Weekend Briefing No. 544
Why Are Boys Lonely? -- Apprentice Renaissance -- Will Nuclear Fusion Ever Work?
Welcome to the weekend.
My July playlist is mostly pop featuring Sabrina Carpenter, Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande and Billie Eilish. Enjoy!
Prime Numbers
78 — Car dealerships heavily profit from in-house financing, with 78% of vehicles financed this way despite costing buyers an average of $674 more than other financing options.
5.9 — The latest fashion trend pitting generations against each other revolves around sock height, with younger people favoring mid-calf socks over low-cut or no-show varieties. This shift is reflected in sales data, with Hanes reporting a 5.9% increase in above-ankle sock sales since 2021, while Bombas notes a 9% decline in no-show sock sales compared to last year.
0.0000575 — In a groundbreaking calculation, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory has determined that time on the moon elapses 0.0000575 seconds faster per day than on Earth, due to the moon's weaker gravitational field as predicted by Einstein's theory of general relativity.
Why Are Boys Lonely?
In an era of increasing social disconnection, psychologist Niobe Way's research reveals a surprising truth: boys possess remarkable emotional intelligence, often stifled by societal expectations. Her new book Rebels With a Cause challenges the prevailing "boy culture" that values stoicism and independence over emotional sensitivity and interdependence. Way argues that this cultural paradigm contributes to loneliness and alienation among men, with far-reaching consequences for society. To combat this, she proposes fostering curiosity and connection through "transformative interviewing," a method that encourages deeper understanding and mutual support between individuals, potentially reshaping our cultural definition of maturity and masculinity. Greater Good (8 minutes)
Apprentice Renaissance
In an era of artificial intelligence (AI) and automation, the centuries-old practice of apprenticeship is experiencing an unexpected renaissance. This model offers unique advantages in transmitting tacit knowledge and holistic skills that formal education often struggles to provide. Despite the challenges and sacrifices involved, apprenticeships can yield substantial economic and social rewards, potentially preparing individuals for success in ways traditional schooling cannot. As technology reshapes the job market, cultivating apprenticeship-style learning environments may become crucial for developing valuable, hands-on skills that resist automation. Skillful Notes (22 minutes)
The 95 Point Gin
Procera Gin from Nairobi, Kenya in East Africa is shaking up the 300-year-old gin business. Its irreverent use of the superior Equatorial African Juniperus Procera berry and its innovation of distilling only fresh juniper, not dried like all other gins, makes it unlike any other gin on earth. Change for its own sake isn’t necessarily a good thing but when an industry taste-making magazine like the Wine Enthusiast gave Procera Blue Dot Gin 95 points (gins don’t get 95 points) the world started to listen. When the industry leading Gin Guide in the UK named it “Product of the Year 2024” in the home of Gin now you start to get people talking. Why not try the World’s Best Gin and your first African Spirit today? Especially when you learn that the DNA of Procera is to become the Patagonia of the alcohol industry by leading by example in everything they do. Procera (Sponsored)
Will Nuclear Fusion Ever Work?
Nuclear fusion, the process that powers stars, holds immense potential as a revolutionary energy source. Unlike current nuclear fission reactors, fusion promises virtually limitless fuel from seawater. Fusion offers many advantages over both fossil fuels and nuclear fission, including higher-energy density, carbon-free baseload electricity, and significantly reduced radioactive waste. However, despite billions invested in research since the 1940s and its theoretical appeal, practical fusion power generation remains elusive. The future of fusion energy remains uncertain, with experts divided on whether a practical and cost-competitive reactor is achievable. While significant technological advancements and increased investment offer hope for fusion's viability, skeptics argue that the extreme conditions required for fusion may render it inherently more expensive than alternative energy sources. Construction Physics (24 minutes)
Small Is Beautiful In AI
The AI revolution initially championed massive, general-purpose language models, with tech giants investing hundreds of millions in their development. Now, the industry is pivoting to a "small is beautiful" approach. Companies are creating compact, specialized AI models that excel at specific tasks, often outperforming their larger counterparts in focused applications. These smaller models not only cost far less to train and operate, but their tailored expertise makes them more efficient and effective for practical, industry-specific uses. This shift marks a new phase in AI development, where targeted functionality and cost-effectiveness are becoming as crucial as raw computational power. Wall Street Journal (6 minutes)
Mars Simulation
NASA's Mars Dune Alpha project, part of the CHAPEA initiative, recently concluded as four scientists emerged after spending 378 days in a simulated Martian environment. The mission, conducted in a 1,700-square-foot 3D-printed habitat at Johnson Space Center, aimed to gather crucial data on human health and performance under conditions mimicking life on Mars. Throughout their yearlong isolation, the crew faced challenges such as resource limitations, communication delays and simulated "Marswalks," all designed to prepare for future long-duration missions to the Red Planet. This groundbreaking experiment provides valuable insights into the physical and psychological impacts of extended space travel, advancing NASA's preparations for eventual human exploration of Mars. ABC (5 minutes)
The Best National Parks
Every summer, Americans head out to the nation's 63 national parks. But which obese are the best? The Wall Street Journal set out to settle that debate with cold, hard data They had four main criteria: the size of the crowds (50% of the overall score); the quantity and quality of hiking routes; availability of campsites; and access to other recreational activities like horseback riding, mountain biking and fishing. Here are the top five: 1) Isle Royale National Park, 2) North Cascades National Park, 3) Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, 4) Big Bend National Park, and 5) Denali National Park & Preserve. Wall Street Journal (7 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
Check out my other email Founder Fridays — a Friday morning briefing helping startup founders and operators scale smarter.
Weekend Wisdom
Far and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing. -Theodore Roosevelt
The intro to the piece about national parks has a typo. I assume you meant to say "of these" but the sentence says obese: "But which obese are the best? :