Curated Commons // Edition 101
Thank you for subscribing and welcome to the 101st edition of Curated Commons. Happy reading, and do pass on the newsletter and share it on your social networks if you find it interesting! It’s free!
Let’s dive right in ($ indicates potential paywall).
Inflation is making restaurant meals cheaper in the US
Today in unintended consequences - Read here ($)
Consumer prices at grocery stores and restaurants increased 13.1% and 7.6%, respectively, year-over-year in July, according to the Labor Department—the biggest inflationary gap between grocery stores and restaurants since the 1970s.
Why is it important? - The cost of healthy food today is driving consumers to fast food which has a longer term cost both to the individual and society
Who owns the copyright to Pulp Fiction’s NFT?
Quentin Tarantino thought he did. The studio Miramax sued him. - Read here
Why does it matter? - While Web3 might be in its early days, the opportunities for commercialization are many. And getting legal precedent now can sure be helpful when things scale up.
How to identify a deepfake?
Simple - ask them to turn the head to the right 90 degrees. - Read here
Why does it matter? - Likely an early vulnerability of deepfake software, but fascinating to see if we might adapt human behavior in ever-so-slight ways and completely mess up complex algorithms.
ARPUs come to the streaming business
Gone are the days of mopping up users. It’s all about average revenue per user now for streaming companies - Read here
Our weird future is here, and now
AI, but for talking to people who passed away. - Read here
China, going green
Interesting chart from Visual Capitalist highlighting the massive lead that China has when it comes to EVs. - Read here
Why does it matter? - Such a strong push to EVs helped China create a complete ecosystem rapidly. Today it has 4 of the top 10 battery manufacturers in the country.
There’s money, but in the wrong places?
Thoughtful read on Hollywood, nepotism, art, who makes money and how the system is rigged against those who create Vs those who profit off it. - Read here
Why does it matter? - The author sums it up thro’ a series of good questions that we need to answer as a society.
Why should a second-year management consultant at every major consulting firm make more than every single writer I have ever known? It’s not even a question of principle. People buy things: services and products and experiences and feelings. How is it that the creation and provision of those things is valued so little, when it is so essential?
Leveraging social media, for ‘uncancelling’ yourself
Remember the CEO that took a pay cut to give all of his employees a minimum of $70K in salary? There’s a lot more to that story and how he leveraged social media to hide his dark secrets. - Read here ($)
Why does it matter? - We live in the age of the online mob. Mobs that pillory people, or raise them to a pedestal based on one act/tweet/picture/incident…. And know that it is possible to channelize the power of mobs.
Ruffians on Apps
Money loan apps, be they real or fake, on the Google Play store are a scourge. Across countries. Sad state of affairs, this time from Mexico - Read here
Why is it important? - Android’s ‘open’ nature is partly to blame here. But Google definitely can and do much more.
Save the environment, spoil the skies
Interesting piece that sheds light on light pollution, the kind from energy-efficient bright LEDs - Read here
Why is it important? - Emerging research on impact of light pollution on humans and other species is concerning. Like with most tech, we are yet to fully understand all implications.
Can the Visa-Mastercard duopoly be broken?
Good read on the vice-like grip that Visa/Mastercard have on payments in the US - Read here ($)
Why is it important? - Interchange fees are a significant line-item for most businesses. They make things expensive for everyone, not just those of us who laugh our way to reward points and free airmiles.
Should cars have screens or knobs?
More cars are switching to screens. And bigger screens at that. But are they better than physical buttons and switches? - Read here
Why is it important? - In our rush to make cars look, feel and work like our phones, what are we giving up? The results from this test are quite concerning.
Cryptography + murder + online acquaintances
This is a great read on a murder from the 1960s, a killer who shared a cipher, and three amateur true-crime aficionados who got together on an obscure online forum who finally cracked it decades later. - Read here
More Interesting Reads:
Can you use lasers to change the direction of lightning and protect critical buildings during storms? - Read here ($)
Is publishing ‘art’ or ‘commerce’? - Read here($)
The future of policing is here - a drone and a robotic ‘dog’ aiding in a standoff - Read here
34 years in jail for some tweets. From a country apparently in transformation! - Read here
Emojis as malware - Read here
The Nintendo heirs are investing their fortune in…saving the world - Read here ($)
A walrus became too popular in Norway. So authorities decided to euthanize her - Read here
Capitalism in 60 seconds
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