Novella summary: The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka

Kafka, Franz. “The Metamorphosis.” Translated by David Wyllie. Project Gutenberg, 2002. Synopsis Chapter 1: Gregor's Transformation: Gregor Samsa wakes up to find himself transformed into a large insect-like creature. He struggles to adjust to his new body and the limitations it imposes. Family's Reaction: His family and his employer's clerk react with shock and horror …

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Chapter summary: “America’s Map” in The New Map: Energy, Climate and, and the Clash of Nations by Daniel Yergin

Yergin, Daniel. "America's New Map." In The New Map: Energy, Climate, and the Clash of Nations, 101-135. New York: Penguin Books, 2021. Shale Revolution's Impact: It drastically changed U.S. energy production, making it a key global player. Led to a decrease in oil and gas prices worldwide due to increased supply. Altered global geopolitical dynamics, …

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Book summary: Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman

Kahneman, Daniel. “Thinking, Fast and Slow.” Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2011. Two Systems of Thought: System 1: Operates automatically, quickly, with little effort or voluntary control. System 2: Allocates attention to effortful mental activities, including complex calculations. Interaction: System 1 generates suggestions for System 2; if endorsed, becomes beliefs and voluntary actions. Example: Solving a …

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Podcast summary: “The Future of Work”, The Real Story

Ley, S. (Host). (2023, November 10). The future of work [Audio podcast episode]. In The Real Story. BBC World Service. TuneIn. https://tunein.com/podcasts/News--Politics-Podcasts/The-Real-Story-p1121281/ AI and Its Growing Influence Concerns and Questions: The podcast delves into the omnipresence of AI in business and society. It raises critical issues about data usage, privacy, and the potential risks associated …

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Book summary: The Great Escape by Angus Deaton

Deaton, A. (2013). The Great Escape: Health, Wealth, and the Origins of Inequality. Princeton University Press. Historical Increase in Life Expectancy: Deaton illustrates how life expectancy has dramatically increased, particularly since the eighteenth century. Example: He references the significant reduction in deaths from diseases like smallpox in Europe, highlighting the impact of medical advancements. Shift …

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Book summary: Human Compatible by Stuart Russell

Russell, Stuart J. (Stuart Jonathan). Human Compatible Artificial Intelligence and the Problem of Control. London: Penguin Books, 2020. Print. Fundamental Flaws in AI's Standard Model: Russell highlights a critical flaw in the standard AI model: it focuses on achieving specific human-defined goals without necessarily considering the full spectrum of human values. This approach risks creating …

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Book summary: Crashed by Adam Tooze

Tooze, A. (2018). Crashed: How a Decade of Financial Crises Changed the World. New York: Viking. US Mortgage Industry's Fragility: Deregulation in the 1970s increased risk and profit in US lending markets. From 1996 to 2006, US house prices nearly doubled; household wealth grew by $6.5 trillion. Introduction of "subprime" mortgages enabled high-risk borrowers to …

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Podcast summary: Who is right on lithium?, The Fin podcast

Ker, P., & Fowler, E. (2023). Billionaires v BHP: who is right about lithium? [Audio podcast episode]. In The Fin. SAP. Retrieved from https://www.getpodcast.com/podcast/billionaires-v-bhp-who-is-right-about-lithium https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-fin/id1649633861?i=1000632607751 Rapid Growth and High Demand: The demand for lithium, driven primarily by the burgeoning EV market, has led to significant growth in the industry. As of the early 2020s, the …

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Backgrounder: Alchemy

A random rabbit hole this morning. Types of alchemy Alchemy historically encompassed several different pursuits and goals, often overlapping in their philosophical and practical aspects. The most well-known types include: Transmutation of Base Metals into Gold: This is the most iconic goal of alchemy, often symbolized by the quest for the Philosopher's Stone, a legendary …

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Offbeat: These song lyrics could refer to a great many institutions

https://youtu.be/bpNw7jYkbVc?si=HENZXTjBLVhXoBa2 I think of you every night and dayYou took my heart, and you took my pride away I hate myself for loving youCan't break free from the the things that you doI wanna walk but I run back to youThat's why I hate myself for loving you I Hate Myself for Loving You Song …

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