Weekend Briefing No. 537

The Algebra of Wealth -- Confusing Activity with Productivity -- Reversible Computing

Welcome to the weekend.

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Prime Numbers

100,000,000 — The amount of orbital debris surrounding Earth is staggering, with NASA estimating that there are approximately 100 million pieces larger than one millimeter. To put this into perspective, that's equivalent to one speck of space junk for every person living in Canada, Australia, Sweden and Kazakhstan combined.

700 — Sony Music Entertainment, a major music label, has begun issuing formal letters to over 700 generative artificial intelligence (AI) companies and streaming platforms, forbidding them from mining text, data, web scraping or using any Sony content without explicit licensing agreements.

38 — According to a recent survey, Americans often neglect proper table manners when dining out in groups, with only 55% placing their napkin in their lap and a mere 38% using the correct cutlery order (from the outside in) for multiple courses.

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The Algebra of Wealth

Is there a formula for wealth? Professor Scott Galloway thinks so, and here it is: Wealth = Focus + (Stoicism x Time x Diversification). 1) Focus involves perseverance, resilience and putting yourself in a position to be financially successful by choosing the right wave to ride and investing in relationships. 2) Stoicism means determining what you can and cannot control, remaining calm in the face of temptation, and demonstrating good character to encourage others to want you to succeed. 3) Time is our most valuable commodity, and the long term is our ally; small investments made over time can grow into the base of our economic security through the power of compounding. 4) Diversification acts as a bulletproof vest, ensuring that bad decisions or investments won't prove fatal by spreading risk across multiple assets and avoiding emotional or concentrated investments. The Prof G Show (10 minutes)

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Confusing Activity with Productivity

The growing use of employee monitoring software (EMS) is rooted in a fundamental misunderstanding of what constitutes productivity, mistakenly equating mere activity with meaningful work. EMS measures superficial metrics such as mouse movements and keyboard activity, but fails to capture the quality of thoughts, the impact of actions, or the value of deep, focused work. This confusion between activity and productivity can lead to counterproductive behaviors, such as employees feeling pressured to appear constantly busy, even at the expense of taking restorative breaks or engaging in more cognitively demanding tasks. Ultimately, the reliance on EMS and the misguided notion that activity equals productivity can create a toxic work culture that undermines trust, autonomy and genuine engagement, leading to decreased morale, higher turnover and suboptimal performance. Psychology Today (6 minutes)

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World’s First Single Tree Gin

Who would have thought that the center of innovation in the Gin category would be a country in East Africa?The greatest innovation from Procera Gin from Kenya is not its revolutionary use of fresh juniper or its pioneering use of an equatorial juniper species but its creation of the first “Single Tree Gin”. The 2023 Vintage Procera Green Dot (2,023 bottles) is made from just the finest tree of the harvest. It uses only the fresh berries, leaves, and toasted wood to make what many are saying is the most extraordinarily singular gin ever conceived. A pure terroir spirit that tastes of just one tree in just one year. Recently featured in the Financial Times HTSI Magazine and with Food and Wine saying “Unlike anything else on the market…….. It’s a stunner: Impossibly complex” see what all the fuss is about in this short video. Procera (Sponsored)

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Reversible Computing

The world's computers consume vast amounts of energy for operation and cooling, and AI is intensifying this consumption, potentially tripling the current demand. To overcome the physical limits of current computer performance, alternative computing architectures like reversible computing are required. Reversible computing is a model where the inputs of a computation can be determined from its outputs, allowing the computation to be reversed and the energy used to perform it to be recaptured. This process helps to minimize heat emission that typically results from lost information during irreversible computations. Exponential View (12 minutes)

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Malls to Apartments

As affordable housing needs and costs keep going up and a shortage of available vacant land is growing, why not use what we already have? Converting abandoned malls and strip malls into residential properties offers a creative solution. A recent report estimates that transforming strip malls alone could create over 700,000 new homes nationwide, turning community blights into valuable assets. While local zoning laws often pose the biggest barrier to these conversions, states like California are passing legislation to streamline the process, and the Biden administration is providing funding and guidance to support more of these projects. Vox (7 minutes)

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How 2014 Changed the Internet

2014 marked a pivotal year for the internet, as it saw the rise of influencer culture, viral moments and the realization that being an online creator could be a viable career path. YouTubers like Bethany Mota, Cassey Ho, Tyler Oakley and Lauren Riihimaki began securing major brand deals and collaborations, while also facing new challenges such as cyberbullying, hate campaigns and the pressure to constantly evolve their content. As the creator economy blossomed, it attracted the attention of traditional media and consumer product industries, leading to more sophisticated brand partnerships and monetization strategies. Despite the rapid growth and changes in the industry, many creators who found success in 2014 have had to adapt and learn valuable lessons along the way, realizing that consistency, boundaries and the willingness to pivot are essential for building a long-standing career in the digital world. The Ringer (10 minutes)

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No Rules School

At Swanson School in Auckland, the school leaders at Swanson School in Auckland, New Zealand asked the question: Could we throw out the rule book for how kids are allowed to play at recess and re-introduce the idea of risky play — kids playing on their own terms? Recess time is a crucial aspect of the school's educational philosophy, which emphasizes student autonomy and self-directed learning. By providing students with the freedom to choose how they spend their recess time, they are exposed to risk and learn better how to manage it. This helps develop their decision-making abilities. It fosters children's physical, social and emotional development. The school encourages children to navigate their social interactions and make independent choices, thereby developing essential life skills such as creativity, problem-solving and conflict resolution. Check out this video to see the chaos for yourself. Dateline (12 minutes)

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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.

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Founder Fridays

Check out my other email Founder Fridays — a Friday morning briefing helping startup founders and operators scale smarter.

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Weekend Wisdom

Pay special attention to things that bring you joy that don’t involve mind-altering substances or a lot of money. Whether it’s cooking, capoeira, the guitar, or mountain biking, interests and hobbies add texture to your personality. Being “in the zone” is happiness. You lose the sense of time, forget yourself, and feel part of something larger. - Scott Galloway