Curated Commons // Edition 92
Thank you for subscribing and welcome to the 92nd 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).
Adtech keeps plunging to new depths
Ads on some ad-supported services apparently continue to stream even after you turn off your TV. - Read here ($)
Gig economy - bug, not a feature?
With money drying up, it’s putting really strong pressure on gig companies. Can’t increase prices, or reduce wages. - Read here ($)
The future of flying is…
Make what you will! - Read here
No such thing as a sentient AI
Good read on how artificial neuron networks are not conscious. Yet. By far. - Read here ($)
Another related story - Read here
My own view of sentient AI -
What do you know about guaranteed bonds?
I don’t know much. But loved this piece in the FT, including this lovely caption. - Read here ($)
Anna Sorokin wants to move away from her scammer persona
She’s going to sell NFTs. Who needs fiction when real life is so amazing! - Read here
There’s quite some pickle in the politics around Pickleball
No drama like sports drama - Read here
Autocracies account for a third of the world’s GDP
Interesting read from The Economist on the big ongoing shift from efficiency to resilience. And the associated risks. - Read here ($)
Blockchain + game mechanics
Fascinating thread with an interesting blockchain application
Pakistan’s hottest matchmaking site? Facebook
We don’t fully appreciate the myriad ways in which Meta is weaved into our lives. - Read here
When incumbents move, they run
Two years - the time it took YouTube Shorts to catch up with TikTok - Read here ($)
You can’t have lunch at your desk in France
Interesting read on the backstory to why you can’t eat at your desk in France. - Read here
Every surveillance tool is hydra-headed
There’s no such thing as a surveillance tool that’s purpose-built. Everything can, and will, be leveraged in ways nefarious. The Chinese Govt is using Covid health codes to prevent bank runs! - Read here
Always remember -
More interesting reads:
There’s a high-stakes race to recover Muammar Qaddafi’s ill-gotten wealth - Read here
Absolutely hilarious thread - Read here
“Netflix plans real-life Squid Game reality TV show with $4.56m prize” - Read here
A good thread on, what I thought, was an obscure skill - being a pro Google Maps player - Read here
Japan makes “online insults” punishable. Have to see how it works out in practice - Read here
If you are a fan of DAOs, and a student of good governance structures, read this thread - Read here
Your car is tracking you. - Read here
Promising Alopecia drug for restoring hair growth - Read here
Insurance is a funny industry in the US - “A woman was awarded $5.2 million in a settlement from insurance company GEICO after contracting a sexually transmitted disease from her partner in his vehicle, which was insured by the company, court documents show.” - Read here
Stay safe, and happy reading! And if you liked the newsletter, thank you, and maybe consider sharing it? My DMs on Twitter are always open for any feedback.