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Tidbits #88 – Taiwan Aftermath, Jobs, Tiffany Pendants, Small Nuclear Reactors + More

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Welcome back to another edition of Tidbits covering all the recent things worth talking about in business, media, and technology.

🗺 World Affairs + Geopolitics

#1 – China Tests Taiwan Defense Zone, Cuts Off US Military Talks

China continued its most provocative military drills in decades on Friday and cut off defense talks with the US, as relations between the world’s biggest economies deteriorate in the wake of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s trip to Taiwan.

… Read the rest “Tidbits #88 – Taiwan Aftermath, Jobs, Tiffany Pendants, Small Nuclear Reactors + More”
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Tidbits #87 – Recession, Crypto Securities?, AlphaFold, Regenerating Limbs + More

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Welcome back to another edition of Tidbits covering all the recent things worth talking about in business, media, and technology.

🗺 World Affairs + Geopolitics

#1 – Pelosi Confirmed Details Of Her Trip To Asia, But Did Not Say If She’ll Visit Taiwan

The speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, confirmed Sunday she will visit four Asian countries this week but made no mention of a possible stop in Taiwan that has fueled tension with Beijing, which claims the island democracy as its own territory.

… Read the rest “Tidbits #87 – Recession, Crypto Securities?, AlphaFold, Regenerating Limbs + More”
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Tidbits #86 – Becoming Restaurants, Coup Planning, TikTok Search, Neural Implants + More

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Welcome back to another edition of Tidbits covering all the recent things worth talking about in business, media, and technology.

Everything is Becoming a “Restaurant”

Back in 2020, many people noticed that most digital businesses were becoming fintechs. This observation was so common it became a meme:

And for good reason!

Commerce is a central part of all of our lives whether directly or indirectly.… Read the rest “Tidbits #86 – Becoming Restaurants, Coup Planning, TikTok Search, Neural Implants + More”

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Tidbits #85 – Abe, Space Race, Hacks, Dimming Lights + More

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Welcome back to another edition of Tidbits covering all the recent things worth talking about in business, media, and technology.

🗺 World Affairs + Geopolitics

#1 – NATO Pivots To Highlight Chinese ‘Challenges’ For 1st Time

NATO has for the first time singled out China as one of its strategic priorities for the next decade, warning about its growing military ambitions, confrontational rhetoric toward Taiwan and other neighbors, and increasingly close ties to Russia.

… Read the rest “Tidbits #85 – Abe, Space Race, Hacks, Dimming Lights + More”
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Paper Portfolio – July 2022 Update

As always, this is not investment advice! Please do your own due diligence and take your own financial situation into account. Everyone has a different financial situation, which means different tolerances for risk and ability to take risk. What is appropriate for me may not be appropriate for you.

With another challenging month coming to an end, this brings the current selloff into its 7th month.… Read the rest “Paper Portfolio – July 2022 Update”

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Tidbits #84 – Fed and Crypto Dominos

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Welcome back to another edition of Tidbits covering all the recent things worth talking about in business, media, and technology.

🛡 Defense and Cybersecurity

#1 U.S., EU Plan Joint Foreign Aid for Cybersecurity to Counter China

The U.S. and the European Union plan to introduce joint funding of secure digital infrastructure in developing countries, according to officials involved in the talks.

… Read the rest “Tidbits #84 – Fed and Crypto Dominos”
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Tidbits #83 – Inflation, Apple WWDC, and Sentient Google AI?

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Welcome back to another edition of Tidbits covering all the recent things worth talking about in business, media, and technology.

🤑 Economics + Markets

#1 US Inflation Quickens to 40-Year High, Pressuring Fed and Biden

US inflation accelerated to a fresh 40-year high in May, a sign that price pressures are becoming entrenched in the economy. That will likely push the Federal Reserve to extend an aggressive series of interest-rate hikes and adds to political problems for the White House and Democrats.

… Read the rest “Tidbits #83 – Inflation, Apple WWDC, and Sentient Google AI?”
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Tidbits #82 – Tech Layoffs, Crypto Insider Trading, Stripe Apps + More

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Welcome back to another edition of Tidbits covering all the recent things worth talking about in business, media, and technology.

A New Emergent Business Model: Platform + App Marketplace

One of the articles in this edition discusses Stripe’s launch of an apps marketplace. This could fundamentally transform the scope of Stripe’s product and the infrastructure they have built.… Read the rest “Tidbits #82 – Tech Layoffs, Crypto Insider Trading, Stripe Apps + More”

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Paper Portfolio – June 2022 Update

As always, this is not investment advice! Please do your own due diligence and take your own financial situation into account. Everyone has a different financial situation, which means different tolerances for risk and ability to take risk. What is appropriate for me may not be appropriate for you.

After a very challenging April, May came in almost as challenging.

The Paper Portfolio declined 13.6% vs (very frustratingly) a small +0.23% return for the S&P500.… Read the rest “Paper Portfolio – June 2022 Update”

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Tidbits #81 – Terra(ble), Apple Glass, Cloudflare Network Computer, AI Poisons + More

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Welcome back to another edition of Tidbits covering all the recent things worth talking about in business, media, and technology.

🗺 World Affairs + Geopolitics

#1 China Insists Party Elites Shed Overseas Assets, Eyeing Western Sanctions on Russia

China’s Communist Party will block promotions for senior cadres whose spouses or children hold significant assets abroad, people familiar with the matter said, as Beijing seeks to insulate its top officials from the types of sanctions now being directed at Russia.

… Read the rest “Tidbits #81 – Terra(ble), Apple Glass, Cloudflare Network Computer, AI Poisons + More”
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Tidbits #80 – Ponzi Boxes, Amazon’s Trojan Horse, Boeing’s Never Ending Dream, Reversing Aging + More

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Welcome back to another edition of Tidbits covering all the recent things worth talking about in business, media, and technology.

🗺 World Affairs + Geopolitics

#1 Putin’s Gas-for-Rubles Gambit Hits EU Fault Lines as Stakes Rise

After suffering months of punishing sanctions, Vladimir Putin used a powerful tool to impose some economic pain on Europe — and to fracture the unity of his opponents — by shutting off natural gas this week to a pair of NATO members.

… Read the rest “Tidbits #80 – Ponzi Boxes, Amazon’s Trojan Horse, Boeing’s Never Ending Dream, Reversing Aging + More”
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Paper Portfolio – May 2022 Update

As always, this is not investment advice! Please do your own due diligence and take your own financial situation into account. Everyone has a different financial situation, which means different tolerances for risk and ability to take risk. What is appropriate for me may not be appropriate for you.

Since the inception of the Paper Portfolio, April was the single most challenging month.… Read the rest “Paper Portfolio – May 2022 Update”

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Tidbits #79 – Buy With Prime, Netflix Blitzed, Unreal Engine 5, Washing Machines Chips + More

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Welcome back to another edition of Tidbits covering all the recent things worth talking about in business, media, and technology.

🗺 World Affairs + Geopolitics

#1 EU Prepares To Hit Putin With New Sanctions Plan Next Week

Brussels is drawing up plans for a sixth package of sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, with measures expected to be presented to European Union countries early next week, according to several diplomats.

… Read the rest “Tidbits #79 – Buy With Prime, Netflix Blitzed, Unreal Engine 5, Washing Machines Chips + More”
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Tidbits #78 – NATO Expansion, Spiritual Leaders, Horizon Worlds, Elon Musk + More

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Welcome back to another edition of Tidbits covering all the recent things worth talking about in business, media, and technology.

🗺 World Affairs + Geopolitics

#1 Finland And Sweden Could Soon Join NATO, Prompted By Russian War In Ukraine

Finland and Sweden could soon join NATO, moves that would likely infuriate Moscow and that officials say would further underscore Russia’s strategic error in invading Ukraine.

… Read the rest “Tidbits #78 – NATO Expansion, Spiritual Leaders, Horizon Worlds, Elon Musk + More”
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Tidbits #77 – Lithium, Zuck Bucks, DALL-E, Ai-Da + More

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Welcome back to another edition of Tidbits covering all the recent things worth talking about in business, media, and technology.

🗺 World Affairs + Geopolitics

#1 Russia Faces Global Outrage Over Bodies In Ukraine’s Streets

Moscow faced global revulsion and accusations of war crimes Monday after the Russian pullout from the outskirts of Kyiv revealed streets, buildings and yards strewn with corpses of what appeared to be civilians, many of them evidently killed at close range.

… Read the rest “Tidbits #77 – Lithium, Zuck Bucks, DALL-E, Ai-Da + More”
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Tidbits #76 – Nvidia, Apple BNPL, Rug Pulls, and More

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Welcome back to another edition of Tidbits covering all the recent things worth talking about in business, media, and technology.

🗺 World Affairs + Geopolitics

#1 Biden Says Putin Can’t Remain in Power After Ukraine War

U.S. President Joe Biden castigated Russia’s leader, Vladimir Putin, in a speech in Poland on Saturday, repeatedly calling him a “dictator” and saying that he “cannot remain in power” after the Ukraine invasion. 

… Read the rest “Tidbits #76 – Nvidia, Apple BNPL, Rug Pulls, and More”
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Paper Portfolio – April 2022 Update

As always, this is not investment advice! Please do your own due diligence and take your own financial situation into account. Everyone has a different financial situation, which means different tolerances for risk and ability to take risk. What is appropriate for me may not be appropriate for you.

March was an extremely volatile but interesting month.

Markets sold off violently in a way that was eerily similar to the market selloff two years ago.… Read the rest “Paper Portfolio – April 2022 Update”

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Tidbits #75 – Xi Biden Talk, Switchblades, Crypto Future, Deepfakes + More

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Welcome back to another edition of Tidbits covering all the recent things worth talking about in business, media, and technology.

This week was another tense week of geopolitics and economic news. However, there seem to be some small glimmers of hope that things could move in a better direction.

🗺 World Affairs + Geopolitics

#1 Readout of National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan’s Meeting with Politburo Member Yang Jiechi

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met today with Chinese Communist Party Politburo Member and Director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission Yang Jiechi in Rome, Italy.

… Read the rest “Tidbits #75 – Xi Biden Talk, Switchblades, Crypto Future, Deepfakes + More”
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Tidbits #74 – New Cold War?, NFT Factories, Apple M1 Ultra + More

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Welcome back to another edition of Tidbits covering all the recent things worth talking about in business, media, and technology.

🗺 World Affairs + Geopolitics

#1 Biden Bans Imports of Russian Oil, Natural Gas

President Biden banned imported oil and other energy sources from Russia to punish the country as it intensified its military campaign in Ukraine, a move that will add pressure to already record U.S.

… Read the rest “Tidbits #74 – New Cold War?, NFT Factories, Apple M1 Ultra + More”
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Tidbits #73 – Ukraine Week 2, Cyberwar, Commodity + Supply Shocks, Democracy 3.0 + More

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Welcome back to another edition of Tidbits covering all the recent things worth talking about in business, media, and technology.

As Ukraine drags on for another week, the world continues to feel like it’s in an unstable equilibrium that is about readjust very, very quickly and possibly permanently into a new state of equilibrium…The last few years (decades?)… Read the rest “Tidbits #73 – Ukraine Week 2, Cyberwar, Commodity + Supply Shocks, Democracy 3.0 + More”

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Paper Portfolio – March 2022 Update

As always, this is not investment advice! Please do your own due diligence and take your own financial situation into account. Everyone has a different financial situation, which means different tolerances for risk and ability to take risk. What is appropriate for me may not be appropriate for you.

We live in a Chaotic era, an era of Change.

Nothing made that more clear than the last few weeks.… Read the rest “Paper Portfolio – March 2022 Update”

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Tidbits #72 – Ukraine

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Welcome back to another edition of Tidbits covering all the recent things worth talking about in business, media, and technology.

There’s almost nothing directly related to business, media, or tech in this edition. It’s all Ukraine, but that’s just a reflection of how overpowering geopolitics is at the moment.

🗺 World Affairs + Geopolitics

#1 Russia Invasion of Ukraine Ignites European Security Crisis

Russian President Vladimir Putin started his long-anticipated invasion of Ukraine, triggering one of the worst security crises in Europe since World War II, after threats of economic sanctions from the U.S.

… Read the rest “Tidbits #72 – Ukraine”
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Tidbits #71 – Russia, Free Fire Ban, Inflation, Blockades + More

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Welcome back to another edition of Tidbits covering all the recent things worth talking about in business, media, and technology.

Sorry I’m a bit behind since the last issue 3 weeks ago. Unfortunately, I seem to have given myself a combination of carpel tunnel syndrome and tendonitis. Will need to see how my arm situation evolves from here to know how much I can type (and unfortunately each issue does take almost a full day to hash out).… Read the rest “Tidbits #71 – Russia, Free Fire Ban, Inflation, Blockades + More”

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The Death of Capitalism and The Rebirth of Religion

This is Part 2.

In Part 1 – The Truth About Money – We discuss the properties of Money and explore why Money should be considered debt.

In Part 2 – The Death of Capitalism and the Rebirth of Religion – We discuss how society is rejecting the long-established rules around Money (and Capitalism) and why that will usher in a new era of Religion.… Read the rest “The Death of Capitalism and The Rebirth of Religion”

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Paper Portfolio – February 2022 Update

As always, this is not investment advice! Please do your own due diligence and take your own financial situation into account. Everyone has a different financial situation, which means different tolerances for risk and ability to take risk. What is appropriate for me may not be appropriate for you.

What a start to the year.

The selloff that began in late November and accelerated in December…continued to accelerate throughout January.… Read the rest “Paper Portfolio – February 2022 Update”

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Tidbits #70 – Collapsing Bridges, EV Batteries, Virtual Humans + More

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Welcome back to another edition of Tidbits covering all the recent things worth talking about in business, media, and technology.

🗺 World Affairs + Geopolitics

#1 Biden Administration Faces Growing GOP Opposition on China Bill

Biden administration officials are attempting to stem growing Republican opposition to high-priority legislation aimed at bolstering U.S. competitiveness with China and aiding domestic semiconductor production.

… Read the rest “Tidbits #70 – Collapsing Bridges, EV Batteries, Virtual Humans + More”