How the Rubik’s Cube has lived to 50 years—and continues to find fans among Gen Z
#FabCurator
https://fortune.com/europe/article/rubiks-cube-selling-millions-50-years-gen-z-digital-shift/?
#FabCurator
https://fortune.com/europe/article/rubiks-cube-selling-millions-50-years-gen-z-digital-shift/?
Fortune Europe
How the Rubik’s Cube has lived to 50 years—and continues to be a rage among Gen Z and beyond
For 79-year-old Erno Rubik who founded mind-bending puzzle in Hungary, there's more to the Cube than what meets the eye.
This Was the Year of the Influencer Political Takeover
#FabCurator
https://www.wired.com/story/this-was-the-year-of-the-influencer-political-takeover/
#FabCurator
https://www.wired.com/story/this-was-the-year-of-the-influencer-political-takeover/
WIRED
This Was the Year of the Influencer Political Takeover
Politicians fully embraced the creator economy in 2024, blurring the lines between punditry and journalism. By 2028, the lawmakers could become creators themselves.
Satire | How to overcome brain rot - The Hindu
Anyway, if we can make a brain-shaped thingie that combines the latest ChatGPT engine with Elon Musk’s Neuralink and a miniature CCTV camera, we should be able to do away with the brain while retaining its core functionalities — interfacing with screens and generating an endless stream of data. With the latest advances in AI-enabled neurosurgery, the procedure should be a cakewalk. Either way, with a brain or without one, I wish you a brain-rot-free New Year.
#FabCurator
https://www.thehindu.com/society/satire-column-allegedly-brain-rot-oxford-university-press-word-of-the-year-2024/article68995255.ece
Anyway, if we can make a brain-shaped thingie that combines the latest ChatGPT engine with Elon Musk’s Neuralink and a miniature CCTV camera, we should be able to do away with the brain while retaining its core functionalities — interfacing with screens and generating an endless stream of data. With the latest advances in AI-enabled neurosurgery, the procedure should be a cakewalk. Either way, with a brain or without one, I wish you a brain-rot-free New Year.
#FabCurator
https://www.thehindu.com/society/satire-column-allegedly-brain-rot-oxford-university-press-word-of-the-year-2024/article68995255.ece
The Hindu
Satire | How to overcome brain rot
Discover the concept of 'brain rot' in a humorous yet thought-provoking satire by The Hindu's Social Affairs Editor.
Hunters, Dancers, and Busybodies: New Study Examines the Three Main Internet Research Styles
#FabCurator
https://www.mentalfloss.com/internet-research-styles-study
#FabCurator
https://www.mentalfloss.com/internet-research-styles-study
Mental Floss
Hunters, Dancers, and Busybodies: New Study Examines the Three Main Internet Research Styles
Your online research method may say something about you.
Bill Gates: How Paul Allen and I landed on the idea for Microsoft
#FabCurator
https://fortune.com/2025/02/04/bill-gates-source-code-software-microsoft-origins/
#FabCurator
https://fortune.com/2025/02/04/bill-gates-source-code-software-microsoft-origins/
Fortune
How Paul Allen and Bill Gates landed on the idea for Microsoft after cycling through many other startup ideas | Fortune
Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates recalls his early thinking on hardware vs. software in an excerpt from his latest book.
Walt Whitman’s Advice on Living a Vibrant and Rewarding Life – The Marginalian
https://www.themarginalian.org/2016/05/31/walt-whitman-leaves-of-grass-preface/
https://www.themarginalian.org/2016/05/31/walt-whitman-leaves-of-grass-preface/
The Marginalian
Walt Whitman’s Advice on Living a Vibrant and Rewarding Life
“Love the earth and sun and the animals… re-examine all you have been told at school or church or in any book, dismiss whatever insults your own soul…”
How words are disappearing from our digital lives
https://www.livemint.com/mint-lounge/ideas/words-being-replaced-by-emojis-stickers-ai-suggestions-in-digital-communication-11764306781625.html
https://www.livemint.com/mint-lounge/ideas/words-being-replaced-by-emojis-stickers-ai-suggestions-in-digital-communication-11764306781625.html
mint
How words are disappearing from our digital lives
Emojis, GIFs, stickers, reacjis and AI-generated suggestions occupy the spaces where sentences framed by humans once thrived, leaving us to contend with how this changes the way we express, connect with, and understand each other and ourselves
To become wiser, society must relearn how to fail - Big Think
https://bigthink.com/mini-philosophy/to-become-wiser-society-must-relearn-how-to-fail/
https://bigthink.com/mini-philosophy/to-become-wiser-society-must-relearn-how-to-fail/
Big Think
To become wiser, society must relearn how to fail
We know that wisdom requires trial and error on an individual level. So why are we so unwilling to allow governments to do so?
Death to one-time text codes: Passkeys are the new hotness • The Register
https://www.theregister.com/2025/12/06/multifactor_authentication_passkeys/
https://www.theregister.com/2025/12/06/multifactor_authentication_passkeys/
The Register
Death to one-time text codes: Passkeys are the new hotness in MFA
: Wanna know a secret?
Why India Fell Off the Global Middle-Class Map - Bloomberg
The top 1% Indians own 40% of overall personal wealth, but Gen-Z billionaires are bored with business. They would rather park their fortunes in family offices than start new enterprises. In the Soviet-styled planned economy that extended up to the 1980s, their grandparents scrambled for licenses. Nowadays, their parents just fight each other for a favorable government policy and haggle with private-credit firms for refinancing.
An unambitious elite spoiled by finance — plus a working class held back by inadequate education and inequities of caste and gender — are stymying the emergence of a global middle class in India. The social change that can fill the gap is nowhere on the horizon.
https://archive.ph/P7hRr
The top 1% Indians own 40% of overall personal wealth, but Gen-Z billionaires are bored with business. They would rather park their fortunes in family offices than start new enterprises. In the Soviet-styled planned economy that extended up to the 1980s, their grandparents scrambled for licenses. Nowadays, their parents just fight each other for a favorable government policy and haggle with private-credit firms for refinancing.
An unambitious elite spoiled by finance — plus a working class held back by inadequate education and inequities of caste and gender — are stymying the emergence of a global middle class in India. The social change that can fill the gap is nowhere on the horizon.
https://archive.ph/P7hRr
archive.ph
Why India Fell Off the Global Middle-Class Map - Bloomberg
archived 20 Dec 2025 09:12:25 UTC
The top 1% Indians own 40% of overall personal wealth, but Gen-Z billionaires are bored with business. They would rather park their fortunes in family offices than start new enterprises. In the Soviet-styled planned economy that extended up to the 1980s, their grandparents scrambled for licenses. Nowadays, their parents just fight each other for a favorable government policy and haggle with private-credit firms for refinancing.
An unambitious elite spoiled by finance — plus a working class held back by inadequate education and inequities of caste and gender — are stymying the emergence of a global middle class in India. The social change that can fill the gap is nowhere on the horizon.
An unambitious elite spoiled by finance — plus a working class held back by inadequate education and inequities of caste and gender — are stymying the emergence of a global middle class in India. The social change that can fill the gap is nowhere on the horizon.
Scarpetta to Rooster: 12 of the best TV shows to watch this March
https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20260223-12-of-the-best-tv-shows-to-watch-this-march?_medium=email
https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20260223-12-of-the-best-tv-shows-to-watch-this-march?_medium=email
Bbc
Scarpetta to Rooster: 12 of the best TV shows to watch this March
From Nicole Kidman's latest crime thriller to a new sitcom from Ted Lasso creator Bill Lawrence, starring Steve Carell, and the return of The Comeback.
What Is MSG—and Is It Actually Bad for You? | SELF
https://www.self.com/story/what-is-msg-and-is-it-bad-for-you?utm_medium=email&utm_source=ten_tabs&utm_campaign=&position=4&category=fascinating_stories&scheduled_corpus_item_id=83c54ff7-b9d9-4391-8219-616d1cc54360&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.self.com%2Fstory%2Fwhat-is-msg-and-is-it-bad-for-you
https://www.self.com/story/what-is-msg-and-is-it-bad-for-you?utm_medium=email&utm_source=ten_tabs&utm_campaign=&position=4&category=fascinating_stories&scheduled_corpus_item_id=83c54ff7-b9d9-4391-8219-616d1cc54360&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.self.com%2Fstory%2Fwhat-is-msg-and-is-it-bad-for-you
SELF
What Is MSG—and Is It Actually Bad for You?
The idea that MSG is uniquely harmful rests on a single letter and a lot of iffy science.
The Country That’s Madly in Love With AI - POLITICO
https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2026/02/21/south-korea-ai-popular-why-00789618
https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2026/02/21/south-korea-ai-popular-why-00789618
These Extraordinary Photographs of Golden Age Hollywood Stars, From Greta Garbo to Clark Gable, Are Worth a Second Look
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/these-extraordinary-photographs-of-golden-age-hollywood-from-greta-garbo-to-clark-gable-are-worth-a-second-look-180988244/
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/these-extraordinary-photographs-of-golden-age-hollywood-from-greta-garbo-to-clark-gable-are-worth-a-second-look-180988244/
Smithsonian Magazine
These Extraordinary Photographs of Golden Age Hollywood Stars, From Greta Garbo to Clark Gable, Are Worth a Second Look
Photographer George Hurrell gets another exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery, spotlighting a dazzling array of legends captured in black-and-white
Mispronouncing mischievous is now acceptable, says Susie Dent
Lexicographer says purists’ pet peeve is just a ‘fascinating snapshot’ of how language evolves — but don’t expect Richard Dawkins to agree
https://archive.ph/08qCe
Lexicographer says purists’ pet peeve is just a ‘fascinating snapshot’ of how language evolves — but don’t expect Richard Dawkins to agree
https://archive.ph/08qCe
archive.ph
Mispronouncing mischievous is now acceptable, says Susie Dent
archived 29 May 2025 17:56:19 UTC
People say the US has multiple 1/2/3/4+ Trillion Dollar companies. And China does not have even one.
And I see that as China winning big time. Like seriously!
Consider this.
..
The Smartphone Arena: 1 vs 5
In the US, you have just Apple (which also gets ~45% of all sales from US alone).
That’s the market. Thus, Apple is so so huge - Apple can be "brave" and remove the headphone jack or keep charging speeds stuck in 2015 because... where are you gonna go? The Pixel?
In China? It is options and competition all the way.
- Huawei, Oppo, Vivo, Xiaomi, and Honor are fighting for every inch
- You get foldables that are THINNER than an iPhone
- You get 120W "flash charging" (0 to 100% in ~20 mins)
- You get pro-grade Leica or Zeiss optics
And you pay ~$400 less than a base iPhone. That is what actual competition looks like. So, Apple gets a multi trillion dollar valuation/mcap. But, China and its people win.
..
Take EVs.
Tesla is the only US carmaker that matters to the stock market.
But let’s be real - the Model 3 looks largely the same as it did 5 yrs ago. Why innovate when you are the only cool game in town?
In China, BYD has already overtaken Tesla in volume. But even THEY aren't safe.
- Nio is swapping batteries in 3 mins
- XPeng is pushing autonomous tech that beats all
- Li Auto is capturing the luxury family market
And there are so many more players, out-innovating each other and winning global markets except the closed US market which gets Tesla that mega valuation.
The result? A brutal price war. You can buy a high-quality EV for under ~$15,000. Western CEOs claim this is "impossible." It’s not. It’s just what happens when you can't rest on your laurels.
..
There is a Chinese term for this: neijuan. It means "intense competition that leads to everyone working harder for diminishing returns."
For a shareholder? This is a nightmare. It is why Alibaba stock is a fraction of Amazon’s, despite moving massive volume. The profit margins are competed away.
But for YOU (the consumer)? It is paradise.
- Companies cut margins to the bone to survive
- If you don't release a better model every 6 months, you die
- Service has to be flawless or you lose the customer forever
In the US, the surplus value goes to the investor (stock price). In China, it goes to the user (better product), and that is making those companies global beasts.
..
The truth is - in my eyes - The US market reflects concentrated wealth. The Chinese sector reflects distributed utility.
They don't allow one giant to suck all the oxygen out of the room. The company might be worth less on paper. But the product in your pocket? It’s worth a HECK of a lot more.
And I see that as China winning big time. Like seriously!
Consider this.
..
The Smartphone Arena: 1 vs 5
In the US, you have just Apple (which also gets ~45% of all sales from US alone).
That’s the market. Thus, Apple is so so huge - Apple can be "brave" and remove the headphone jack or keep charging speeds stuck in 2015 because... where are you gonna go? The Pixel?
In China? It is options and competition all the way.
- Huawei, Oppo, Vivo, Xiaomi, and Honor are fighting for every inch
- You get foldables that are THINNER than an iPhone
- You get 120W "flash charging" (0 to 100% in ~20 mins)
- You get pro-grade Leica or Zeiss optics
And you pay ~$400 less than a base iPhone. That is what actual competition looks like. So, Apple gets a multi trillion dollar valuation/mcap. But, China and its people win.
..
Take EVs.
Tesla is the only US carmaker that matters to the stock market.
But let’s be real - the Model 3 looks largely the same as it did 5 yrs ago. Why innovate when you are the only cool game in town?
In China, BYD has already overtaken Tesla in volume. But even THEY aren't safe.
- Nio is swapping batteries in 3 mins
- XPeng is pushing autonomous tech that beats all
- Li Auto is capturing the luxury family market
And there are so many more players, out-innovating each other and winning global markets except the closed US market which gets Tesla that mega valuation.
The result? A brutal price war. You can buy a high-quality EV for under ~$15,000. Western CEOs claim this is "impossible." It’s not. It’s just what happens when you can't rest on your laurels.
..
There is a Chinese term for this: neijuan. It means "intense competition that leads to everyone working harder for diminishing returns."
For a shareholder? This is a nightmare. It is why Alibaba stock is a fraction of Amazon’s, despite moving massive volume. The profit margins are competed away.
But for YOU (the consumer)? It is paradise.
- Companies cut margins to the bone to survive
- If you don't release a better model every 6 months, you die
- Service has to be flawless or you lose the customer forever
In the US, the surplus value goes to the investor (stock price). In China, it goes to the user (better product), and that is making those companies global beasts.
..
The truth is - in my eyes - The US market reflects concentrated wealth. The Chinese sector reflects distributed utility.
They don't allow one giant to suck all the oxygen out of the room. The company might be worth less on paper. But the product in your pocket? It’s worth a HECK of a lot more.