Weekend Briefing No. 585
Escaping Poverty -- Made in the USA Is Hard -- Brain Race
Welcome to the weekend.
Prime Numbers
3,403.96 — The U.S. Department of Commerce has imposed staggering tariffs on solar cells from Southeast Asia — reaching 3,403.96% for Cambodia, 799.55% for Thailand and 542.64% for Vietnam — targeting Chinese manufacturers operating in these countries and potentially threatening the U.S. solar industry that relies heavily on these imports.
141.5 — In Japan, steel has become cheaper than bottled water, with cold-rolled steel sheets costing 141.5 yen per kilogram compared to mineral water at 156 yen per kilogram, a remarkable price inversion attributed to intense competition among steel distributors.
3 — Following the death of Pope Francis, the curia of the Roman Catholic Church will soon convene in Rome to select a new pope in an event known as a conclave. Since 1900, the longest conclave has taken five days, with the median event taking a reasonable three days. That said, the recent performance is a somewhat new trick; from 1600 to 1900, the average conclave went on for about two months, with the 1740 conclave that put Benedict XIV on the Chair of Saint Peter running 182 days.
Escaping Poverty
Escaping poverty relies far less on charitable aid than on economic growth and labor mobility across borders, where developing nations can benefit enormously. Surprisingly, in interviews with approximately 4,000 people in 14 countries who escaped poverty, a mere 0.3% credited non-governmental organization assistance while nearly 88% cited four other factors: 60.1% used an initiative outside of agriculture, 17.4% focused on agriculture, 4.7% had accumulation of assets and 5.5% credited hard work). Even the most celebrated anti-poverty programs show lackluster returns on investment — the "Ultra Poor Graduation" program spent over $4,500 per household to generate just $344 in income gains after three years. The evidence consistently demonstrates that personal economic freedom and growth opportunities create vastly more poverty reduction worldwide than direct philanthropy, challenging effective altruists to reconsider where their efforts might best be directed. Bet On It (3 minutes)
Made in the USA Is Hard
The superiority of Chinese manufacturing extends far beyond just cheap labor — it represents decades of specialized expertise, industrial ecosystems and flexible production capabilities that American businesses find impossible to replicate domestically. Small business owners across America face an impossible choice when tariffs skyrocket: absorb crushing costs, pass them to customers, or attempt manufacturing domestically where they encounter higher prices for inferior quality and minimal customization options. The concentrated industry clusters in China — where entire towns specialize in specific products with tightly integrated supply chains — create manufacturing environments that took generations to develop and cannot simply be recreated elsewhere through policy alone. Even companies willing to pay premium prices to manufacture in America discover that essential machinery, specialized knowledge and raw materials must still come from China, revealing why tariffs alone cannot recreate complex industrial ecosystems that disappeared decades ago. WIRED (9 minutes)
High Stakes Leadership
Steve Graves is a veteran executive coach and author with over 30 years of experience advising CEOs and founders. He’s written more than 25 books and continues to be a trusted voice in leadership circles. Every Tuesday morning, Steve shares sharp insights, real-time observations and thought-provoking lessons in his free weekly newsletter. If you’re serious about leveling up your leadership, sharpening your strategic thinking and gaining insider access to how top leaders make tough decisions, this one’s for you. Steve Graves (Sponsored)
Brain Race
Imagine inserting a device thinner than hair directly onto the brain's surface that could restore movement to paralyzed limbs. Precision Neuroscience's FDA-cleared Layer 7 Cortical Interface, with its 1,024 electrodes, can record, monitor and stimulate electrical activity on the brain's surface through a minimally invasive procedure for up to 30 days. Founded by Neuralink co-founder Benjamin Rapoport in 2021, the company has already tested the device in 37 patients and recently secured $102 million in venture capital funding, bringing their total to $155 million. If you've been a reader for a while, you know that I'm really interested in brain computer interfaces, and this development represents significant competition to Elon Musk's Neuralink, which has implanted devices in three patients so far. Forbes (5 minutes)
Boldly Grow Where No Man Has Grown Before
What if astronauts could grow their steaks directly in space instead of packing freeze-dried meals? An experiment launched into orbit by the European Space Agency is testing whether lab-grown food ingredients — proteins, fats and carbohydrates — can be successfully cultivated in the weightless, high-radiation environment of space. If you've been a reader for a while, you know that I'm really interested in brain computer interfaces, but this space food technology could be equally transformative, potentially reducing the astronomical £20,000 daily feeding cost per astronaut while providing more nutritious and appetizing meals that might include protein-enhanced mashed potatoes, 3D-printed steaks or dishes tailored to provide comfort through familiar cuisines from Earth. Researchers hope this initial test will lead to a small pilot food production plant on the International Space Station within two years, with the long-term vision of establishing food factories in orbit and on the Moon to support humanity's ambitions of becoming a multi-planetary species. BBC (7 minutes)
Glycerine
Allison Lorenzen and Midwife transform Bush's rock anthem "Glycerine" into a haunting, ethereal soundscape that drifts like a half-remembered dream. The music video pairs their slowed-down, ambient interpretation with a montage of fleeting everyday moments captured in soft-focus cinematography that evokes the bittersweet nature of memory. These fragmentary visual glimpses — people in ordinary settings, casual interactions, atmospheric landscapes — create a meditative collage that perfectly complements the song's wistful atmosphere. The overall effect produces a poignant emotional experience that feels both intimately personal and universally relatable, inviting viewers to reflect on their own collection of life's passing moments. The Flenser (4 minutes)
Toddlers Want to Help
Children are born wanting to contribute, yet we unintentionally crush this natural desire when we refuse their offers to help with household tasks. Allowing toddlers to assist with chores — even when their "help" initially slows you down — nurtures their intrinsic motivation and builds a foundation for genuine partnership. Avoid rewards or demands that transform helping from an innate desire into a transactional obligation. Instead respond with genuine appreciation, and recognize that your child is developing valuable life skills. The most effective approach treats family work as a shared responsibility where children can meaningfully contribute at their own pace and in their own way, fostering autonomy and a sense of belonging. Play Makes Us Human (7 minutes)
Should We Work Together?
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Weekend Wisdom
We must restore hope to young people, help the old, be open to the future, spread love. Be poor among the poor. We need to include the excluded and preach peace. -Pope Francis