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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

Hello, hello! 👋🏻👋🏻

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”
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Tidbits #69 – China Easing, Drinking Glue, Depressed AIs + 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.

Drinking Glue

In Internet culture, #69 is supposed to be a funny number. So I guess that’s supposed to make this edition special. Edgelords like Elon Musk can somehow masterfully insert 69 (and 420) into random situations to conjure up billions of dollars in market cap (and personal wealth).… Read the rest “Tidbits #69 – China Easing, Drinking Glue, Depressed AIs + More”

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Tidbits #68 – Antiwork, Rate Hikes, Autonomous Tractors, Pig Hearts + 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 North Korea Claims Successful Test Of Hypersonic Missile

North Korea said Wednesday its leader Kim Jong Un oversaw a successful flight test of a hypersonic missile he claimed would remarkably increase the country’s nuclear “war deterrent.”

… Read the rest “Tidbits #68 – Antiwork, Rate Hikes, Autonomous Tractors, Pig Hearts + More”
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Tidbits #67 – World’s Factory on Break, Kazakh Chaos, Deltacron, Bividend + 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.

With the first week of the year all wrapped up, 2022 seems to be as wild as 2021 and 2020 so far…

🗺 World Affairs + Geopolitics

#1 Xi’an Lockdown Rattles World’s Largest Chipmakers

Samsung Electronics and Micron Technology are experiencing staff shortages at their manufacturing sites as the city imposes strict controls on people’s movement amid its worst outbreak.

… Read the rest “Tidbits #67 – World’s Factory on Break, Kazakh Chaos, Deltacron, Bividend + More”
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Paper Portfolio – January 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.

First off – Happy new year! May we all live in less interesting times in 2022.… Read the rest “Paper Portfolio – January 2022 Update”

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Tidbits #66 – Data Security, Elon, More Elon, TikTok on SNL, Log4j…+ Even More Elon

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

Hope you had / are having an enjoyable holiday break! 🎄🎄🎄

Although we spend most of our waking moments thinking mostly about what’s going on in our world and our work, what matters most is almost always our family, friends, and loved ones.… Read the rest “Tidbits #66 – Data Security, Elon, More Elon, TikTok on SNL, Log4j…+ Even More Elon”

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Tidbits #65 – Economic Alliances, Bitcoin Dumpster-Diving, Metaverse Marriages + 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.

🗺 Geopolitics

#1 Proposal Would Allow E.U. to Retaliate Against Economic Pressure

The European Commission, the bloc’s executive branch, put forward what it called an “anti-coercion instrument” relating to what it views as unfair trade pressure, arguing that new tools were necessary because of the “weaponization of trade for other geopolitical purposes.”

… Read the rest “Tidbits #65 – Economic Alliances, Bitcoin Dumpster-Diving, Metaverse Marriages + More”
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Tidbits #64 – Omicron, Powell, AI Paintings, Life-like Robots + 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.

🗺 Geopolitics

#1 U.S. And EU Signal “Converging” Views On China

The U.S. and the European Union are adopting “increasingly convergent” views on the threat posed by the Chinese government, according to senior Biden administration officials, deepening a trend that could tilt the scales in an era of great power competition.

… Read the rest “Tidbits #64 – Omicron, Powell, AI Paintings, Life-like Robots + More”
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Paper Portfolio – December 2021 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.

I’m currently on holiday (at a nice warm beach) and I assume you were / are / will be, too, so I’ll keep this short (and because there really isn’t much to say anyway!).… Read the rest “Paper Portfolio – December 2021 Update”

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How the Metaverse and Digital Twins Can Accelerate Innovation

This is Part 2.

In Part 1 – Competition, Experimentation, and Progress – I discuss why the positive benefits of technological and societal Progress alone are not enough to encourage people to pursue it, why Competition and Experimentation are both necessary to create Progress, and how to look for areas of potential Progress in the coming years.

In Part 2 – How the Metaverse and Digital Twins Can Accelerate Innovation – I discuss the the potentially transformative power of the metaverse and digital twins, and why societies and companies that successfully harness this technology could see rapid periods of Progress.… Read the rest “How the Metaverse and Digital Twins Can Accelerate Innovation”

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Tidbits #63 – Still Stuck in the Metaverse / Web3

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

Maybe we’re all starting to wind down for the year…there isn’t much going on beyond a very narrow range of items centered around the concept of the Metaverse. Speaking of the Metaverse, there’s clearly a titanic struggle from several different groups for control of what comes next in tech / internet.… Read the rest “Tidbits #63 – Still Stuck in the Metaverse / Web3”

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Tidbits #62 – Playing the Real Game, Metaverse Mania

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

While lining up the articles below for this week’s edition, I am struck by how many different games are being played. People tend to discuss differences in strategy (whether personal, professional, or competitive), but strategy cannot be objectively evaluated without knowing the specific game that is being played.… Read the rest “Tidbits #62 – Playing the Real Game, Metaverse Mania”