Weekend Briefing No. 523
AI Deepfakes and Democracy -- Charts on Climate Change -- Super Rice
Welcome to the weekend.
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Prime Numbers
20,000,000 — In 2023, with more than 20 million international arrivals, Istanbul was the number one city for international arrivals on earth.
30 — The average amount of time that American men spent socializing face to face has fallen 30% from 2003 to 2022 and 45% among teenagers.
6.23 — The national average payout per lost tooth increased from $5.36 per tooth in 2022 to $6.23 per tooth last year.
AI Deepfakes and Democracy
The belief that artificial intelligence (AI)-generated fake audio and video will lead to widespread 2024 election disruptions may be overstated. Ironically, those sounding alarms imply others will be fooled, not themselves. In reality, deepfakes are unlikely to sway voters' preferences much or determine outcomes. Their effect will be limited because the most vulnerable audience tends to be partisan and less informed. For the most part, deepfakes merely reinforce preexisting biases rather than change minds. The Diff (6 minutes)
Charts on Climate Change
One of the biggest challenges to having a discussion about climate change is that both sides of the debate are reading biased sources that agree with their viewpoint. This article, however, is a compilation of some objective graphs about climate change. Definitely check out the article because a picture is worth 1,000 words. Here are a couple of my favorites: 1) Climate change is starting to get severe. 2023 was the hottest year in 125,000 years. In 2023, the U.S. had 30 natural disasters and caused more than $1 billion in property damage. 2) Our best hope for beating climate change — and the reason the picture has brightened so much in recent years — is technology. Solar power and battery storage are on steep learning curves, meaning that the more of them we deploy, the lower they cost. Batteries are particularly important because they have two main uses: to replace oil as a power source for transportation (electric vehicles) and to help solar and wind replace coal by smoothing out intermittency. Noahpinion (14 minutes)
Super Rice
A team of scientists in South Korea has successfully developed a novel type of rice with potential applications in famine relief, military provisions and space sustenance. This new rice variant is enriched with protein and fat sourced from beef cells, offering 8% more protein and 7% more fat compared to conventional rice varieties. Remarkably, it also boasts a significantly reduced carbon footprint compared to traditional beef production methods. Most importantly, it's affordable — $0.03 more per kilogram than standard rice when purchased wholesale. While this cell-cultured protein rice serves as a promising proof of concept, it is not yet poised for widespread commercial availability. Science (6 minutes)
CEO Confidence
American CEOs are feeling more positive about the U.S. economy for the first time in two years, according to The Conference Board's latest survey. The first-quarter survey showed 53% of CEOs are feeling optimistic, up from 46% in the fourth quarter of 2023. Notably, the latest survey marks the first time the gauge has returned a positive reading since the first quarter of 2022. Optimism is growing due to falling inflation and expectations that interest rates will decrease as the Federal Reserve (Fed) eases policy. More CEOs foresee improvements in their own industries in the next six months and plan to expand their workforce. However, some caution remains due to domestic uncertainty around the 2024 presidential election, increased regulations and still-elevated interest rates. Business Insider (4 minutes)
Kiptum’s Death
Kelvin Kiptum, who achieved a world-record marathon time in October's Chicago Marathon and was poised for Olympic gold, tragically passed away in a car accident in Kenya, where his vehicle veered off the road and into a ditch, marking the loss of a remarkable talent at the age of 24, having achieved three of the seven fastest marathon times ever recorded, notably his record-setting 2:00:35 run in Chicago. His untimely death garnered global attention, shedding light on the broader issue of preventable car crash fatalities in the Global South, a concerning trend that contrasts with declining rates in wealthier nations such as the United States. Recent statistics from the World Health Organization reveal a disturbing 17% rise in traffic fatalities across Africa over the past decade, highlighting road crashes as a significant contributor to mortality in a continent already grappling with numerous public health challenges. Vox (7 minutes)
Intelligent Failure
Intelligent failures are the failures that teach us something new or improve us in some fashion. Here are the four criteria for intelligent failure: 1) They relate to an area you lack knowledge in. 2) They are in pursuit of a clear goal. 3) They are hypothesis-driven rather than random guesses. 4) They result in the smallest failure possible. Like children trying new activities, intelligent failures teach us something new through small, experimental steps. This is also the way scientists think. Failures are essential to scientific progress, shaping future experiments by revealing what isn't true. If you want more intelligent failures, think like a child or a scientist — welcome the lessons each failure brings rather than fearing failure itself. The key is framing failures as progress rather than mistakes. Freethink (6 minutes)
The District Sleeps Alone
The Postal Service’s debut album came out in 2003, and it was a game changer. Their combination of electronic music and indie rock not only sold over a million copies; their songs were everywhere on TV and in film, and influenced a generation of artists. Last year, they played sold-out concerts across the US in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the album, and there are more shows to come in 2024. The first episode of the podcast Song Exploder was on The Postal Service song “The District Sleeps Alone”. In this episode of Song Exploder, the host Hrishikesh Hirway spoke to Ben Gibbard, and combined that with his original interview from 2013 with Jimmy Tamborello. And here, together, the two of them tell the story of how they made their song “The District Sleeps Alone Tonight.” I loved this episode and would highly reccomend. Song Exploder (26 minutes)
Should We Work Together?
Hi! I’m Kyle. This newsletter is my passion project. When I’m not writing, I run a law firm that helps startups move fast without breaking things. Most founders want a trusted legal partner, but they hate surprise legal bills. At Westaway, we take care of your startup’s legal needs for a flat, monthly fee so you can control your costs and focus on scaling your business. If you’re interested, let’s jump on a call to see if you’re a good fit for the firm. Click here to schedule a one-on-one call with me.
Founder Fridays
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Weekend Wisdom
The only wealth which you will keep forever is the wealth you have given away. - Marcus Aurelius
The climate charts were amazing! Thank you so much. Also I agree with the article on Al Deepfakes. One of the late night comedians mentioned the Super Rice and hopefully it will taste better than it looks or is described.