When you work for a VC firm focusing on software, you’ll see a lot of product demos. I mean, a lot. They come in various formats, usually with some demo effects, and can be performed live in a conference room or in a cafe, or virtually over Zoom or something similar. Sometimes you’ll see a recorded demo video. Well, today a colleague shared a demo video, which immediately grabbed my attention and felt very fresh and cool.
Read MoreSix months remaining of 2020 – a lot of weird shit can still happen
When Europeans talk about “the crazy year”, many will remember 1848 from history lessons. And indeed it was a turbulent year with new ideas and revolutions spreading across the continent like wildfire. But if the second half of 2020 turns out to be even remotely similar to the first half, it’s possible that 2020 will become our new “global crazy year”. If not in the history books, then at least in the minds of our generation.
Read MoreAmbient computing is a great goal
Considering how much development is now happening in the realm of Automation, Machine Learning, and Digital Assistants, it’s safe to assume that ambient computing will take a giant leap forward during this decade. Can’t wait to see what comes next.
Read MoreCentral Bank of Brazil vs. WhatsApp Payments
Time will tell what the real story was behind the central bank’s decision to suspend WhatsApp Payments. But given all the complexities, economic incentives, and power structures involved, I wouldn’t be surprised if the suspension would remain in force for a long time.
Read MoreNo sign of coronavirus in Helsinki
As the old saying goes, Finns turn into different people in the summertime when the vacation season kicks off. Suddenly this law-abiding rational people turn into a bunch of hippies that couldn’t care less about anything but sauna and sunshine. Let’s hope we get lucky and don’t end up with a bad situation in the autumn. But to be honest, I don’t feel too comfortable with the way most of us in Finland are behaving right now – and I definitely don’t believe in luck in these kinds of situations.
Read MoreNo good thing is pleasant to possess, without friends to share it
What better way to spend your vacation days than reading letters from Seneca to Lucilius. The only challenge is that my brain can absorb just about one letter per day. Perhaps two, if they’re short. Every time I hear somebody say that Seneca’s letters are an “easy and accessible way” to learn about Roman Stoicism, I laugh out loud. Well, apparently not for me.
Read MoreThree reasons why birthdays should always be celebrated
The older we get, the harder it becomes to celebrate birthdays. When we were kids, we definitely didn’t have this problem. But for some reason, as we become middle-aged, we gradually start losing interest in our own birthdays. Even those round numbers can become a drag. I wonder why this happens to so many of us?
Read MoreOn the difficulties of relaxing during vacation
Today I started my summer vacation and while that’s great and something I’ve been very much looking forward to, I was once again reminded of how difficult it is to relax and wind down during the first few days. When I woke up this morning my first thought was: hey, it’s business as usual, let’s start executing the customary Monday routines. Duh!
Read MoreDoes resveratrol have anti-aging properties?
What seems clear is that there are still mixed feelings about resveratrol in the scientific community. So what to believe? Perhaps best to wait for more research results and meanwhile stick to the original thing, i.e. calorie restriction. That can be done for example through intermittent fasting, which I think is a fairly easy way to implement calorie restriction while living a “normal” life.
Read MoreHow to fix capitalism according to Rebecca Henderson
Like any other economic and political system, capitalism is frequently the subject of debate and criticism. Strong proponents of capitalism typically point out that it’s been far more successful in producing prosperity and well-being than any other system we’ve had on offer. However, even the biggest fans of capitalism tend to agree that capitalism has come off its rails and corrective action is needed in order to get it back on track. This was the topic in the latest episode of the Exponential View Podcast, where host Azeem Azhar and Harvard Business School professor Rebecca Henderson discuss capitalism.
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