Noahpinion
The American socialist worldview is just totally broken (repost)
Plus a new update showing how right I was.
a year ago
Plus a new update showing how right I was.
Working Theorys
Trophy Jobs | Theory No. 12
We’ve all heard of the trophy wife or husband — a partner that’s valued heavily as a status symbol,...
a year ago
We’ve all heard of the trophy wife or husband — a partner that’s valued heavily as a status symbol, for superficial qualities over substance. Similarly, I’ve started to think about the idea of the trophy job — a job that people covet for its status more than its substance.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Full stack startups
Many of today's most exciting startups were tried before in a different form. Suppose you develop a...
over a year ago
Many of today's most exciting startups were tried before in a different form. Suppose you develop a new technology that is valuable to some…
Rest of World -...
The vehicle experience center tackling EV misconceptions in Nigeria
EV adoption in Nigeria is almost nonexistent, but a local startup is helping solve that problem.
a year ago
EV adoption in Nigeria is almost nonexistent, but a local startup is helping solve that problem.
David Perell
The Counterfactual Theory of Value
The Labor Theory of Value argues that the value of a product or a service is determined by the...
over a year ago
The Labor Theory of Value argues that the value of a product or a service is determined by the amount of labor required to produce it. If so, something that takes 100 hours to produce is worth 10x more than something that takes 10 hours. One issue with the Labor Theory is it...
AVC
Etsy Lens
I am the Chair of the Etsy Board and have been an investor and board member at Etsy since the...
a year ago
I am the Chair of the Etsy Board and have been an investor and board member at Etsy since the mid-2000s. It is a company that I love and get great joy from being part of. Last year Etsy quietly launched a feature that has completely changed the way I use Etsy. It is called […]
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.
Rest of World -...
Why African governments must prioritize affordable internet and smartphones
Lacina Koné of Smart Africa discusses the continent’s digital transformation and potential.
a year ago
Lacina Koné of Smart Africa discusses the continent’s digital transformation and potential.
Paul Graham: Essays
What I've Learned from Hacker News
over a year ago
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Predicting the future of the Internet is easy: anything it hasn’t yet dramatically transformed, it...
People love to focus on horse races: NYC vs Silcon Valley, Facebook vs Twitter, IPO markets vs...
over a year ago
People love to focus on horse races: NYC vs Silcon Valley, Facebook vs Twitter, IPO markets vs private exchanges, the valuation of some…
Rest of World -...
Riders in the smog
Rest of World equipped gig riders across South Asia with pollution monitors. The readings were off...
9 months ago
Rest of World equipped gig riders across South Asia with pollution monitors. The readings were off the charts.
Data Boutique
5 Reasons You Should Stop Web Scraping
An approach to web data as a service
a year ago
An approach to web data as a service
Noahpinion
The economics of "Rich Men North of Richmond"
It made some good points, and some not-so-good points.
a year ago
It made some good points, and some not-so-good points.
Noahpinion
The new industrial policy, explained
We're starting to learn what replaces the old free-trade consensus.
a year ago
We're starting to learn what replaces the old free-trade consensus.
Essays - Benedict...
Netflix, Shein and MrBeast
What does Netflix have in common with Shein, and why is MrBeast more
interesting than Disney Plus?
a year ago
What does Netflix have in common with Shein, and why is MrBeast more
interesting than Disney Plus?
Tom Blomfield
Advice
Starting a company is a challenging process - you’re thrown into the deep-end with nothing but your...
over a year ago
Starting a company is a challenging process - you’re thrown into the deep-end with nothing but your wits to help you. Often, though, advice will be forthcoming. This post is about that advice, and how to spot the difference between good and bad.
Some advice is expert - your...
AVC
What Is A Protocol And Why Does It Matter?
USV’s current thesis is: Enabling trusted brands that broaden access to knowledge, capital, and...
a year ago
USV’s current thesis is: Enabling trusted brands that broaden access to knowledge, capital, and well-being by leveraging networks, platforms, and protocols. https://www.usv.com/#thesis-3-0 That last word is powerful but unfortunately less understood than the other words in that...
Rest of World -...
Apple manufacturers moved from China to Vietnam. Now they’re desperate for workers
Recruiters are wooing new workers with bonuses and gifts.
2 months ago
Recruiters are wooing new workers with bonuses and gifts.
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.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Why decentralization matters
The first two eras of the internet During the first era of the internet — from the 1980s through the...
over a year ago
The first two eras of the internet During the first era of the internet — from the 1980s through the early 2000s — internet services were…
Rest of World -...
As Zimbabwe’s economy collapses, traditional healers are selling wealth advice on TikTok
Locally known as sangomas, spiritual guides are gaining fame online, but they face criticism from...
6 months ago
Locally known as sangomas, spiritual guides are gaining fame online, but they face criticism from their peers.
AVC
Open Office Hours at NYC Tech Week
NYC Tech Week is next week. It will be a week filled with events for the tech sector to engage and...
a year ago
NYC Tech Week is next week. It will be a week filled with events for the tech sector to engage and connect with each other. A particularly great part of tech week is VC Open Office Hours. There are over 100 VC investors signed up to participate next week. Here is how it works: 1/...
Rest of World -...
Why African startups must invest in tech policy conversations
Oswald Osaretin Guobadia discusses the biggest challenge startups face when dealing with government...
a year ago
Oswald Osaretin Guobadia discusses the biggest challenge startups face when dealing with government policies and regulators.
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
Rest of World -...
China’s AI elite rethink their Silicon Valley dream jobs
The West may lose out in the talent race amid U.S. national security and immigration hurdles
5 days ago
The West may lose out in the talent race amid U.S. national security and immigration hurdles
Rest of World -...
Why Mexico is tweeting at its third- richest citizen to delete his tweets
On August 11, Mexico’s election authority made an unexpected announcement via its official account...
a year ago
On August 11, Mexico’s election authority made an unexpected announcement via its official account on X, formerly known as Twitter: It called for Ricardo Salinas Pliego, Mexico’s third-richest man, to...
Rest of World -...
Foreign tech workers hit hard by South Africa’s new immigration laws
Lured by rich job opportunities in South Africa's tech scene, thousands of migrants from across the...
a year ago
Lured by rich job opportunities in South Africa's tech scene, thousands of migrants from across the continent flooded into the country. Now, those jobs are out of reach.
SatPost by Trung...
Roger Ebert, MKBHD and the Job of a Critic
The best critics (or reviewers) educate, entertain and help us spend our time better.
8 months ago
The best critics (or reviewers) educate, entertain and help us spend our time better.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Hardware startups
For a long time, entrepreneurs and investors shied away from hardware. This seems to be changing. As...
over a year ago
For a long time, entrepreneurs and investors shied away from hardware. This seems to be changing. As Paul Graham says, there are many…
Rest of World -...
The ByteDance streaming app that’s quietly going global
Resso could give Spotify a run for its money.
a year ago
Resso could give Spotify a run for its money.
Rest of World -...
The SoftBank-backed fintech that helped Nigerians through a cash crisis is eyeing “innovative...
Olu Akanmu, co-CEO and president of OPay Nigeria, on the importance of cloud infrastructure and the...
a year ago
Olu Akanmu, co-CEO and president of OPay Nigeria, on the importance of cloud infrastructure and the company’s future plans.
Noahpinion
A Nobel for the big big questions
Acemoglu, Johnson, and Robinson win a prize for their grand unified theory of development.
2 months ago
Acemoglu, Johnson, and Robinson win a prize for their grand unified theory of development.
Rest of World -...
Courts in Buenos Aires are using ChatGPT to draft rulings
Generative AI is replacing a successful AI project that drafted legal rulings. Experts worry about...
a month ago
Generative AI is replacing a successful AI project that drafted legal rulings. Experts worry about data privacy, ethical quandaries, and the need for specialized training.
Rest of World -...
Filipinos are embracing electric three-wheelers faster than officials can regulate them
Unregistered three-wheelers big enough for whole families are a popular antidote to the country's...
3 months ago
Unregistered three-wheelers big enough for whole families are a popular antidote to the country's terrible gridlock.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Capabilities and sensibilities
“The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the...
over a year ago
“The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Showing up
Mark Twain famously quipped that “80 percent of life is showing up.” Running a startup, I’d say it’s...
over a year ago
Mark Twain famously quipped that “80 percent of life is showing up.” Running a startup, I’d say it’s more like 90 percent. For example, I…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Is now a good time to start a company?
Back in 2006, my co-founder at Hunch, Caterina Fake, wrote a blog post called “It’s a bad time to...
over a year ago
Back in 2006, my co-founder at Hunch, Caterina Fake, wrote a blog post called “It’s a bad time to start a company.” There were no doubt…
Noahpinion
Putin is a rest stop on the road of post-Soviet collapse
The narrative of Russian revitalization is more hype than reality.
a year ago
The narrative of Russian revitalization is more hype than reality.
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...
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
At least five interesting things for the middle of your week (#12)
The college shakeout, China vs. its developing neighbors, Chinese zombie companies, more fun YIMBY...
a year ago
The college shakeout, China vs. its developing neighbors, Chinese zombie companies, more fun YIMBY stuff, and the victory of the Melting Pot
Rest of World -...
Traditional sellers in Vietnam still aren’t sold on e-commerce
As online shopping booms, local merchants are struggling to adapt, despite government help.
a month ago
As online shopping booms, local merchants are struggling to adapt, despite government help.
Rest of World -...
What global investors need to know about funding Pakistani startups
Hasib Malik is the co-founder and CEO of Tiger Global-backed financial services startup CreditBook.
6 months ago
Hasib Malik is the co-founder and CEO of Tiger Global-backed financial services startup CreditBook.
Nadia Asparouhova
Does meditation experience improve success with the jhanas?
Jhanas – a series of altered mental states that are accessed via concentration – are often described...
5 months ago
Jhanas – a series of altered mental states that are accessed via concentration – are often described as an “advanced meditation practice,” a phrase that suggests that one must be a skilled meditator to access them: just as only a skilled outdoorsman would embark upon an...
Internal Tech Emails
Scott Forstall emails Steve Jobs | Elon Musk on tweeting
He mentions third party developers. I do think at some point we will want to enable third parties to...
over a year ago
He mentions third party developers. I do think at some point we will want to enable third parties to write apps for P2.
Paul Graham: Essays
How to Convince Investors
over a year ago
Noahpinion
Once again: Imports do not subtract from GDP
I've explained it before, and I'll keep explaining it until the world understands.
2 months ago
I've explained it before, and I'll keep explaining it until the world understands.
Platformer
Substack's new fundraising pitch
Venture capitalists wouldn't give the company the terms it wanted. Its writers might
a year ago
Venture capitalists wouldn't give the company the terms it wanted. Its writers might
cdixon.org RSS Feed
"I've come up with a set of rules that describe our reactions to technologies"
"I've come up with a set of rules that describe our reactions to technologies: 1. Anything that is...
over a year ago
"I've come up with a set of rules that describe our reactions to technologies: 1. Anything that is in the world when you’re born is normal…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The enterprise: buyers versus users
Why does most enterprise technology feel like it is a decade behind consumer technology? For the...
over a year ago
Why does most enterprise technology feel like it is a decade behind consumer technology? For the same reason our health care system is…
Roberto Vitillo's...
The costs of microservices
An application typically starts its life as a monolith. Take a modern backend of a single-page...
over a year ago
An application typically starts its life as a monolith. Take a modern backend of a single-page Javascript application, for example - it…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
SEO is no longer a viable marketing strategy for startups
Many of the today’s most successful informational sites such as Yelp, Wikipedia and TripAdvisor...
over a year ago
Many of the today’s most successful informational sites such as Yelp, Wikipedia and TripAdvisor relied heavily on SEO for their initial…
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
🙈 Innovation Fallacy
3 months ago
AVC
Leading From The Heart
I have watched so many leaders over the years in my various roles as lead investor, board member,...
a year ago
I have watched so many leaders over the years in my various roles as lead investor, board member, board chair, investor, and advisor. And one thing I have learned from this front-row seat is that leading from the heart is very powerful. A leader can be the most brilliant product...
tomcritchlow.com
3,573 Days On The Road
Every year on the 24th October I've written a reflection on the last year of my independent...
3 months ago
Every year on the 24th October I've written a reflection on the last year of my independent consulting. This would have been my 10th issue, but is instead a special issue, for reasons that will become apparent.
Internal Tech Emails
Jeff Bezos on acquiring Ring
To be clear, my view here is that we're buying market position – not technology.
over a year ago
To be clear, my view here is that we're buying market position – not technology.
Dustin Curtis
Apple Card disabled my iCloud, App Store, and Apple ID accounts
About ten days ago, when I went to update a few apps in the App Store on my Mac, I was met with a...
over a year ago
About ten days ago, when I went to update a few apps in the App Store on my Mac, I was met with a curious error.
The internet is filled with stories from people whose Google accounts were locked for unexplained reasons, causing them to lose all of their data, including years of...
XO Capital - Field...
493.5% ROI - Exiting Sheet.Best
💡
Side note. To build our community up a bit, we're putting a cohort together to help 5 people buy...
10 months ago
💡
Side note. To build our community up a bit, we're putting a cohort together to help 5 people buy their first saas company. If this one is successful and we can add some value, we'll do another one! Jump in our discord to stay informed!
Rest of World -...
WhatsApp gives India an ultimatum on encryption
Tracing the origins of messages is more complicated than it sounds.
7 months ago
Tracing the origins of messages is more complicated than it sounds.
Rest of World -...
Using AI to revive nostalgia — and preserve Hong Kong’s past
Michael Chang, CEO of Capture.HK, talks about how the company helps digitize old albums and video...
a year ago
Michael Chang, CEO of Capture.HK, talks about how the company helps digitize old albums and video tapes.
Noahpinion
Does the notion of a "Global South" still make any sense?
There are really four Global Souths.
a year ago
There are really four Global Souths.
Paul Graham: Essays
What the Bubble Got Right
over a year ago
Rest of World -...
Vietnam’s made-to-measure fashion brands are thriving in the TikTok era
As shoppers sour on Chinese fast fashion, more sustainable Vietnamese brands — loved by K-pop...
6 months ago
As shoppers sour on Chinese fast fashion, more sustainable Vietnamese brands — loved by K-pop artists and Western celebrities alike — are booming online.
Aaron's Essays
Investors and their incentives
It is incredibly important to understand the incentives of investors when you are raising money....
over a year ago
It is incredibly important to understand the incentives of investors when you are raising money. This used to be fairly easy - you raised money from Venture Capitalists who wanted to see a big return on their investment. The best of these investors were incredibly focused on...
SatPost by Trung...
Francis Ford Coppola: The Entrepreneur
Exploring the legendary director's business career in 8 films, a studio and a winery.
3 months ago
Exploring the legendary director's business career in 8 films, a studio and a winery.
SatPost by Trung...
Sculpting Ourselves
Thoughts on Antoni Gaudí, Etsuro Sotoo, La Sagrada Família and finding the right ideas to work on.
a year ago
Thoughts on Antoni Gaudí, Etsuro Sotoo, La Sagrada Família and finding the right ideas to work on.
Paul Graham: Essays
How to Make Pittsburgh a Startup Hub
over a year ago
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.
Rest of World -...
How well do you know global food delivery?
Test your knowledge of the world’s favorite delivery apps and most-ordered dishes.
4 months ago
Test your knowledge of the world’s favorite delivery apps and most-ordered dishes.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Bitcoin and volatility
The beauty of software platforms is that you can solve almost any problem by writing more software....
over a year ago
The beauty of software platforms is that you can solve almost any problem by writing more software. For example, one of the most common…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Converts versus equity deals
There has been a debate going on the past few days over whether seed deals should be funded using...
over a year ago
There has been a debate going on the past few days over whether seed deals should be funded using equity or convertible notes (converts…
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things for the middle of your week (#14)
Commercial real estate doom, education polarization vs. racial polarization, China's dodgy GDP...
a year ago
Commercial real estate doom, education polarization vs. racial polarization, China's dodgy GDP numbers, phonics, and Russian nationalism
Rest of World -...
Mother-son YouTubers cook Nepali dishes with sides of nostalgia and ASMR
Started as a pandemic hobby, KanchhiKitchen is giving Nepalis around the world a glimpse of...
a year ago
Started as a pandemic hobby, KanchhiKitchen is giving Nepalis around the world a glimpse of traditional village life.
Tech + Economics +...
Why are we so obsessed with the multiverse?
Why are we so drawn to the idea of multiple realities? More than a trend,
it seems to come from a...
a year ago
Why are we so drawn to the idea of multiple realities? More than a trend,
it seems to come from a deep emptiness within us—a longing for a place
where our world's limits don't exist, where anything is possible. From the
alternate timelines and worlds of Scott Pilgrim Takes...
Rest of World -...
Why IBM employees in Brazil are suing to be classified as tech workers
Unions in two Brazilian states are suing IBM in an effort to be recognized as tech employees, giving...
8 months ago
Unions in two Brazilian states are suing IBM in an effort to be recognized as tech employees, giving them access to better wages, benefits, and profit participation.
Noahpinion
Yes, it's OK to be mad about crime in San Francisco
Let's not make excuses for Chaos City.
a year ago
Let's not make excuses for Chaos City.
Noahpinion
Some ideas for science fiction in the 2020s
The future ain't what it used to be.
a year ago
The future ain't what it used to be.
Rest of World -...
Chinese immigrants in the U.S. are running Temu shipping centers out of their homes
To speed up delivery and dodge a crackdown on shipments from China, e-commerce companies are turning...
a month ago
To speed up delivery and dodge a crackdown on shipments from China, e-commerce companies are turning to so-called “family warehouses.”
XO Capital - Field...
Consolidating Our Portfolio
💡
We've finally rolled out a small community of folks interested in acquiring saas businesses. The...
9 months ago
💡
We've finally rolled out a small community of folks interested in acquiring saas businesses. The first few weeks of it have been a delight. It's the highlight of my week chatting with other people interested in this space. Join us! https://notes.xo.capital/community/
SatPost by Trung...
Starbucks' Digital Dilemna
The Starbucks rewards app is an incredible business. However, mobile orders are getting out of...
7 months ago
The Starbucks rewards app is an incredible business. However, mobile orders are getting out of control and hurting the brand's "premium" vibe.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
“Ether is a necessary element — a fuel — for operating the distributed application platform…
“Ether is a necessary element — a fuel — for operating the distributed application platform...
over a year ago
“Ether is a necessary element — a fuel — for operating the distributed application platform Ethereum. It is a form of payment made by the…
Tom Blomfield
Growth
“When eating an elephant, take one bite at a time.”
- Creighton Abrams
I was chatting with an...
over a year ago
“When eating an elephant, take one bite at a time.”
- Creighton Abrams
I was chatting with an investor a year or two ago, shortly after our Series A, and the subject of revenue goals came up.
At the time, our revenue was pretty low - less than 10% of monthly costs. We estimated...
Rest of World -...
Argentina’s far-right front-runner is not the crypto candidate fans think he is
Milei’s plans for the dollarization of Argentina’s economy might even depress crypto adoption.
a year ago
Milei’s plans for the dollarization of Argentina’s economy might even depress crypto adoption.
Steve Blank
How To Find Your Customer In the Dept of Defense – The Directory of DoD Program Executive Offices
Finding a customer for your product in the Department of Defense is hard: Who should you talk to?...
3 months ago
Finding a customer for your product in the Department of Defense is hard: Who should you talk to? How do you get their attention? How do you know if they have money to spend on your product? It almost always starts with a Program Executive Office. The Department of Defense (DoD)...
Rest of World -...
Argentina’s Mercado Pago is like Venmo plus investing
Latin America’s answer to Venmo helps Argentines survive sky-high inflation.
a year ago
Latin America’s answer to Venmo helps Argentines survive sky-high inflation.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Always have 18 months of cash in the bank
I was once told by an experienced entrepreneur (I can’t remember who) to always have at least 18...
over a year ago
I was once told by an experienced entrepreneur (I can’t remember who) to always have at least 18 months of cash in the bank. The logic…
Roberto Vitillo's...
Monoids for analytics
This is a short post on the elegance of using abstract algebra for analytics in Scala. A monoid is...
over a year ago
This is a short post on the elegance of using abstract algebra for analytics in Scala. A monoid is a set that is closed under an…
Rest of World -...
A traveler’s dream: Cash-free payment systems link up across Southeast Asia
From Bali to Bangkok, people are ditching cards for QR code payments. There’s a catch: For now, it’s...
a year ago
From Bali to Bangkok, people are ditching cards for QR code payments. There’s a catch: For now, it’s for locals only.
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.
Stephen Diehl
Bitcoin: The Postmodern Ponzi
over a year ago
Rest of World -...
A little-known AI startup is behind Nigeria’s first government-backed LLM
Awarri has been tapped to help increase the representation of Nigerian languages in AI.
6 months ago
Awarri has been tapped to help increase the representation of Nigerian languages in AI.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Don’t be creative about the wrong things
When founding a tech startup, there are certain areas where you should spend time trying to be...
over a year ago
When founding a tech startup, there are certain areas where you should spend time trying to be creative/innovative. Generally these should…
Rest of World -...
The capybara influencer revolt
A wildlife influencer’s famous capybara was confiscated by Brazilian authorities. A mass movement...
a year ago
A wildlife influencer’s famous capybara was confiscated by Brazilian authorities. A mass movement ensued.
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...
11 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.
Tech + Economics +...
Curation is the last best hope of intelligent discourse.
We live in an exponential growth age in terms of information quantity and
generative capability....
11 months ago
We live in an exponential growth age in terms of information quantity and
generative capability. With tools like ChatGPT, anyone can conjure up
rewritten Wikipedia articles, essays, code, poetry, and more with just a
few prompts. This "democratisation" of content creation...
Rest of World -...
Scale AI is on a hiring spree for speakers of under-represented languages
But some languages pay a lot better than others.
a year ago
But some languages pay a lot better than others.
Articles - Alex...
How to ride a recession
A storm is coming. In 2020 Britain suffered its deepest recession in over
300 years. Two years...
over a year ago
A storm is coming. In 2020 Britain suffered its deepest recession in over
300 years. Two years later and the UK’s economic picture is not much
prettier. This article argues that whilst recessions are a threat to some
businesses, they are an opportunity for others. It argues...
42!
Basecamp's house of cards...
Photo by Sigmund on Unsplash
Character is like toothpaste - it really only comes out under pressure...
over a year ago
Photo by Sigmund on Unsplash
Character is like toothpaste - it really only comes out under pressure (unknown)
I don’t know where I first heard the above quote, but the events of the last week have really shown how true this saying is.
I will start by saying that I have been an...
tomcritchlow.com
Becoming Creative
I just launched a new thing (the NEW MBA) so starting and launching is on my mind. Here are a few...
a year ago
I just launched a new thing (the NEW MBA) so starting and launching is on my mind. Here are a few links that I deeply love about starting, finishing and promoting creative acts…
SatPost by Trung...
Nike’s Marketing Blindspot
What can we learn from Nike losing Lionel Messi and Stephen Curry?
a year ago
What can we learn from Nike losing Lionel Messi and Stephen Curry?
Unpacked
The EU's war on behavioral advertising
Meta recently conceded that in-app behavioral advertising in the EU can no longer be opt-in by...
a year ago
Meta recently conceded that in-app behavioral advertising in the EU can no longer be opt-in by default, marking the end of an era. The regulators won, at least for now.
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things for your weekend (#45)
Intel; Canada's economy; infrastructure and state capacity; East Asian development; race in America;...
4 months ago
Intel; Canada's economy; infrastructure and state capacity; East Asian development; race in America; corrupt nonprofits
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Yahoo should invest in products, not advertising
For 10 years, Yahoo was my default home page. Now I can barely stand using the site. I still use...
over a year ago
For 10 years, Yahoo was my default home page. Now I can barely stand using the site. I still use it for Finance and Flickr, but that’s it…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Understanding your market
Some startups become huge sensations without requiring any active marketing – YouTube, Skype, and...
over a year ago
Some startups become huge sensations without requiring any active marketing – YouTube, Skype, and Twitter come to mind. However, the vast…
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 :)
Raw Thought (from...
Fix the machine, not the person
over a year ago
cdixon.org RSS Feed
"The dawn of trustworthy computing"
Nick Szabo: On the Internet, instead of securely and reliably handing over cash and getting our...
over a year ago
Nick Szabo: On the Internet, instead of securely and reliably handing over cash and getting our goods or services, or at least a ticket, we…
Noahpinion
Interview: Chris Miller, historian and author of "Chip War"
In which I consult an expert on the battle to control the semiconductor industry.
a year ago
In which I consult an expert on the battle to control the semiconductor industry.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Different types of risk
The idea that founders take on “risk” is a misleading generalization. It is far more informative to...
over a year ago
The idea that founders take on “risk” is a misleading generalization. It is far more informative to separate the specific types of risks…
Paul Graham: Essays
Chapter 1 of Ansi Common Lisp
a year ago
Rest of World -...
“Tornado beer” drinking stunts have made Pangzai a global king
The beloved rural Chinese influencer talks about finding fame, the health effects of all that beer,...
a year ago
The beloved rural Chinese influencer talks about finding fame, the health effects of all that beer, and what videos he wants to make next.
The Thinking Cap
Can We Build Scenius From Scratch?
On crafting tight-knit communities with potential for high future impact in the post-pandemic era.
over a year ago
On crafting tight-knit communities with potential for high future impact in the post-pandemic era.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Facebook, Zynga, and buyer-supplier hold up
The brewing fight between Facebook and Zynga is what is known in economic strategy circles as...
over a year ago
The brewing fight between Facebook and Zynga is what is known in economic strategy circles as “buyer-supplier hold up.” The classic…
Entrepreneur's Edge
Understanding the Importance of Operating Leverage in the Age of Efficiency
Amazon grew it's revenue per employee from $50K to $1M over its first fifteen years.
a year ago
Amazon grew it's revenue per employee from $50K to $1M over its first fifteen years.
Noahpinion
The Big Tariffs are here
Biden just slapped a 100% tax on Chinese car imports. Here's what that will and won't accomplish.
7 months ago
Biden just slapped a 100% tax on Chinese car imports. Here's what that will and won't accomplish.
Business Brainstorms
A/B QR, how to run a business, airport rides, high-growth Asia-Pacific companies, lessons from Keith...
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 “i want to go to a doctor that will run every single...
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.
Business Brainstorms
Feedback panel SaaS, gift ideas, selling futures, industrial grade calendaring, ...
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 “An idea for an AI tool I'd love to use — I upload chat...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Equity value
Warren Buffet once said: Buy into a business that’s doing so well an idiot could run it, because...
over a year ago
Warren Buffet once said: Buy into a business that’s doing so well an idiot could run it, because sooner or later, one will. This is a useful…
Internal Tech Emails
Facebook and Google "at Defcon 2"
From: Sheryl Sandberg We really want a deep relationship – or at this point any relationship – with...
6 months ago
From: Sheryl Sandberg We really want a deep relationship – or at this point any relationship – with Google
Steve Blank
The Secret History of Minnesota Part 1: Engineering Research Associates
This post is the latest in the “Secret History Series.” They’ll make much more sense if you watch...
a year ago
This post is the latest in the “Secret History Series.” They’ll make much more sense if you watch the video or read some of the earlier posts for context. See the Secret History bibliography for sources and supplemental reading. Silicon Valley emerged from work in World War II...
Aaron's Essays
20 Years Later
Twenty years later, I can’t remember what I saw and what I think I saw. I remember listening to the...
over a year ago
Twenty years later, I can’t remember what I saw and what I think I saw. I remember listening to the news with my mom, Judah, and Mimi as the anchors casually mentioned that a small plane seemed to have hit a tower. We were on I-95 - or maybe the Garden State - headed south to...
David Perell
28 Pieces of Life Advice
In honor of my 28th birthday, here are 28 pieces of life advice.
The post 28 Pieces of Life Advice...
over a year ago
In honor of my 28th birthday, here are 28 pieces of life advice.
The post 28 Pieces of Life Advice appeared first on David Perell.
Rest of World -...
The Philippine army is recruiting young tech civilians to fight cyber attacks
The country is among the most vulnerable to online threats, many of them from China. To fight back,...
a month ago
The country is among the most vulnerable to online threats, many of them from China. To fight back, the army is recruiting IT professionals.
Platformer
Why Platformer is leaving Substack
We’ve seen this movie before — and we won’t stick around to watch it play out
11 months ago
We’ve seen this movie before — and we won’t stick around to watch it play out
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.
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.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Why is enterprise tech so far behind consumer tech? Because it can be.
Brian Manning put it nicely in a comment to my post yesterday about enterprise software: In my...
over a year ago
Brian Manning put it nicely in a comment to my post yesterday about enterprise software: In my opinion, enterprise technology is WAY behind…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Some thoughts on incumbents
Reposted from Oct 7, 2010 from cdixon.posterous.com By “incumbents” I mean the big companies that...
over a year ago
Reposted from Oct 7, 2010 from cdixon.posterous.com By “incumbents” I mean the big companies that are loosely competitive to your startup…
Working Theorys
Agency in the Age of AI | Theory No. 10
In the age of AI, where do I fit in? It’s a conversation permeating dinners, group chats, and honest...
a year ago
In the age of AI, where do I fit in? It’s a conversation permeating dinners, group chats, and honest online discourse.
SatPost by Trung...
Beating the Auction Duopoly
Sotheby's and Christie's are a combined 538 years old. Can the 48-year old Heritage Auctions topple...
11 months ago
Sotheby's and Christie's are a combined 538 years old. Can the 48-year old Heritage Auctions topple this duopoly?
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...
The Thinking Cap
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.
Noahpinion
How China's "debt traps" actually work
Raiding the Global South like a piggy bank.
a year ago
Raiding the Global South like a piggy bank.
Noahpinion
Stop saying "there is no decoupling". There is!
Decoupling will take time, and it won't look like the Iron Curtain, but it's happening.
a year ago
Decoupling will take time, and it won't look like the Iron Curtain, but it's happening.
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...
Rest of World -...
Ethiopians are struggling to keep up with the new “EV or nothing” policy
Ethiopia became the first country in the world to ban the import of gas and diesel cars. But the...
5 months ago
Ethiopia became the first country in the world to ban the import of gas and diesel cars. But the country has only around 50 charging stations.
Rest of World -...
Instagram account hacked? “Ethical hackers” will get it back
Meta’s account recovery process is so complicated that people are paying experts to do it for them.
a year ago
Meta’s account recovery process is so complicated that people are paying experts to do it for them.
Dustin Curtis
It is link winter on X
We do not know how, why, or when the X algorithm devalues posts with links, but it does—without...
2 weeks ago
We do not know how, why, or when the X algorithm devalues posts with links, but it does—without telling you, and by a lot—and it makes the experience there worse.
Without links, information on X is headlines without stories, commentary without context, magic without the...
Platformer
Google's most serious antitrust challenge to date
The US government is coming after the company's ad business — and it might win
a year ago
The US government is coming after the company's ad business — and it might win
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,...
Rest of World -...
Why Nigerian filmmakers are skipping Netflix to go straight to YouTube
Filmmakers say YouTube prevents piracy and is more accessible than Netflix, Prime Video, and...
a year ago
Filmmakers say YouTube prevents piracy and is more accessible than Netflix, Prime Video, and Showmax.
Aaron's Essays
Distributed Capital
In theory, the hard part about finding capital for unproven founders with unproven technologies in...
over a year ago
In theory, the hard part about finding capital for unproven founders with unproven technologies in unproven markets should be that no one wants the risk. There was a time when that was true, but it isn’t anymore.[1] For a founder, the issue is different: venture capital is...
Rest of World -...
Mexico City has an earthquake alarm system. Millions trust an app more
SkyAlert users turn their phones into personal quake monitors rather than rely on the government’s...
a year ago
SkyAlert users turn their phones into personal quake monitors rather than rely on the government’s loudspeakers.
Rest of World -...
OpenAI is making a risky bet on live translation
The company has a stunning demo — but can the product live up to the hype?
7 months ago
The company has a stunning demo — but can the product live up to the hype?
Rest of World -...
The Chinese founder who is betting on the Western appetite for short soaps
Mega Matrix and FlexTV want to succeed where Quibi has failed by embracing the allure of “so bad...
7 months ago
Mega Matrix and FlexTV want to succeed where Quibi has failed by embracing the allure of “so bad it’s good” shows.
Noahpinion
Interview: Dan Wang, China specialist
We talk about China's economy, decoupling, export controls, industrial policy, state control, and...
a year ago
We talk about China's economy, decoupling, export controls, industrial policy, state control, and lots more.
David Perell
Thoughts on Montreal
I visited Montreal for the first time. Here are my general impressions of the city, based on walks...
over a year ago
I visited Montreal for the first time. Here are my general impressions of the city, based on walks around town and casual conversations with friends: Culture: My favorite thing about Montreal is its commitment to culture. French is the dominant language, which is partially why it...
Rest of World -...
Uber hates this app that tells drivers whether it’s worth picking you up
Brazil’s StopClub app shows drivers what every minute and mile of your ride is worth.
a year ago
Brazil’s StopClub app shows drivers what every minute and mile of your ride is worth.
Rest of World -...
How tiny, cheap smart speakers unlocked the rise of digital payments in India
Vegetable carts, flower shops, mom-and-pop stores: Small speakers that read out digital payment...
a year ago
Vegetable carts, flower shops, mom-and-pop stores: Small speakers that read out digital payment receipts are making fintech companies big money.
AVC
CEO 360s
I’ve written about this topic before. It is an important topic and I want to raise it again. Boards...
a year ago
I’ve written about this topic before. It is an important topic and I want to raise it again. Boards often discuss CEO performance without really knowing how things work inside the company. And CEOs often have very little visibility to how they are doing and what the board thinks...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Some thoughts on startup crowdfunding
Like a lot of people, I’m excited about crowdfunding, and specifically the crowdfunding of startups...
over a year ago
Like a lot of people, I’m excited about crowdfunding, and specifically the crowdfunding of startups now that’s it’s legal in the US. Based…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Some problems are so hard they need to be solved piece by piece
Andrew Parker had a great post a few years ago where he sketched out all the startups going after...
over a year ago
Andrew Parker had a great post a few years ago where he sketched out all the startups going after pieces of Craigslist: Startups that have…
Internal Tech Emails
"I don't want to create a paper trail"
I would prefer that Omid do it verbally since I don't want to create a paper trail over which we can...
a year ago
I would prefer that Omid do it verbally since I don't want to create a paper trail over which we can be sued later? Not sure about this.. thanks Eric
SatPost by Trung...
Amazon's $43B ad business, explained
Jeff Bezos long shunned ads. However, Amazon's juicy first-party data has enabled it to compete with...
a year ago
Jeff Bezos long shunned ads. However, Amazon's juicy first-party data has enabled it to compete with Alphabet and Meta in the new digital advertising landscape.
Articles - Alex...
The pitfalls of purpose
Purpose is polarising. There are those who promote it as a paragon of
positioning and a...
over a year ago
Purpose is polarising. There are those who promote it as a paragon of
positioning and a silver-bullet strategy for success. Then there are those
who refute purpose’s power and dispute its capacity to connect with
consumers. It is clearly a debate that divides. For every...
Noahpinion
Yes, we still have to work
The automated luxury paradise is still just science fiction.
5 months ago
The automated luxury paradise is still just science fiction.
Noahpinion
Why the U.S. should fight Cold War 2
And what it means to "fight" in this case.
a year ago
And what it means to "fight" in this case.
David Perell
Coolest Things I Learned in 2020
This is a collection of the most popular ideas I shared in 2020.
The post Coolest Things I Learned...
over a year ago
This is a collection of the most popular ideas I shared in 2020.
The post Coolest Things I Learned in 2020 appeared first on David Perell.
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
#1 💡 In my university days everyone had to attend a workshop on stress management. The one golden...
10 months ago
#1 💡 In my university days everyone had to attend a workshop on stress management. The one golden nugget I took away from it is that stress is 100% a framing issue. You only feel stressed when you think you can't handle it. Absolutely nothing wrong with a full calendar, juggling...
SatPost by Trung...
The speed of information
Putting social media coverage of Israel-Palestine into historical context.
a year ago
Putting social media coverage of Israel-Palestine into historical context.
Rest of World -...
The most popular payment app in the Philippines has a side bet: online gambling
The GCash app is ubiquitous in the Philippines, and is being blamed for rising gambling addiction in...
2 months ago
The GCash app is ubiquitous in the Philippines, and is being blamed for rising gambling addiction in the country, particularly among women.
Working Theorys
Placeholders for Life
Life is not a dress rehearsal
9 months ago
Life is not a dress rehearsal
David Perell
How Philosophers Think
Philosophers are the most rigorous thinkers I know. Like intellectual boxers; they come to...
over a year ago
Philosophers are the most rigorous thinkers I know. Like intellectual boxers; they come to understand ideas by making them fight with each other. Their style of analysis is effective because it’s so bloody. One friend calls his style “violent thinking.” He talks about thinking...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Incubators
It seems like every successful entrepreneur I know at one point or another kicks around the idea of...
over a year ago
It seems like every successful entrepreneur I know at one point or another kicks around the idea of creating an incubator. The appeal is the…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Why the web economy will continue growing rapidly
Here’s the really good news for the web economy over the next decade. Consumers are spending more...
over a year ago
Here’s the really good news for the web economy over the next decade. Consumers are spending more and more time online, yet only about 1…
Rest of World -...
Reliance and Disney team up to crush Netflix and Prime Video in India
Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance and The Walt Disney Company have joined forces creating a hard-to-beat...
9 months ago
Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance and The Walt Disney Company have joined forces creating a hard-to-beat streaming entity in the country.
Essays - Benedict...
Antitrust posturing
US politicians proposed five tech antitrust bills in June. They’re
aggressive and ambitious, and...
over a year ago
US politicians proposed five tech antitrust bills in June. They’re
aggressive and ambitious, and contain some important concerns and ideas.
Unfortunately, some of them are also pretty naive - case studies in not
doing the work.
Noahpinion
Where does libertarianism go from here?
Deregulation, state capacity, and growth-oriented centrism.
a year ago
Deregulation, state capacity, and growth-oriented centrism.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Thanks…
I got my first computer (TRS-80 Model 1) in 1980 at the age of 8. I got my second computer – an...
over a year ago
I got my first computer (TRS-80 Model 1) in 1980 at the age of 8. I got my second computer – an Atari 800 – two years later. I was…
Noahpinion
Who's afraid of the Huawei Mate 60 Pro?
Export controls were never going to make China's semiconductor industry vanish.
a year ago
Export controls were never going to make China's semiconductor industry vanish.
Rest of World -...
Scan to donate: Brazil’s instant digital payment system brings relief to flood victims
As flooding battered the country, Pix became the most popular way to send and receive aid — and a...
6 months ago
As flooding battered the country, Pix became the most popular way to send and receive aid — and a target for scammers.
Noahpinion
How we could return to the productivity growth of the 1990s
A guest post by Preston Mui.
9 months ago
A guest post by Preston Mui.
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things to start your week (#38)
WW2 production; "Neopopulism"; fake science; desire modification; deregulation ideas
6 months ago
WW2 production; "Neopopulism"; fake science; desire modification; deregulation ideas
Essays - Benedict...
Ways to think about AGI
How do we think about a fundamentally unknown and unknowable risk, when the
experts agree only...
7 months ago
How do we think about a fundamentally unknown and unknowable risk, when the
experts agree only that they have no idea?
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The new economy
According to the Business Insider, Facebook is “‘Beating The S— Out Of Its Numbers’ Thanks To...
over a year ago
According to the Business Insider, Facebook is “‘Beating The S— Out Of Its Numbers’ Thanks To Zynga’s Virtual Goods.” I wanted to try to…
Paul Graham: Essays
Chapter 2 of Ansi Common Lisp
over a year ago
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things to start your week (#51)
Falling obesity; the red-state boom; U.S. housing supply; men avoiding college; China's economic...
2 months ago
Falling obesity; the red-state boom; U.S. housing supply; men avoiding college; China's economic goals; implicit taxes on the poor; Garcia interviews Krugman and Cowen interviews Scanlon
Tech + Economics +...
Apparently, Magic Leap still exists?
VentureBeat:
While Apple’s device will be tough to compete with, Magic Leap has a
slight...
11 months ago
VentureBeat:
While Apple’s device will be tough to compete with, Magic Leap has a
slight pricing edge, with a price of $3,300 versus Apple’s $3,500
device. But it is interesting that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment
Fund, which is already the majority owner...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Agency problems
“Agency problems” are what economists call situations where a person’s interests diverge from his or...
over a year ago
“Agency problems” are what economists call situations where a person’s interests diverge from his or her firm’s interests. Large companies…
Rest of World -...
What we learned in a year of reporting on labor and technology
Rest of World’s four Labor x Tech fellows reflect on their year reporting about the global tech...
7 months ago
Rest of World’s four Labor x Tech fellows reflect on their year reporting about the global tech industry’s impact on its workers.
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things to start your week (#33)
TSMC Arizona back on track, drawing arrows on graphs, the downsides of inclusionary zoning, why...
8 months ago
TSMC Arizona back on track, drawing arrows on graphs, the downsides of inclusionary zoning, why people hate inflation, and interesting ideas about market power
Paul Graham: Essays
A Fundraising Survival Guide
over a year ago
Rest of World -...
These women fell in love with an AI-voiced chatbot. Then it died
An AI-voiced virtual lover called users every morning. Its shutdown left them heartbroken.
a year ago
An AI-voiced virtual lover called users every morning. Its shutdown left them heartbroken.
42!
Does your SaaS actually save your customers from doing more work?
A recent conversation on Twitter with a colleague has reminded of this dilemma that we faced in our...
a year ago
A recent conversation on Twitter with a colleague has reminded of this dilemma that we faced in our early days of launching my SaaS.
You see, In 25 years of consulting to small businesses, I had learned that business owners and managers were faced with the challenge of recording...
Rest of World -...
Shein overstock is getting a second life in Latin America’s street markets
Resellers are buying garments from Shein’s suppliers in China that would have ended up in a dump.
a year ago
Resellers are buying garments from Shein’s suppliers in China that would have ended up in a dump.
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...
a month ago
Manipur’s startup community is struggling to survive, with tech professionals moving to Bengaluru or Hyderabad.
Stephen Diehl
Gamestop, Bitcoin and the Commoditization of Populist Rage
over a year ago
Rest of World -...
Six companies making it easier for Africans to send money globally
Africa is the most expensive region to send money, but these companies are making it faster,...
a year ago
Africa is the most expensive region to send money, but these companies are making it faster, cheaper, and easier.
Internal Tech Emails
Google and AI | Elon Musk on Tesla comp
Such a deep ML system could well be developed outside of Google-- at Microsoft, Baidu, Yandex,...
10 months ago
Such a deep ML system could well be developed outside of Google-- at Microsoft, Baidu, Yandex, Amazon, Apple, or even a startup.
Steve Blank
Reorganizing the DoD to Deter China and Win in the Ukraine – A Road Map for Congress
This article previously appeared in Defense News. It was co-written with Joe Felter, and Pete...
a year ago
This article previously appeared in Defense News. It was co-written with Joe Felter, and Pete Newell. Today, the U.S. is supporting a proxy war with Russia while simultaneously attempting to deter a China cross-strait invasion of Taiwan. Both are wakeup calls that victory and...
Platformer
Google goes to court
On the eve of a major antitrust trial — and its 25th birthday — the company is bracing for a fight
a year ago
On the eve of a major antitrust trial — and its 25th birthday — the company is bracing for a fight
Paul Graham: Essays
Are Software Patents Evil?
over a year ago
Rest of World -...
India shuts down the internet far more than any other country
The country had 771 blackouts between 2016 and 2023, and there have been 51 so far this year. We...
2 months ago
The country had 771 blackouts between 2016 and 2023, and there have been 51 so far this year. We mapped the affected areas.
Paul Graham: Essays
Chapter 2 of Ansi Common Lisp
a year ago
Rest of World -...
After dating app murders spike in Colombia, Match Group offers to help the police
Tinder’s parent company attended an unprecedented meeting with the U.S. Embassy and local...
9 months ago
Tinder’s parent company attended an unprecedented meeting with the U.S. Embassy and local authorities in Colombia to curb attacks against foreigners.
Noahpinion
The Ukraine war is ultimately about Poland
When Putin talks, we should listen.
10 months ago
When Putin talks, we should listen.
essay – snarfed.org
Blockchain’s real world problem
A while back, early in the blockchain hype cycle, a startup called Verisart popped up and promised...
over a year ago
A while back, early in the blockchain hype cycle, a startup called Verisart popped up and promised to “fix” fine art. Not sure if that painting is real? Can’t find out who owns it, or where they got it? Worried that the gallery you’re emailing is a scammer? Worry no more!...
Rest of World -...
TikTok users are chasing easy money by reposting viral videos from China
The practice goes against TikTok's policies, but "gurus," and "mentors" are exploiting the trend...
a year ago
The practice goes against TikTok's policies, but "gurus," and "mentors" are exploiting the trend with pricey training.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Outsource things you don’t care about
A fundamental principle of business is that you do things in house that you think can give you a...
over a year ago
A fundamental principle of business is that you do things in house that you think can give you a competitive advantage and outsource things…
Blog posts of...
The Founder’s Lie About Comfort Zones
There is a lot of talk going on about the endurance and struggle that startup founders go through....
over a year ago
There is a lot of talk going on about the endurance and struggle that startup founders go through. How long the hours are, we all...
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)
Tech + Economics +...
OpenSea slashes NFT marketplace staff by 50%
OpenSea, the prominent NFT marketplace startup, has laid off about half
of its staff, the...
a year ago
OpenSea, the prominent NFT marketplace startup, has laid off about half
of its staff, the company confirmed to Decrypt on Friday.
A company representative told Decrypt that approximately 50% of
employees were impacted across the company. The company would not
...
SatPost by Trung...
Gordon Ramsay's Apprenticeship
The iconic chef said a top-tier mentor (Marco Pierre-White) taught him the value of learning high...
8 months ago
The iconic chef said a top-tier mentor (Marco Pierre-White) taught him the value of learning high standards and how to take the reins.
Ed Zitron's Where's...
One Month of Better Offline
Hello!
I have been deliberately not dropping every episode of my new show iHeartRadio/Cool Zone...
9 months ago
Hello!
I have been deliberately not dropping every episode of my new show iHeartRadio/Cool Zone Media show Better Offline onto the newsletter feed, as I don't want to start sending you two emails a week, or make you feel like you're being spammed. I am
Working Theorys
Before the Crowd Shows Up
The arena rewards those who arrive early.
9 months ago
The arena rewards those who arrive early.
essay – snarfed.org
Deep piano
Roberto Chignoli I started playing piano again recently, after a 20 year hiatus. Our 6 year old...
over a year ago
Roberto Chignoli I started playing piano again recently, after a 20 year hiatus. Our 6 year old Brooke started learning, and we suddenly had a keyboard in the house again, so I joined her. It’s been great! I’m playing scales and exercises, diving into Rachmaninoff and Debussy,...
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…
Internal Tech Emails
Sergey Brin: "Irate call from Steve Jobs"
so i got a call from steve jobs today who was very agitated.
a year ago
so i got a call from steve jobs today who was very agitated.
Rest of World -...
The music streaming app for those who can’t pay for downloads
Ad-driven Trebel has scooped up 13 million users across Latin America who don't want to pay for...
a year ago
Ad-driven Trebel has scooped up 13 million users across Latin America who don't want to pay for YouTube or Spotify.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Graphs
It has become customary to use “graph” to refer to the underlying data structures at social networks...
over a year ago
It has become customary to use “graph” to refer to the underlying data structures at social networks like Facebook. (Computer scientists…
Tom Blomfield
Getting Shit Done
I was recently talking to a handful of successful startups founders about issues they were facing as...
over a year ago
I was recently talking to a handful of successful startups founders about issues they were facing as they scaled up their companies. Unanimously, hiring and retaining people who “get shit done” seemed to be their biggest problem. I’ve been thinking about this for the last few...
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...
Nothing Human
Against Positive-Sum Thinking
why conflict is necessary
a year ago
why conflict is necessary
Entrepreneur's Edge
Organizational Design: Balancing Technology and Operations
Understanding the Three Essential Roles for Scale
a year ago
Understanding the Three Essential Roles for Scale
Rest of World -...
What comes after the blockchain?
A new crop of fintech startups are tackling blockchain-inspired problems without the blockchain.
a year ago
A new crop of fintech startups are tackling blockchain-inspired problems without the blockchain.
Platformer
Reddit doubles down
Delaying its API changes would benefit everyone — but users have other options, too
a year ago
Delaying its API changes would benefit everyone — but users have other options, too
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things for the middle of your week (#31)
Indian poverty reduction, America's friends, Canada's economy, Europe grows a spine, and Japan's...
9 months ago
Indian poverty reduction, America's friends, Canada's economy, Europe grows a spine, and Japan's DARPA
Platformer
How BeReal missed its moment
To become the next big social app, competitors have to move faster
a year ago
To become the next big social app, competitors have to move faster
Roberto Vitillo's...
What every developer should know about TCP
Why do you need to place your servers geographically close to your users? One of the reasons is to...
over a year ago
Why do you need to place your servers geographically close to your users? One of the reasons is to achieve lower latencies. That makes a lot…
Paul Graham: Essays
Maker's Schedule, Manager's Schedule
over a year ago
Platformer
The OpenAI saga isn’t over just yet
A new board and a promised investigation could threaten Altman’s happy ending
a year ago
A new board and a promised investigation could threaten Altman’s happy ending
Rest of World -...
Meet the Nigerian YouTuber bringing a positive lens to African stories
With 600,000 subscribers, Tayo Aina is one of Africa’s most prominent creators.
a year ago
With 600,000 subscribers, Tayo Aina is one of Africa’s most prominent creators.
Rest of World -...
The phrase that ruled the Indian internet in 2023
Looking like a wow.
a year ago
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...
Rest of World -...
The IITs remain undefeated
They took up seven out of the top 10 slots in a recent government ranking.
a year ago
They took up seven out of the top 10 slots in a recent government ranking.
David Perell
The Paradox of Abundance
Information abundance, like all markets of abundance, is bad for the average person but great for a...
over a year ago
Information abundance, like all markets of abundance, is bad for the average person but great for a small number of people. Abundance is a paradox. Environments of abundance are bad for the median consumer but extremely good for a small number of conscious ones. Average consumers...
Rest of World -...
Nigeria’s Ogun State wants to lead the country’s EV revolution
But experts fear long-term success may not follow as Nigeria lags other African countries when it...
a month ago
But experts fear long-term success may not follow as Nigeria lags other African countries when it comes to EV adoption.
Rest of World -...
This Hajj VR simulator helps Muslims prepare for the holy pilgrimage
The pilgrimage can be hard to navigate for first-timers, so Pakistan’s Labbaik VR offers a chance to...
2 months ago
The pilgrimage can be hard to navigate for first-timers, so Pakistan’s Labbaik VR offers a chance to virtually preview holy sites.
Rest of World -...
Using AI to build the “definitive” Spanish writing tool
Abraham López is the CEO of Correcto, an AI-powered grammar tool.
6 months ago
Abraham López is the CEO of Correcto, an AI-powered grammar tool.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The tragedy of the anticommons
Seems very relevant to today’s music industry, and potentially relevant to the internet/software...
over a year ago
Seems very relevant to today’s music industry, and potentially relevant to the internet/software industry in the near future as patent…
Working Theorys
Companionship Content is King | Theory No. 29
Why short-form video has a ceiling & how companionship content escapes it.
10 months ago
Why short-form video has a ceiling & how companionship content escapes it.
Rest of World -...
What Elon Musk’s new biography leaves out
Looking beyond the Tesla reality-distortion field.
a year ago
Looking beyond the Tesla reality-distortion field.
David Perell
Saving the Liberal Arts
We start with their history by returning to the origins of Western thought. We argue that splitting...
over a year ago
We start with their history by returning to the origins of Western thought. We argue that splitting education into two halves — Professional and Civilized — is the only way to think about education clearly. We then outline the evolution of the Liberal Arts, from the ancients to...
AVC
Flooding
I spent a good part of my childhood at West Point, the US Military Academy. I got an email yesterday...
a year ago
I spent a good part of my childhood at West Point, the US Military Academy. I got an email yesterday with photos of the flooding at West Point. My dad and brother used to work in that grey stone building called Mahan Hall. And the same storms that did this to West Point did worse...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Blogging to learn
People blog for all sorts of reasons. For me, it is mostly about learning. This wasn’t my original...
over a year ago
People blog for all sorts of reasons. For me, it is mostly about learning. This wasn’t my original intention – it evolved over time. Now I…
Nadia Asparouhova
Mapping out the tribes of climate
Climate is a gravity well for talent, but why don’t other, equally impactful topics attract talent...
over a year ago
Climate is a gravity well for talent, but why don’t other, equally impactful topics attract talent in the same way? Why isn’t everyone dropping everything to work on homelessness, or global poverty, or curing cancer? With many peers in tech now working on climate issues, I tried...
Rest of World -...
Apple’s biggest gamble isn’t the Vision Pro — it’s India
Don’t be distracted by this week’s gadget hype cycle.
a year ago
Don’t be distracted by this week’s gadget hype cycle.
Rest of World -...
India wants to make influencers register with the government
Under the proposed bill, anyone from local content creators to Taylor Swift could be classified as a...
4 months ago
Under the proposed bill, anyone from local content creators to Taylor Swift could be classified as a “digital news broadcaster.”
Tech + Economics +...
Elon Musk’s childishness knows no bounds.
Taylor Lorenz on Threads:
At the Dealbook summit, with X CEO Linda Yaccarino sitting in the...
a year ago
Taylor Lorenz on Threads:
At the Dealbook summit, with X CEO Linda Yaccarino sitting in the room,
Elon Musk just told advertisers — including Disney CEO Bob Iger — to go
fuck themselves."Don't advertise... If somebody did try to blackmail me
with...
Rest of World -...
Behold, the world’s first 3D-printed temple
Located in India, the Hindu temple’s layout follows ancient guidelines dating back to 1100 B.C.
2 months ago
Located in India, the Hindu temple’s layout follows ancient guidelines dating back to 1100 B.C.
Tom Blomfield
Automating Customer Service at a Startup
Customer service can make or break a company; it has been one of the key differentiators as a new...
over a year ago
Customer service can make or break a company; it has been one of the key differentiators as a new generation of startups seeks to compete against incumbents. While people remember examples of awesome customer service, the opposite is also true.
At GoCardless, we decided early on...
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…
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.
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things to start your week (#34)
Woke capital, university rigidity, social media toxicity, SUVs and pedestrians, and crime and...
8 months ago
Woke capital, university rigidity, social media toxicity, SUVs and pedestrians, and crime and urbanization
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...
a month 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?
Essays - Benedict...
Remaking the app store
The EU has finally made Apple redesign the App Store, 15 years after we
started arguing about it,...
10 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.
Rest of World -...
Nigeria will become a net exporter of tech talent: Nigerian Minister Dr. Bosun Tijani
The tech entrepreneur-turned-bureaucrat spoke to Rest of World about his year in government, his...
2 months ago
The tech entrepreneur-turned-bureaucrat spoke to Rest of World about his year in government, his administration’s priorities for advancing AI in Nigeria, and the difficult task of choosing between allies.
Rest of World -...
Stability AI’s plan to counter AI’s Silicon Valley’s bias
“It’d be dystopian if all AI systems had the values of a 35-year-old male in San Francisco.”
a year ago
“It’d be dystopian if all AI systems had the values of a 35-year-old male in San Francisco.”
Essays - Benedict...
The VR winter continues
Meta has spent at least $50bn on VR and AR so far, but we’re still in the
VR winter: the devices...
5 months ago
Meta has spent at least $50bn on VR and AR so far, but we’re still in the
VR winter: the devices aren’t good enough or cheap enough and the user base
is flat. But no matter how good the devices get, how many people will care?
XO Capital - Field...
Acquisition #12 - Onsched
We've been a little quiet over here as we start rolling out XO 2.0, using outside capital instead of...
4 months ago
We've been a little quiet over here as we start rolling out XO 2.0, using outside capital instead of our own cash to acquire larger businesses. It's taken a bit of time from deal #11 to #12. We didn't buy anything for 9
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.
Noahpinion
Nobody knows how many jobs will "be automated"
Whatever that even means.
a year ago
Whatever that even means.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Owning equity in your company should be as common as owning equity in your home
What belongs in common to the most people is accorded the least care: they take thought for their...
over a year ago
What belongs in common to the most people is accorded the least care: they take thought for their own things above all, and less about…
42!
How we "judo'd" a server outage to create a customer evangelist
Photo by Erik Mclean on Unsplash
I was listening to Arvid Kahl’s latest podcast episode on my...
over a year ago
Photo by Erik Mclean on Unsplash
I was listening to Arvid Kahl’s latest podcast episode on my morning walk today, where he talked about Facebook’s recent 6 hour outage, and how you can ‘judo’ negative things like server downtime into a positive outcome.
As a former student of the...
42!
I got booted from one of my own company’s Slack channels...
So, last week I got removed from one of my company’s Slack channels… and it was probably the best...
a year ago
So, last week I got removed from one of my company’s Slack channels… and it was probably the best thing that could have happened for me, and my company.
You see, like most companies, we have ‘global’ chat channels that everyone participates in, plus each team has distinct...
Noahpinion
Interview: Heather Boushey, economist and member of the Council of Economic Advisers
In which we talk all about Bidenomics.
a year ago
In which we talk all about Bidenomics.
Rest of World -...
2023 Impact Report
The global reach and impact of our journalism in 2023
8 months ago
The global reach and impact of our journalism in 2023
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Dividing equity between founders
A friend asked me recently if I knew of any good guidelines for dividing up equity between founders,...
over a year ago
A friend asked me recently if I knew of any good guidelines for dividing up equity between founders, and specifically what to do in the case…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Timing your startup
I never had the opportunity to invest in YouTube but I have to admit that if I did I probably would...
over a year ago
I never had the opportunity to invest in YouTube but I have to admit that if I did I probably would have passed (which of course would have…
Unpacked
Uber Ads: Accelerating the path to profitability
What makes advertising attractive is that it's a 100% margin product that can subsidize the lower...
a year ago
What makes advertising attractive is that it's a 100% margin product that can subsidize the lower margin core business.
Rest of World -...
Political campaigns embrace AI to reach voters across language barriers
Advocacy groups like AAPI Victory Alliance are using ChatGPT and Claude to reach speakers of Hindi,...
3 months ago
Advocacy groups like AAPI Victory Alliance are using ChatGPT and Claude to reach speakers of Hindi, Tagalog, and more.
Unpacked
YouTube, Ad Blockers & the Advertising "Tax"
Though it looks like big vs small tech at first glance, poking into how ad blocker companies operate...
a year ago
Though it looks like big vs small tech at first glance, poking into how ad blocker companies operate and their “whitelisting” programs will likely change your opinion
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Three types of acquisitions
There are three types of technology acquisitions: - Talent. When the acquirer just wants the team...
over a year ago
There are three types of technology acquisitions: - Talent. When the acquirer just wants the team (generally just engineers and sometimes…
Unpacked
Instagram Threads: The Problem With The "Everything for Everyone" Approach
In recent times, Twitter has been through a roller coaster of events. What started with Elon Musk's...
a year ago
In recent times, Twitter has been through a roller coaster of events. What started with Elon Musk's turbulent acquisition has now been followed up by a series of controversial product decisions. To list a few: Twitter limited the number of daily tweets
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...
3 days ago
A slew of content creators built small social media empires off Andrés Manuel López Obrador, whose term ended in October.
Platformer
The platforms give up on 2020 lies
For a time, they fought the good fight — but not any more
a year ago
For a time, they fought the good fight — but not any more
cdixon.org RSS Feed
"There's just a tremendous amount of craftsmanship in between a great idea and a great product"
Steve Jobs in 1995: There's just a tremendous amount of craftsmanship in between a great idea and a...
over a year ago
Steve Jobs in 1995: There's just a tremendous amount of craftsmanship in between a great idea and a great product. And as you evolve that…
Noahpinion
The pushback against industrial policy has begun
So far, it's a vague broadside instead of a targeted criticism.
a year ago
So far, it's a vague broadside instead of a targeted criticism.
Tech + Economics +...
Dear Blackbird. Women in tech are not “corporate girlies.”
Capital Brief: Blackbird-backed Kiki outlined plan to target 'corporate
girlies' in December...
11 months ago
Capital Brief: Blackbird-backed Kiki outlined plan to target 'corporate
girlies' in December investor memo
Blackbird-backed subletting startup Kiki wrote to investors on
Christmas Eve to tell them that it was struggling and would pivot to
target the “super...
Rest of World -...
Can someone please make an iPhone-theft thriller already?
Forget the Apple store heist in Seattle; South Asia has a pretty riveting script on cross-border...
a year ago
Forget the Apple store heist in Seattle; South Asia has a pretty riveting script on cross-border smartphone theft waiting to be written.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
"We leverage the billions of dollars spent on the consumer mobile phone business"
NYTimes has an excellent profile of Planet Labs, a startup that makes low-cost satellites: These...
over a year ago
NYTimes has an excellent profile of Planet Labs, a startup that makes low-cost satellites: These satellites are powered by batteries…
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...
Platformer
The TikTok bans are accelerating
With a key vote scheduled for tonight, the company's options are growing limited
a year ago
With a key vote scheduled for tonight, the company's options are growing limited
Rest of World -...
Worldcoin has a problem
India already has a Worldcoin competitor, and other countries are taking note.
a year ago
India already has a Worldcoin competitor, and other countries are taking note.
Tech + Economics +...
Nazis don’t deserve free speech.
Reality check: Nazism is not an intellectual hypothetical that bears good
faith discussion. It's...
a year ago
Reality check: Nazism is not an intellectual hypothetical that bears good
faith discussion. It's not a controversial thought experiment. It is a
historical movement designed to demonise and exterminate the Other. Born in
the tumultuous aftermath of World War I, Nazi...
tomcritchlow.com
A Lil' Website Refresh
Welcome to tomcritchlow.com version…. 19? 25? Honestly there have been so many iterations over the...
9 months ago
Welcome to tomcritchlow.com version…. 19? 25? Honestly there have been so many iterations over the years who even knows. The point is there’s a new coat of paint.
Internal Tech Emails
Google looks at acquiring YouTube
can I get a quick analysis of the likely cost of acquiring youtube? Eric
over a year ago
can I get a quick analysis of the likely cost of acquiring youtube? Eric
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