Here are some of the posts that caught my eye recently. Hope you find something interesting.
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Here are some of the posts that caught my eye recently. Hope you find something interesting.
Lighter Links:
Trading Links:
Posted at 10:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
I am often amazed at how little human nature has changed throughout recorded history.
Despite the exponential progress we’ve made in health, wealth, society, tools, and understanding ... we still struggle to find meaning, purpose, and happiness in our lives and our existence.
Last month, I shared an article on Global Happiness Levels in 2025. Here are a few bullets that summarize the findings:
Upon reflection, that post didn’t attempt to define happiness. This post will focus on how to do that.
While it seems like a simple concept, happiness is complex. We know many things that contribute to and detract from it; we know humans strive for it, but it is still surprisingly challenging to put a uniform definition on it.
A few years ago, a hobbyist philosopher analyzed 93 philosophy books, spanning from 570 BC to 1588, in an attempt to find a universal definition of Happiness. Here are those findings.
via Reddit.
It starts with a simple list of definitions from various philosophers. It does a meta-analysis to create some meaningful categories of definition. Then it presents the admittingly subjective conclusion that:
Happiness is to accept and find harmony with reason.
My son, Zach, pointed out that while “happiness” is a conscious choice, paradoxically, the “pursuit of happiness” often results in unhappiness. Why? Because happiness is a result of acceptance. However, when happiness is the goal, you often focus on what you’re lacking instead of what you already have. You start to live in the ‘Gap’ instead of the ‘Gain’.
So, it got me thinking – and that got me to play around with search and AI, a little, to broaden my data sources and perspectives. If you would like to view the raw data, here are the notes I compiled (along with the AI-generated version of what this article could have been, had it been left to AI, rather than me and Zach).
Reach out – I’m curious to hear what you think!
Posted at 08:01 PM in Books, Business, Current Affairs, Healthy Lifestyle, Ideas, Just for Fun, Personal Development, Religion, Science, Writing | Permalink | Comments (0)
Billion-dollar startups are becoming increasingly common with VC funding surging, and an increased focus on exponential technologies.
VisualCapitalist put together an infographic based on May's PitchBook that highlights the newest Unicorns.
If you are curious, PitchBook defines Unicorns as venture-backed companies valued at $1 billion or more after a funding round, until they go public, get acquired, or drop below that valuation.
Here is the list for 2025.
Pitchbook via visualcapitalist
Topping the list (and eclipsing every other company on the list) is Yangtze Memory out of China. They're focused on flash memory and solid-state drives. Yup, that's still a thing.
Also high on the list is Abridge, an American AI startup focused on turning doctors' conversations with patients into documentation. If you've ever talked with a clinician of any sort, you know how time-consuming documentation currently is. The combination of AI and longevity—or age reversal—is likely to become an increasingly hot area for investment.
Meanwhile, a rising tide floats many boats ... and with the continuing rise of funding in AI, you'll also find a growing list of AI unicorns, like Peregrine, Synthesia, AnySphere, Mercor, and The Bot Company.
Although these individual companies are interesting, the larger trend is probably more significant.
There have been 43 new unicorns in 2025 alone. And while the most profitable unicorns from 2024 are still OpenAI, ByteDance, and SpaceX, their competition is on the rise.
I've been a tech entrepreneur for decades, so I'm used to the constant march of progress. But this feels different. The pace is quickening!
We certainly live in interesting times!
Posted at 11:02 PM in Business, Current Affairs, Gadgets, Ideas, Market Commentary, Science, Trading, Web/Tech | Permalink | Comments (0)
Here are some of the posts that caught my eye recently. Hope you find something interesting.
Lighter Links:
Trading Links:
Posted at 10:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
The U.S. Treasury is ceasing production of pennies - as they cost more to make than they’re worth.
According to a 2024 report from the U.S. Mint, we lose $85M a year minting pennies, as they cost 3.69 cents to make.
That makes the phrase “penny wise and pound foolish” officially passé - at least in America.
Many phrases like this still exist. It’s an interesting example of the power of language. Words take on meaning beyond their original usage ... and often remain relevant long after their origin has become irrelevant.
For example:
Until recently, technologies (and the phrases they spawned) lasted for decades, if not longer. As technology evolves at an ever-accelerating pace, new tools, platforms, and ways of communicating emerge almost daily. With these innovations come fresh slang, buzzwords, and cultural references that often catch on quickly—think “DM me,” “ghosting,” or “cloud computing.” Yet just as rapidly as they rise, many of these terms fade into obscurity, replaced by the next wave of trends. What was once cutting-edge can become outdated in a matter of years, if not months. This cycle of innovation and obsolescence is a hallmark of the modern digital era.
However, much like these old idioms, the fleeting nature of these technologies and jobs doesn’t mean they lack value or impact. Some expressions endure because they capture something universally human—emotion, conflict, humor—even if the context changes. Similarly, technologies may evolve, but their core functions or purposes often remain. The fax machine gives way to email, and email to instant messaging—but the need for communication is constant.
This principle also applies to work and tools. While job titles and methods may change, the underlying skills — such as critical thinking, collaboration, and creativity — remain timeless. A carpenter today might use laser-guided saws instead of hand tools, just as a marketer might use data analytics instead of intuition alone, but the essence of their work persists. Innovation reshapes how we do things, not always what we do.
Just as enduring phrases carry forward old meanings in new settings, so too will jobs, tools, and skills adapt and survive.
Onwards!
Posted at 04:10 PM in Books, Current Affairs, Film, Gadgets, Ideas, Just for Fun, Personal Development, Science, Web/Tech, Writing | Permalink | Comments (0)
Is Crypto Going Mainstream in 2025?
Humans are good at recognizing significant changes on the horizon, but not nearly as good at understanding the second and third-order consequences of those changes.
A great example is the Internet. As it spread, most adults understood that it would bring “big changes”. However, even as a tech entrepreneur at the time, I didn’t fully grasp what the rise of the Internet would cause or make possible.
I feel the same way today about the rise of AI. It literally will change everything.
Close behind that is what’s happening in Crypto.
Where Attention Goes, Money Flows
I don’t claim to be a crypto expert or fan. Historically, I’ve been skeptical and resistant on many levels. Nevertheless, I've always argued the blockchain was here to stay. Now, even Crypto seems to be becoming an inevitability.
Governments are becoming supporters. Regulators are falling in line. Big banks and industry are building infrastructure. New giants are forming. Coinbase recently joined the S&P 500. Circle just had a wildly successful IPO. And the performance of stocks like these hints at the growing market appetite for crypto businesses.
Currently, Crypto’s market cap is over $3 trillion. At the beginning of Trump’s presidency, the cryptocurrency markets experienced a significant surge. Since Donald Trump’s re-election in November 2024, Bitcoin has surged 60 percent, reaching record highs. However, Bitcoin isn’t the only cryptocurrency experiencing a surge; even meme coins are seeing a massive increase in value.
Nevada recently hosted a Bitcoin conference, featuring speakers such as Vice President JD Vance, Trump’s two eldest sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, as well as White House crypto advisor David Sacks.
Despite the growth (and Trump’s support), there are still mainstream obstacles ... obstacles that may be addressed by increased investment in stablecoins. For context, countries such as the UAE and Vietnam boast higher rates of cryptocurrency ownership than the United States.
Stablecoins Are Rising
A stablecoin is a type of cryptocurrency designed to maintain a stable value, typically pegged to a reference asset like a fiat currency (e.g., U.S. dollar) or a commodity (e.g., gold). This contrasts with other cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, which can experience significant price fluctuations. They serve many purposes, but ultimately believe they’re an interesting way to store value on-chain and take steps into the crypto world.
When cryptocurrency started to gain popularity, I expressed concerns about how banks and governments would resist widespread adoption until they could introduce regulation and gain control over it. I remember confidently saying that, throughout history, governments have always protected the right to print and tax coin. That is still true ... it just means something different to me, now, than it did when I said it.
I’m starting to pay more attention to Crypto, blockchain, and other emerging DeFi technologies.
I’m seeing an increasing flow of talent, opportunities, and resources to this space.
For example, major payment players like Mastercard and Visa are allowing stablecoin transactions and even creating their own coins.
I do believe growth in stablecoins will also result in growth in other forms of cryptocurrency as well.
For context, here are the best-performing cryptocurrencies of 2024.
via VisualCapitalist
I still won’t pretend to be knowledgeable about the various coins, but I recognize that they are becoming more common and useful as speculation markets.
All in all, I believe we are witnessing the birth of another blue ocean, and we can expect increased attention and investment to continue.
Onwards!
Posted at 11:11 PM in Business, Current Affairs, Gadgets, Games, Ideas, Market Commentary, Science, Trading, Trading Tools, Web/Tech | Permalink | Comments (0)
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