect a rapid decline.
a year ago
The country's rise is complete, but don't expect a rapid decline.
Tech + Economics +...
Samsung Galaxy S24 Unpacked Event Set for Jan. 17
PCMag.com:
The company says it will show off "the newest additions to the Galaxy
mobile...
a year ago
PCMag.com:
The company says it will show off "the newest additions to the Galaxy
mobile device portfolio." In its teaser video, the company goes a step
further and explicitly states that "Galaxy AI is coming," so get ready
for some form of on-device,...
Steve Blank
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning– Explained
Artificial Intelligence is a once-in-a lifetime commercial and defense game changer (download a PDF...
over a year ago
Artificial Intelligence is a once-in-a lifetime commercial and defense game changer (download a PDF of this article here) Hundreds of billions in public and private capital is being invested in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning companies. The number of patents...
AVC
The Annual Computer Science Fair
Ten years ago, a small group of folks in the K12 Computer Science Education community in NYC decided...
a year ago
Ten years ago, a small group of folks in the K12 Computer Science Education community in NYC decided to put on a “mock job fair” for high school students who were taking computer science classes in the NYC public schools. That was the start of an annual day of engagement and...
Tech + Economics +...
Real estate grifters are creating unlivable conditions.
TikTok Real Estate Influencers and ‘Grifters’ Are in Deep Trouble, Short
Seller Says
Philip...
11 months ago
TikTok Real Estate Influencers and ‘Grifters’ Are in Deep Trouble, Short
Seller Says
Philip Garboden, a professor of affordable housing at the University of
Hawaii who has studied the rise of small real estate investors, said
the effects of reckless lending on...
Noahpinion
The best-case scenario for Trump's second term
An optimistic Thanksgiving post.
a month ago
An optimistic Thanksgiving post.
Ed Zitron's Where's...
Subprime Intelligence
Please scroll to the bottom for news on my next big project, Better Offline, coming this...
10 months ago
Please scroll to the bottom for news on my next big project, Better Offline, coming this Wednesday!
Last week, Sam Altman debuted OpenAI's "Sora," a text-to-video AI model that turns strings of text into full-blown videos, much like how OpenAI's DALL-E turns text into
Noahpinion
Feeling strangely optimistic about Egypt
It has many of the building blocks for a successful industrialization story.
a year ago
It has many of the building blocks for a successful industrialization story.
Aaron's Essays
When to Shut Down Your Company
I originally wrote this essay four years ago and published it over at YC's blog at the time. A...
over a year ago
I originally wrote this essay four years ago and published it over at YC's blog at the time. A number of recent conversations I've had with founders made me realize that the framework below remains useful. As the market continues through its downswing, more founders will face...
Paul Graham: Essays
Chapter 2 of Ansi Common Lisp
a year ago
Noahpinion
Mike Bird and Noah Smith debate industrial policy
In which we hash out at least a few of our differences.
a year ago
In which we hash out at least a few of our differences.
tomcritchlow.com
Building an Interactive Blog Map
I love a good diagram. So a while back I made a “blog map” for my website homepage that looked a bit...
a year ago
I love a good diagram. So a while back I made a “blog map” for my website homepage that looked a bit like this:
Platformer
Extremely Hardcore: Our New York magazine cover story
Twitter’s staff spent years trying to protect the platform against impulsive ranting billionaires —...
a year ago
Twitter’s staff spent years trying to protect the platform against impulsive ranting billionaires — then one made himself the CEO
Noahpinion
What's up with those revised job numbers?
Government data revisions can be scary, but they actually aren't that hard to understand.
4 months ago
Government data revisions can be scary, but they actually aren't that hard to understand.
Internal Tech Emails
Mark Zuckerberg on Messenger
To get people to ditch WhatsApp and switch to Messenger, it will never be sufficient to be 10%...
over a year ago
To get people to ditch WhatsApp and switch to Messenger, it will never be sufficient to be 10% better than them or add fun gimmicks on any existing attribute or feature. We will have to offer some new fundamental use case that becomes important to people’s daily lives.
Noahpinion
Chinasplaining will backfire
A review of "China's World View", by David Daokui Li
10 months ago
A review of "China's World View", by David Daokui Li
Noahpinion
Yes, Americans are much richer than Japanese people
GDP is not a perfect guide to wealth, but it's pretty darn good.
a week ago
GDP is not a perfect guide to wealth, but it's pretty darn good.
Nadia Asparouhova
Early stage funding markets for science - an analysis
In the summer of 2022, with support from Schmidt Futures, I took a closer look at several emerging...
a year ago
In the summer of 2022, with support from Schmidt Futures, I took a closer look at several emerging science funding mechanisms – rapid grants, scout programs, and focused research organizations (FROs) – to understand how they serve the needs of early stage science. I also...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
News is a lousy business for Google too
There is a widespread myth that search engines have taken profits away from news websites. A few...
over a year ago
There is a widespread myth that search engines have taken profits away from news websites. A few months ago, Rupert Murdoch said: “Google…
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
“There’s a way to do it better. Find it.” Thomas Edison 💡Human QA At least based on my experience...
6 months ago
“There’s a way to do it better. Find it.” Thomas Edison 💡Human QA At least based on my experience this seems like a service a ton of companies desperately need. Automated checks are awesome, but they can never spot all the weird edge cases that a human can.
Essays - Benedict...
There’s no such thing as data
Data is the new oil, we are told. Every country needs a data strategy, and
all of us should own...
over a year ago
Data is the new oil, we are told. Every country needs a data strategy, and
all of us should own our data, and be paid for it. But really, there is no
such thing as data, it’s not yours, and it’s not worth anything.
Noahpinion
America's semiconductor policy is missing a key piece
A guest post by Steven Glinert.
8 months ago
A guest post by Steven Glinert.
SatPost by Trung...
OpenAI, Humane and Apple's Shadow
The future of consumer AI hardware is coming into focus. Who will win?
a year ago
The future of consumer AI hardware is coming into focus. Who will win?
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The importance of institutional redundancy
Every system built by a single institution has points of failure that can bring the entire system...
over a year ago
Every system built by a single institution has points of failure that can bring the entire system down. Even in organizations that have…
Unpacked
Generative AI and the Future of News - a tale of two worlds
Last week, the New York Times reported that Google is testing an AI tool that enables news...
a year ago
Last week, the New York Times reported that Google is testing an AI tool that enables news organizations to create content using AI. It is unclear what the exact capabilities of the product are but based on one comment from Google, it helps with tasks like headlines and modifying...
Rest of World -...
Nigerian businesses increasingly skip traditional banks and turn to Moniepoint
Moniepoint’s payment machines have become ubiquitous across Nigeria. But the company faces...
10 months ago
Moniepoint’s payment machines have become ubiquitous across Nigeria. But the company faces competition from Chinese-backed OPay.
Rest of World -...
Ultra-cheap meals from China’s delivery giant are hugely popular. Drivers are bearing the costs
Meituan’s group order program boomed amid China’s post-Covid-19 thrift economy, but delivery drivers...
7 months ago
Meituan’s group order program boomed amid China’s post-Covid-19 thrift economy, but delivery drivers say they’re working longer for less pay.
Rest of World -...
How to become an #Influencer in India
Many middle-class Indians aspire to be the next Kusha Kapila or Ranveer Allahbadia. But there’s a...
a year ago
Many middle-class Indians aspire to be the next Kusha Kapila or Ranveer Allahbadia. But there’s a real struggle to monetize from Instagram.
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
#1 💡 It’s an easy trap to start making excuses when sales velocity is slow. It’s almost always a...
8 months ago
#1 💡 It’s an easy trap to start making excuses when sales velocity is slow. It’s almost always a symptom of a fundamental issue, not an unchangeable feature of the system. The one things missing from the growth model described here is prompts. In Brian Fogg’s model: B = MAP,...
Steve Blank
The Secret History of Polaroid CEO Edwin Land – part 1
The connections between the world of national security and commercial companies still has surprises....
8 months ago
The connections between the world of national security and commercial companies still has surprises. December 1976 – Vandenberg Air Force Base, U.S. military space port on the coast of California As a Titan IIID rocket blasted off, it carried a spacecraft on top that would change...
Working Theorys
The Creator Search Fund
Don't buy a company, commercialize a creator.
10 months ago
Don't buy a company, commercialize a creator.
Unpacked
AI-enabled SaaS vs Moatless AI
Several enterprise SaaS companies have announced generative AI features recently, which is a direct...
a year ago
Several enterprise SaaS companies have announced generative AI features recently, which is a direct threat to AI startups that lack sustainable competitive advantage
Rest of World -...
How Presto became Libya’s most successful tech startup
The delivery app now plans to expand to neighboring countries.
3 months ago
The delivery app now plans to expand to neighboring countries.
Internal Tech Emails
Steve Jobs on iPod and DRM
Guys – We need to make sure that when Music Match launches their download music store they cannot...
2 months ago
Guys – We need to make sure that when Music Match launches their download music store they cannot use iPod. Is this going to be an issue?
Rest of World -...
How Shein and TikTok Shop are trying to shake the ‘Made in China’ reputation
Chinese platforms came for global customers. Now they want global sellers.
a year ago
Chinese platforms came for global customers. Now they want global sellers.
AVC
My Year-End Playlist
Every year I put together a playlist at the end of the year with some of the new music I found and...
a year ago
Every year I put together a playlist at the end of the year with some of the new music I found and got into. Most of these songs are under the radar which is my favorite kind of music. So I hope you find something new that you like in here.
Platformer
The Biden administration turns its attention toward AI
The Commerce Department asks for public comment. Here are three problems it should consider
a year ago
The Commerce Department asks for public comment. Here are three problems it should consider
Aaron's Essays
Raise less money
Over the last few years, I’ve noticed that good companies are increasingly over-diluting themselves...
over a year ago
Over the last few years, I’ve noticed that good companies are increasingly over-diluting themselves in their seed and A rounds. Counterintuitively, dilution seems to rise along with price. One would expect the opposite correlation. Strong founders who command high prices should...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The one number you should know about your equity grant
The one number you should know about your equity grant is the percent of the company you are being...
over a year ago
The one number you should know about your equity grant is the percent of the company you are being granted (in options, shares, whatever…
AVC
The Newest Members of the USV Team
Last Thursday, three new blog posts hit USV.com announcing our three new analysts: This is our...
a year ago
Last Thursday, three new blog posts hit USV.com announcing our three new analysts: This is our tradition at USV. When someone starts at USV, we ask them to write a post on the USV blog introducing themselves. This helps founders who come to talk to us about their companies...
Rest of World -...
China’s bite-sized soap operas are peddling cheap plots for big profits
Sex scenes, revenge, and cliffhangers are jam-packed into minutes-long smartphone dramas.
a year ago
Sex scenes, revenge, and cliffhangers are jam-packed into minutes-long smartphone dramas.
Platformer
It's time to change how we cover Elon Musk
After a weekend of whoppers about X and fighting Mark Zuckerberg, the press should take a more...
a year ago
After a weekend of whoppers about X and fighting Mark Zuckerberg, the press should take a more skeptical approach
Steve Blank
Playing With Fire – ChatGPT
The world is very different now. For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of...
a year ago
The world is very different now. For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of human life. John F. Kennedy Humans have mastered lots of things that have transformed our lives, created our civilizations, and might ultimately...
SatPost by Trung...
Lululemon's $50B+ Apparel Innovation
Chip Wilson launched the athleisure industry by solving the "camel-toe problem" (via breakthroughs...
a year ago
Chip Wilson launched the athleisure industry by solving the "camel-toe problem" (via breakthroughs in materials and sewing methods).
Blog posts of...
Quick tips for hiring remotely
You are most likely already experienced with hiring so think of this more as a quick FYI focusing on...
over a year ago
You are most likely already experienced with hiring so think of this more as a quick FYI focusing on hiring remotely… What issues...
essay – snarfed.org
New job, hello climate tech
I have a new job! I’m doing climate tech at NCX (née SilviaTerra), using satellite imagery to...
over a year ago
I have a new job! I’m doing climate tech at NCX (née SilviaTerra), using satellite imagery to prevent deforestation and sequester more carbon in trees. A few years ago, I looked around for a side project on the climate crisis. Nothing big, maybe 5-10 hours a week, but I was ready...
Rest of World -...
Shein’s hottest item in Latin America is its plastic bags
The reusable packaging often ends up outliving the garments it once transported.
a year ago
The reusable packaging often ends up outliving the garments it once transported.
Rest of World -...
Mexico’s growing e-commerce infrastructure is built on top of its smallest shops
Amazon and MercadoLibre get all the credit, but it’s really a patchwork of mom-and-pop shops that...
a year ago
Amazon and MercadoLibre get all the credit, but it’s really a patchwork of mom-and-pop shops that keep Mexico’s e-commerce running.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Plans are nothing, but planning is indispensable
It is widely believed that writing a business plan is a waste of time, because: 1) very few people...
over a year ago
It is widely believed that writing a business plan is a waste of time, because: 1) very few people will read it, and 2) you’ll end up…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Founder vesting
The most important term in a startup term sheet that no one seems to think carefully about is...
over a year ago
The most important term in a startup term sheet that no one seems to think carefully about is founder vesting. There are two key points…
Varun's Notes
Your Platform Is as Strong as Its Identity Layer
Analyzing platforms through a layered cake of identity, social networking, and super apps.
over a year ago
Analyzing platforms through a layered cake of identity, social networking, and super apps.
Internal Tech Emails
Mark Zuckerberg: "Ship the app"
I think it's a really big deal that we ship this photos app quickly.
3 months ago
I think it's a really big deal that we ship this photos app quickly.
David Perell
Imitate, then Innovate
Imitate, then Innovate is my motto for improving at any skill.
It’s counterintuitive, but the more...
over a year ago
Imitate, then Innovate is my motto for improving at any skill.
It’s counterintuitive, but the more we imitate others, the faster we can discover our unique style.
The post Imitate, then Innovate appeared first on David Perell.
Paul Graham: Essays
The Hundred-Year Language
over a year ago
Entrepreneur's Edge
Recommended Books
A collection of books that have changed how I think about the world.
a year ago
A collection of books that have changed how I think about the world.
Folklore.org:...
Reality Distortion Field
Bud defines Steve's unique talent
a year ago
Bud defines Steve's unique talent
Rest of World -...
The AI artist who used Bad Bunny’s voice — and shot to fame
Meet the Chilean artist who made it big using others’ voices.
5 months ago
Meet the Chilean artist who made it big using others’ voices.
Noahpinion
No, you are not on Indigenous land
Pieces of territory belong to institutions, not to racial groups.
a month ago
Pieces of territory belong to institutions, not to racial groups.
SatPost by Trung...
Disney Loves (and Hates) Public Domain
Disney lost copyright on the "Steamboat Willie" version of Mickey Mouse. It's the culmination of...
12 months ago
Disney lost copyright on the "Steamboat Willie" version of Mickey Mouse. It's the culmination of decades in which the company used a ton of public domain but prevented others from doing so.
Rest of World -...
Why thousands of Chinese young people use a pink dinosaur as their alias
Users adopt the alias “momo” as a way to speak more freely, evade harassment and protect personal...
a year ago
Users adopt the alias “momo” as a way to speak more freely, evade harassment and protect personal privacy on Douban and Xiaohongshu.
Rest of World -...
Rwanda’s homegrown EV leader sets its sights on Kenya
Ampersand hopes to replicate its small-market success in East Africa’s largest economy.
7 months ago
Ampersand hopes to replicate its small-market success in East Africa’s largest economy.
Tech + Economics +...
How we turned into assholes
The internet was supposed to unite us.
So what the fuck happened?
And how did we become a...
a year ago
The internet was supposed to unite us.
So what the fuck happened?
And how did we become a cross-generational digital nation of assholes?
We dreamed of a global, decentralized network spreading information,
enabling communication, and connecting humanity. But somewhere...
Rest of World -...
A tale of two feeds
Car smuggling in Bolivia is booming, despite thieves and theft victims widely documenting the...
a year ago
Car smuggling in Bolivia is booming, despite thieves and theft victims widely documenting the problem.
Stephen Diehl
A Sticky Stringy Quandary
over a year ago
Rest of World -...
Malaysia’s new data centers create thousands of jobs — and worries about power and water shortages
Data centers for companies like Google, Amazon, and Nvidia are transforming Johor state, with locals...
a month ago
Data centers for companies like Google, Amazon, and Nvidia are transforming Johor state, with locals bracing for higher real estate costs and resource shortages.
Noahpinion
Who cares about the Ivy League? (repost)
Too much of our education discourse focuses on a handful of tiny elite schools.
a year ago
Too much of our education discourse focuses on a handful of tiny elite schools.
SatPost by Trung...
The Reading Unlock
Entrepreneurs influenced by a single read include Joe Coulombe, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Morris Chang,...
a year ago
Entrepreneurs influenced by a single read include Joe Coulombe, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Morris Chang, Sarah Blakely, Chip Wilson and Phil Knight.
Rest of World -...
Building a food delivery app in the internet shutdown capital of the world
Jammu and Kashmir’s Gatoes was founded in 2020 in the middle of a months-long government-imposed...
4 months ago
Jammu and Kashmir’s Gatoes was founded in 2020 in the middle of a months-long government-imposed internet restriction. It is now expanding in north India.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
“It is the human friction that makes the sparks”
From Jonah Lehrer, Brainstorming Doesn’t Really Work (via Stowe Boyd): Building 20 [a scene of...
over a year ago
From Jonah Lehrer, Brainstorming Doesn’t Really Work (via Stowe Boyd): Building 20 [a scene of incredible innovation at MIT] and…
Rest of World -...
After Mexico’s top streamer — the president — left office, YouTube creators hustle for views
A slew of content creators built small social media empires off Andrés Manuel López Obrador, whose...
2 weeks ago
A slew of content creators built small social media empires off Andrés Manuel López Obrador, whose term ended in October.
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things for the middle of your week (#11)
"Bullshit jobs", racial depolarization, the YIMBY-union alliance, China's last boosters, Biden's...
a year ago
"Bullshit jobs", racial depolarization, the YIMBY-union alliance, China's last boosters, Biden's foreign policy, low-carbon steel, and Javier Milei
Tech + Economics +...
What are the conservatives going to do - talk to each other?
The fundamental truth at the heart of right-wing communities: the
satisfaction derived from...
a year ago
The fundamental truth at the heart of right-wing communities: the
satisfaction derived from sharing their viewpoints and beliefs is
intrinsically linked to the presence of a progressive adversary who will
respond to them. It's not the platform that matters, nor the freedom...
SatPost by Trung...
Blumhouse: The Hollywood Horror Hit Machine
How Jason Blum turned "constraints breed creativity" into a business model.
a year ago
How Jason Blum turned "constraints breed creativity" into a business model.
Rest of World -...
Why Southeast Asia became a spyware hotspot
A new Amnesty International report raises difficult questions.
7 months ago
A new Amnesty International report raises difficult questions.
SatPost by Trung...
Economics of Taylor Swift's $2B+ Eras Tour
Breaking down the numbers for the most successful concert tour ever.
3 weeks ago
Breaking down the numbers for the most successful concert tour ever.
42!
Reflections on 2020
I feel kind of conflicted writing this, because 2020 was a horror of a year for most people around...
over a year ago
I feel kind of conflicted writing this, because 2020 was a horror of a year for most people around the world. Instead, for me, and my family, it was somewhat of a start of new beginnings and some huge wins.
I feel that I have finally stepped out of a decade long black tunnel,...
Rest of World -...
The fastest-growing shopping app in the world
Meesho is taking on Amazon and Walmart with its focuse on cheaper goods for small-town consumers.
a year ago
Meesho is taking on Amazon and Walmart with its focuse on cheaper goods for small-town consumers.
Roberto Vitillo's...
I am writing a book
I have released the first chapter of Understanding Distributed Systems ! "Wait, what? Weren't you...
over a year ago
I have released the first chapter of Understanding Distributed Systems ! "Wait, what? Weren't you working on a video class?" - I hear you…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
While Google fights on the edges, Amazon is attacking their core
Google is fighting battles on almost every front: social networking, mobile operating systems, web...
over a year ago
Google is fighting battles on almost every front: social networking, mobile operating systems, web browsers, office apps, and so on. Much…
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
#1 💡 Andrej Karpathy announced that he’s building an AI + education company.
5 months ago
#1 💡 Andrej Karpathy announced that he’s building an AI + education company.
Rest of World -...
Desperate taxi drivers in Argentina are finally joining Uber
Amid the country’s economic turmoil, thousands of cabbies turn to the Uber Taxi function to make...
a year ago
Amid the country’s economic turmoil, thousands of cabbies turn to the Uber Taxi function to make ends meet.
Noahpinion
Three more books about the technology wars
"The Wires of War", "Four Battlegrounds", and "The Digital Silk Road"
a year ago
"The Wires of War", "Four Battlegrounds", and "The Digital Silk Road"
Platformer
Five reasons Threads could still go the distance
One week later, engagement is down — but the prize is still there for the taking
a year ago
One week later, engagement is down — but the prize is still there for the taking
Noahpinion
A vote for Trump is a vote for chaos
Let's leave the 2010s in the past where they belong.
11 months ago
Let's leave the 2010s in the past where they belong.
Rest of World -...
Uber drivers are melting amid Nigeria’s historic heat wave and record fuel prices
As temperatures soar and fuel prices triple, drivers are having to choose between their health and...
9 months ago
As temperatures soar and fuel prices triple, drivers are having to choose between their health and livelihood.
Platformer
Elon's war on Substack
How Twitter is breaking — and its CEO is accelerating its fall
a year ago
How Twitter is breaking — and its CEO is accelerating its fall
Essays - Benedict...
The AI summer
Hundreds of millions of people have tried ChatGPT, but most of them haven’t
been back. Every big...
5 months ago
Hundreds of millions of people have tried ChatGPT, but most of them haven’t
been back. Every big company has done a pilot, but far fewer are in
deployment. Some of this is just a matter of time. But LLMs might also be a
trap: they look like products and they look magic, but...
XO Capital - Field...
We 10x-ed screenshotapi.net and sold it
Before we jump in, I was on a pod talking through content, acquisitions, etc:
This exit is bitter...
4 months ago
Before we jump in, I was on a pod talking through content, acquisitions, etc:
This exit is bitter sweet. Screenshot was our first ever acquisition. We 10x-ed it, and it is really the reason XO exists today. If this first acquisition hadn't gone well, I think I would
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things for your weekend (#13)
Climate messaging, antitrust, Chinese consumption, the Fed and inflation, marriage and happiness,...
a year ago
Climate messaging, antitrust, Chinese consumption, the Fed and inflation, marriage and happiness, historical data, and some Star Trek recommendations
Essays - Benedict...
Vision Pro
What has Apple built, what is it for, what does it mean for Meta, and why
does it cost $3,500?...
a year ago
What has Apple built, what is it for, what does it mean for Meta, and why
does it cost $3,500? Check back in 2025.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Climbing the wrong hill
I know a brilliant young kid who graduated from college a year ago and now works at a large...
over a year ago
I know a brilliant young kid who graduated from college a year ago and now works at a large investment bank. He has decided he hates Wall…
Rest of World -...
Rappi: the app trying to do everything for everyone in Latin America
This budding super-app will get you (almost) anything in minutes.
a year ago
This budding super-app will get you (almost) anything in minutes.
Rest of World -...
Amid a surge in violence in Tijuana, ride-hailing apps and authorities implement new safety measures
Uber launched a panic button linked to state-run emergency centers to keep drivers and users safe —...
4 months ago
Uber launched a panic button linked to state-run emergency centers to keep drivers and users safe — but violence remains unabated.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Two eras of the internet: pull and push
The evolution of the internet is an extremely complex topic. Sometimes it is helpful to find broad...
over a year ago
The evolution of the internet is an extremely complex topic. Sometimes it is helpful to find broad patterns that make it easier to…
Ed Zitron's Where's...
Monopoly Money
Last week, in the midst of the slow, painful collapse of the generative AI hype cycle, something...
4 months ago
Last week, in the midst of the slow, painful collapse of the generative AI hype cycle, something incredible happened.
On Monday, a Federal Judge delivered a crushing ruling in the multi-year-long antitrust case filed against Google by the Department of Justice. In 300-pages of...
Tech + Economics +...
Bitcoin ETFs will make greater fools of us all.
Reuters: US SEC approves bitcoin ETFs in watershed for crypto market
WASHINGTON/NEW YORK, Jan...
11 months ago
Reuters: US SEC approves bitcoin ETFs in watershed for crypto market
WASHINGTON/NEW YORK, Jan 10 (Reuters) - The U.S. securities regulator
on Wednesday approved the first U.S.-listed exchange traded funds
(ETFs) to track bitcoin, its Chair Gary Gensler said, in a...
Rest of World -...
Sierra Leone’s first lady hopes going viral on TikTok will secure Saturday’s elections
Amid economic turmoil, President Julius Maada Bio is seeking re-election in Sierra Leone. His wife,...
a year ago
Amid economic turmoil, President Julius Maada Bio is seeking re-election in Sierra Leone. His wife, Fatima, is dancing to a crowd of over 200,000 on TikTok to drum up votes.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The time to eat the hors d’oeuvres is when they’re being passed
The efficient market hypothesis is a widely taught financial theory that states, roughly, that under...
over a year ago
The efficient market hypothesis is a widely taught financial theory that states, roughly, that under certain generally-held conditions…
Noahpinion
The age of SASEA
South Asia and Southeast Asia are globalization's next frontier.
6 months ago
South Asia and Southeast Asia are globalization's next frontier.
Working Theorys
Writing Wrapped
I published 52 pieces this year (plus favorite tweets and an essay from the vault).
5 days ago
I published 52 pieces this year (plus favorite tweets and an essay from the vault).
Raw Thought (from...
What are the optimal biases to overcome?
over a year ago
Internal Tech Emails
Barry Diller: Facebook is trying to "steal" Tinder's cofounder
Their attempts to hire Sean away from us potentially indicate they believe something like Tinder...
over a year ago
Their attempts to hire Sean away from us potentially indicate they believe something like Tinder could be replicated by them. I’d like to avoid that, though I don’t know that FB itself makes it that much more likely to succeed than anyone else.
Steve Blank
Finding and Growing the Islands of Innovation inside a large company – Action Plan for A New CTO
This post previously appeared in Fast Company. How does a newly hired Chief Technology Officer (CTO)...
over a year ago
This post previously appeared in Fast Company. How does a newly hired Chief Technology Officer (CTO) find and grow the islands of innovation inside a large company? How not to waste your first six months as a new CTO thinking you’re making progress when the status quo is working...
Paul Graham: Essays
Chapter 2 of Ansi Common Lisp
a year ago
Noahpinion
What the Solow Model can teach us about China
Economists knew back in the 1950s that a country can't build its way to infinite wealth.
a year ago
Economists knew back in the 1950s that a country can't build its way to infinite wealth.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Google and newspapers: the false choice of opting out
First let me say I love Google. I think Google created one of the greatest inventions of the past...
over a year ago
First let me say I love Google. I think Google created one of the greatest inventions of the past century and continues to give back much…
Rest of World -...
China’s AI boom depends on an army of exploited student interns
As part of China’s digital underclass, vocational school students work as data annotators – for low...
a year ago
As part of China’s digital underclass, vocational school students work as data annotators – for low pay and little future prospects.
Varun's Notes
The Future of No Code is Low Code
Or why we should write more programming languages instead of trying to build virtual legos.
over a year ago
Or why we should write more programming languages instead of trying to build virtual legos.
Rest of World -...
Overworked and unable to quit: Delivery drivers in Brazil found something worse than gig work
Trapped in a subcontracting nightmare, some delivery drivers are facing grueling hours, low pay, and...
a year ago
Trapped in a subcontracting nightmare, some delivery drivers are facing grueling hours, low pay, and no control over their work.
Noahpinion
The U.S. must not ignore Indonesia
We have the opportunity to befriend an Asian country with a huge population, a large and growing...
a year ago
We have the opportunity to befriend an Asian country with a huge population, a large and growing economy, and a strategic location.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The idea maze
The pop culture view of startups is that they’re all about coming up with a great product idea....
over a year ago
The pop culture view of startups is that they’re all about coming up with a great product idea. After the eureka moment, the outcome is…
42!
The folly of trying to replace spreadsheets
Our very earliest marketing copy for our HR SaaS was “Replace your spreadsheet nightmare with a nice...
a year ago
Our very earliest marketing copy for our HR SaaS was “Replace your spreadsheet nightmare with a nice clean HR database…”
We thought it was a cute and quirky tagline, and that it would immediately relatable to our target audience of business and human resource managers. After all...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Skydio
I’m excited to announce today that Andreessen Horowitz is leading a $3M financing of Skydio, a...
over a year ago
I’m excited to announce today that Andreessen Horowitz is leading a $3M financing of Skydio, a startup developing artificial intelligence…
Working Theorys
Accountability as a Service
Hey you, did you do the thing you said you would do?
7 months ago
Hey you, did you do the thing you said you would do?
Noahpinion
What just happened in San Francisco politics?
A guest post by Armand Domalewski
9 months ago
A guest post by Armand Domalewski
Rest of World -...
The slow decline of Meta’s Trusted Partner program
Who trusts the trusted partners?
a year ago
Who trusts the trusted partners?
Tom Blomfield
Monzo growth
I’ve been asked a few times recently how we got customers to sign up to Monzo in the early years and...
over a year ago
I’ve been asked a few times recently how we got customers to sign up to Monzo in the early years and I haven’t been able to give a satisfactory answer in a sufficiently short space of time. I thought I’d write out my thoughts in a longer piece so I can feel less bad about giving...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The default state of a startup is failure
If you are starting a company and wondering why nothing good seems to happen unless you force it to...
over a year ago
If you are starting a company and wondering why nothing good seems to happen unless you force it to happen, that’s because the world wants…
Noahpinion
Why America's future could hinge on Elon Musk
Iron Man, or Dr. Doom?
2 months ago
Paul Graham: Essays
How to Present to Investors
over a year ago
Business Brainstorms
Designjoy of Canva, password manager for seniors, Future of SaaS in the wild world of AI, ...
Hey, this is Jakob Greenfeld, author of the Business Brainstorms newsletter - every week I write...
a year ago
Hey, this is Jakob Greenfeld, author of the Business Brainstorms newsletter - every week I write this email to share the most interesting trends, frameworks, opportunities, and ideas with you. Let's dive in! 💡 Opportunities “Business idea: “The Designjoy of Canva” - Lower priced...
Rest of World -...
As EVs surge, so does nickel mining’s death toll
In the mineral-rich fringes of Indonesia, whose nickel will feed EV giants like Tesla, the deaths of...
a year ago
In the mineral-rich fringes of Indonesia, whose nickel will feed EV giants like Tesla, the deaths of miners continue to mount.
Noahpinion
Repost: Someone has to run the fabs
Egalitarianism is important but we neglect STEM education at our peril
a year ago
Egalitarianism is important but we neglect STEM education at our peril
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things for your weekend (#15)
Working-class wealth, the education gap, zero-sum thinking, data uncertainty, and indigenous...
a year ago
Working-class wealth, the education gap, zero-sum thinking, data uncertainty, and indigenous knowledge
cdixon.org RSS Feed
What’s the right amount of seed money to raise?
Short answer: enough to get your startup to an accretive milestone plus some fudge factor....
over a year ago
Short answer: enough to get your startup to an accretive milestone plus some fudge factor. “Accretive milestone” is a fancy way of saying…
Working Theorys
Writers Block
What I learned from Version 1.0, plus Version 2.0 soon :)
6 months ago
What I learned from Version 1.0, plus Version 2.0 soon :)
Noahpinion
Singapore urbanism
Thoughts from a visit to the solarpunk city.
a year ago
Thoughts from a visit to the solarpunk city.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Stack Exchange
Today we are announcing that A16z is leading a $40M investment in Stack Exchange, along with earlier...
over a year ago
Today we are announcing that A16z is leading a $40M investment in Stack Exchange, along with earlier investors USV, Bezos Expeditions, Spark…
Working Theorys
Angel Investing | Theory No. 28
A 5-year reflection & predictions on the practice of writing small checks into early-stage startups.
11 months ago
A 5-year reflection & predictions on the practice of writing small checks into early-stage startups.
Blog posts of...
AngelList is the NASDAQ of our generation.
It’s fair to say that Angellist is the most exciting (web/mobile) tech startup in 2013. Even before...
over a year ago
It’s fair to say that Angellist is the most exciting (web/mobile) tech startup in 2013. Even before they launched syndicates, earl...
Essays - Benedict...
Remaking the app store
The EU has finally made Apple redesign the App Store, 15 years after we
started arguing about it,...
11 months ago
The EU has finally made Apple redesign the App Store, 15 years after we
started arguing about it, and no-one is happy with the result. In the next
few years there’ll be a lot of shouting and some giant fines, but in the
end, nothing much will change.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Technology predictions
For those of us in the prediction business, it’s sometimes useful to go back and read past...
over a year ago
For those of us in the prediction business, it’s sometimes useful to go back and read past predictions to try to discern patterns in what…
SatPost by Trung...
Best of SatPost (First Half of 2024)
PLUS: Solar Industry, LVMH Real Estate, Delta Airlines is Winning.
6 months ago
PLUS: Solar Industry, LVMH Real Estate, Delta Airlines is Winning.
essay – snarfed.org
Logs as end user UI
A long time ago, I decided to show Bridgy‘s end users its raw logs. Like, raw logs. HTTP requests,...
a year ago
A long time ago, I decided to show Bridgy‘s end users its raw logs. Like, raw logs. HTTP requests, database reads and writes, JSON objects, stack traces, etc. It’s an unusual UI feature, but it’s been an unqualified success, enough that when I built Bridgy Fed, I immediately...
Rest of World -...
This Indian state wants to be a tech hub. But the government keeps shutting down the internet
Manipur’s startup community is struggling to survive, with tech professionals moving to Bengaluru or...
2 months ago
Manipur’s startup community is struggling to survive, with tech professionals moving to Bengaluru or Hyderabad.
Noahpinion
Heterodox vs. mainstream macroeconomics
If you're skeptical of one, you should be skeptical of the other too.
a year ago
If you're skeptical of one, you should be skeptical of the other too.
Tech + Economics +...
The elegance of endurance: what centuries-old enterprises can teach modern culture.
For 879 years, the oldest Sake brewery in Japan has thrived and survived
through massive social,...
a year ago
For 879 years, the oldest Sake brewery in Japan has thrived and survived
through massive social, technological and economic change. Most recently it
has weathered the threat of radioactive contamination from the Fukushima
Nuclear Power Plant, with its products remaining...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Steve Jobs single-handedly restructured the mobile industry
With the introduction of the iPhone, Steve Jobs achieved something that might be unique in the...
over a year ago
With the introduction of the iPhone, Steve Jobs achieved something that might be unique in the history of business: he single-handedly…
AVC
I’ve Moved Onchain
Over the last few years, I’ve moved my internet life from web2 to web3 and rarely use any web2...
8 months ago
Over the last few years, I’ve moved my internet life from web2 to web3 and rarely use any web2 services anymore. So I am starting a series called “I’ve Moved Onchain” to explain this journey to everyone and today’s opening post is about blogging, naturally. I’ve blogged at...
Rest of World -...
An Indian edtech that helps students live out their study-abroad dreams
Leverage Edu, which has raised $70 million, is among the few profitable edtech companies in the...
a year ago
Leverage Edu, which has raised $70 million, is among the few profitable edtech companies in the country.
Platformer
Substack says it will remove Nazi publications from the platform
Nazi content violates rules against incitement to violence, the company says
12 months ago
Nazi content violates rules against incitement to violence, the company says
SatPost by Trung...
11 types of cross-industry innovation
PLUS: AI spam, Disney vs. BuzzFeed.
a year ago
PLUS: AI spam, Disney vs. BuzzFeed.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Some ideas for native bitcoin apps
Fred Wilson calls applications built using Bitcoin that couldn't have existed prior to Bitcoin...
over a year ago
Fred Wilson calls applications built using Bitcoin that couldn't have existed prior to Bitcoin "native Bitcoin apps". Most of the…
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things to start your week (#37)
The U.S. as trade war leader; Russia/China infowar; Biden and inflation; Yglesias on industrial...
7 months ago
The U.S. as trade war leader; Russia/China infowar; Biden and inflation; Yglesias on industrial policy; How to get immigrants to the Rust Belt; How to lose money
Dustin Curtis
Blocked
A couple of years ago, I posted a slight criticism of Elon Musk that led prominent venture...
2 months ago
A couple of years ago, I posted a slight criticism of Elon Musk that led prominent venture capitalist Marc Andreessen to block me. Since then, I have been unable to view his posts1, which is a shame because I valued his thoughts and opinions.
Today, X engineering announced...
Noahpinion
Maximum Canada is happening
Canada has a nation-building population strategy. Does America?
a year ago
Canada has a nation-building population strategy. Does America?
haseeb qureshi
Flash Loans: Why Flash Attacks will be the New Normal
Flash loans have been the center of attention lately. Recently two hackers used flash loans to...
over a year ago
Flash loans have been the center of attention lately. Recently two hackers used flash loans to attack the margin trading protocol bZx, first in a $350K attack and later in a $600K copycat attack.
These attacks were, in a word, magnificent. In each attack, a penniless attacker...
Essays - Benedict...
Generative AI and intellectual property
If you put all the world’s knowledge into an AI model and use it to make
something new, who owns...
a year ago
If you put all the world’s knowledge into an AI model and use it to make
something new, who owns that and who gets paid? This is a completely new
problem that we’ve been arguing about for 500 years.
Blog posts of...
A model that’s mental
Maybe… This anxiety isn’t anxiety it’s just your raw excitement that you are misunderstanding. This...
over a year ago
Maybe… This anxiety isn’t anxiety it’s just your raw excitement that you are misunderstanding. This creeping imposter syndrome jus...
Inverted Passion
Wealth is not money, it’s the things we use money for
As an entrepreneur, money is obviously a massive motivation for why you’re doing what you’re doing....
a year ago
As an entrepreneur, money is obviously a massive motivation for why you’re doing what you’re doing. However, it’s essential to understand that money is not wealth. Wealth is stuff we want and by that logic, people can be wealthy even if they don’t have a lot of money. In fact,...
tomcritchlow.com
8 Years on the Road
Being self-employed feels a bit like being on an extended road trip. Untethered and free, but lonely...
over a year ago
Being self-employed feels a bit like being on an extended road trip. Untethered and free, but lonely and unsupported too. Ultimate freedoms combined with shallow roots. Every year I write a recap, around the anniversary of quitting my last job (Oct 24th, 2014). Here’s my recap of...
Paul Graham: Essays
Chapter 2 of Ansi Common Lisp
a year ago
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
🙈 Innovation Fallacy
3 months ago
AVC
The Daily Bolster
USV is an investor in Bolster, a marketplace for fractional and full-time executive talent for...
a year ago
USV is an investor in Bolster, a marketplace for fractional and full-time executive talent for startups and growth companies. This week Bolster launched a daily short (5min) podcast and email with actionable insights and advice from founders, operators, and investors. It is...
Internal Tech Emails
Steve Jobs emails Adobe's CEO
One of us must change our policy. Please let me know who.
a year ago
One of us must change our policy. Please let me know who.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Entrepreneurs need to learn some law
I recently wrote a post where I said entrepreneurs need to understand term sheets on their own,...
over a year ago
I recently wrote a post where I said entrepreneurs need to understand term sheets on their own, without the assistance of lawyers. I got…
Nadia Asparouhova
The New American University
I had the pleasure of stumbling upon the work of Michael Crow, Arizona State University’s president,...
over a year ago
I had the pleasure of stumbling upon the work of Michael Crow, Arizona State University’s president, earlier this year, and I so enjoyed his thoughts on knowledge production that I immediately wondered how his philosophy would translate to ASU as an organization. Turns out,...
Rest of World -...
TikTok wants to turn millions of Americans into paid shopping influencers
You only need around 1,000 followers to earn money eating noodles and selling toys on TikTok Shop.
2 months ago
You only need around 1,000 followers to earn money eating noodles and selling toys on TikTok Shop.
Rest of World -...
How this startup bounced back from a crisis
ThriveAgric fell into a crisis when the pandemic hit. Three years later, it has found its way back...
a year ago
ThriveAgric fell into a crisis when the pandemic hit. Three years later, it has found its way back up.
Articles - Alex...
The ageism in advertising
The advertising industry is addicted to youth. We are obsessed and
possessed. We crave it in our...
over a year ago
The advertising industry is addicted to youth. We are obsessed and
possessed. We crave it in our agencies and we covet it in our audiences. We
believe younger staff are more creative and younger consumers are more
valuable. But this is nothing more than received wisdom....
cdixon.org RSS Feed
There are two kinds of people in the world
You’ve either started a company or you haven’t. ”Started” doesn’t mean joining as an early...
over a year ago
You’ve either started a company or you haven’t. ”Started” doesn’t mean joining as an early employee, or investing or advising or helping…
SatPost by Trung...
9 Creative Lessons From Virgil Abloh
Insights from the late designer who went from studying architecture, working with Kanye, founding...
3 months ago
Insights from the late designer who went from studying architecture, working with Kanye, founding Off-White and leading menswear at Louis Vuitton.
Unpacked
Klarna, Buy Now Pay Later & first mover advantage
The company got to profitable growth by cementing its first mover advantage and doubling down on...
a year ago
The company got to profitable growth by cementing its first mover advantage and doubling down on retailer relationships but faces competition from incumbent giants
Internal Tech Emails
Steve Jobs negotiates Apple's deal with Microsoft
Greg, Here is a review of the terms we last discussed, as well as some issues I have encountered....
over a year ago
Greg, Here is a review of the terms we last discussed, as well as some issues I have encountered. Please ping me to let me know that you received this email.
Rest of World -...
Why Mexico’s delivery workers are ditching food for packages
As the popularity of Chinese e-commerce platforms grows, some gig workers are finding it more...
5 months ago
As the popularity of Chinese e-commerce platforms grows, some gig workers are finding it more appealing to deliver packages than food orders.
XO Capital - Field...
2023 In Review
2023 was a tough year. It started out with a bang (high expectations, everything going right) and...
a year ago
2023 was a tough year. It started out with a bang (high expectations, everything going right) and ended with a whimper for us. The zero interest rate environment really came down hard on a few products like Cold Email Studio and now that the AI craze is cooling off, we&
Ed Zitron's Where's...
Software Has Eaten The Media
As I wrote a year ago in The Rot Economy (and as I argued on the first episode of my podcast Better...
10 months ago
As I wrote a year ago in The Rot Economy (and as I argued on the first episode of my podcast Better Offline), I believe that both public and private markets have become decoupled from the concept of "good business," ruled instead by a hunger for the eternal
AVC
Machine Learning and Schools
I read last week that the NYC Department of Education has banned ChatGPT from its networks and...
a year ago
I read last week that the NYC Department of Education has banned ChatGPT from its networks and devices. I understand that reaction and mentioned the issues that AI/ML create for educators in a post a few weeks ago. I attended a dinner this past week with USV portfolio founders...
Noahpinion
Decade of the Battery
A repost with some updates.
6 months ago
A repost with some updates.
Steve Blank
A Simple Map for Innovation at Scale
An edited version of this article previously appeared in the Boston Consulting Group’s strategy...
over a year ago
An edited version of this article previously appeared in the Boston Consulting Group’s strategy think tank website. I spent last week at a global Fortune 50 company offsite watching them grapple with disruption. This 100+-year-old company has seven major product divisions, each...
Stephen Diehl
Bitcoin: The Postmodern Ponzi
over a year ago
Rest of World -...
Traffic laws can’t keep up with Mexico City’s electric mopeds
Chinese-made mopeds have become popular in the traffic-clogged city, but users and manufacturers...
5 months ago
Chinese-made mopeds have become popular in the traffic-clogged city, but users and manufacturers aren’t sure which laws apply to them.
Rest of World -...
When disaster strikes, the world opens WhatsApp
Meta's messaging app has transformed communication in conflict and crisis areas.
3 weeks ago
Meta's messaging app has transformed communication in conflict and crisis areas.
Platformer
Twitter’s risky plan to save its ads business
Agree to personalize your ads — or else
over a year ago
Agree to personalize your ads — or else
Rest of World -...
How China’s hottest social media app turned Düsseldorf into a foodie destination
The trendiest food city in Europe isn’t Paris or London. It’s Düsseldorf — thanks to Xiaohongshu.
a year ago
The trendiest food city in Europe isn’t Paris or London. It’s Düsseldorf — thanks to Xiaohongshu.
Articles - Alex...
Big questions for big data
Big data is big news. Search for it and Google will return 75 million
results. That’s a different...
over a year ago
Big data is big news. Search for it and Google will return 75 million
results. That’s a different article for every 100 people on earth. There
are also 18 million videos on the topic. At 5 minutes each, it would take
170 years to watch them all. Then there’s the one million...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Regulatory hacks
A common way to think of business regulations is by analogy to sports: the rules are specified up...
over a year ago
A common way to think of business regulations is by analogy to sports: the rules are specified up front, and the players follow the rules…
Rest of World -...
The new AI assistants may not speak your language
Mind the language gap.
a year ago
Blog posts of...
Refactoring larger legacy codebases
This article is based on a comment of mine to a HackerNews question. Thought it might be useful to...
over a year ago
This article is based on a comment of mine to a HackerNews question. Thought it might be useful to explain it here a bit more in d...
SatPost by Trung...
The Rise and Fall (and Rise) of Pixar
Revisiting the studio’s early highs (one lunch led to $6B at the box office), creative struggles...
4 months ago
Revisiting the studio’s early highs (one lunch led to $6B at the box office), creative struggles (stale IP, original flops) and why "Inside Out 2" could trigger a renaissance.
Working Theorys
Love the Mission or Love the Game
Are you a Type I or Type II entrepreneur? (or an unserious third thing)
10 months ago
Are you a Type I or Type II entrepreneur? (or an unserious third thing)
Essays - Benedict...
Competing in search
A quarter century after 'don't be evil', a judge has found that Google is
abusing its monopoly in...
4 months ago
A quarter century after 'don't be evil', a judge has found that Google is
abusing its monopoly in search. But no-one knows what happens next, and
whether this ruling will change anything. Will Apple build a search engine?
Will ChatGPT change search? Does it matter?
Noahpinion
Where China is beating the world
On high-speed rail, EVs, and solar, China is doing truly amazing things.
a year ago
On high-speed rail, EVs, and solar, China is doing truly amazing things.
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