P.S. You Should Know... | Issue #383

Peak summer!

my story 🚀

All smiles for grandpa on the phone and cake on the fork

🇺🇸 This weekend we’re celebrating the 35th anniversary of our family’s arrival in America. We’re having a great run so far. I can’t wait to see what we make out of the next 35 years!

fun facts 🙌

The oceans are amazing. “We have only explored less than 10% of our world ocean. That means 90% of Earth's Underwater Realm Remains a Mystery” Click through for incredible photos and videos of ocean life. ~ learn more

Southwest giving up on open seating? The end of an era! “Southwest Airlines said Thursday that it plans to drop the open-boarding system it has used for more than 50 years and will start assigning passengers to seats, just like all the other big airlines.” ~ learn more

What animals eat turtles? “While adult turtles have few predators, turtle eggs and hatchlings are incredibly vulnerable. That’s why these species lay so many eggs – many nests contain over one hundred developing young!” ~ learn more

Zooming in. This video really impressed me! “I combined a bunch of my recent zoom videos into a a mega zoom. This is 252 hours of art distilled into 1 minute. Enjoy!” ~ learn more

tech, startups, internet ⚡

Robotaxis should be a wakeup call for cities. “In San Francisco, robotaxis are like naked guys. The first time you spot one, it feels like a big moment. After that, they fade into the background.” Journalist Benjamin Schneider makes the point that robotaxis are already here and will inevitably expand operations, so now is the time for cities to consider how they want their infrastructure to evolve. “Now is the time to carve out bus lanes and bike lanes and car free streets, avant le robotaxi déluge.”~ learn more

OpenAI vs NYT. “OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, has asked a New York judge to force the NYT to hand over “underlying reporter’s notes, interview memos, records of materials cited, or other ‘files’” to prove its work can be classed as original works of authorship under US copyright law.” ~ learn more

better doing 🎯

Why doesn't advice work? “Someone has a problem, they ask you for advice, and you give it to them. Your advice is impeccable, pragmatic, human, wise. But they ignore you and suffer the predictable consequences. All they had to do is listen. So why didn’t they?” ~ learn more

under the microscope 🔬

Superlubricious coating. “Using biowaste from cassava plants, scientists have created a coating that virtually eliminates friction in metal parts.” … “Until now, superlubricious behavior has only been seen between super-small particles at the nanoscale. The new study though, shows that the phenomenon is possible at the macroscale.” ~ learn more

thoughts of food 🍔

Americans surveyed about leafy greens. “Spinach, romaine, and spring mix are among the top choices for taste among Americans, just behind iceberg lettuce: 15%, 13%, and 10% say each tastes the best, respectively. While few Americans consider romaine and spring mix to be the most nutritious green — 3% and 4%, respectively — spinach wins the largest share of Americans who say it is the most nutritious (33%).” ~ learn more

OpenTable works to win back ‘the best restaurants’. “In other words, OpenTable’s competition has evolved. Resy, the company’s main competitor, was acquired by American Express in 2019. Amex just bought a second competitor, Tock, for $400 million in late June, making a Visa-OpenTable alliance even more important to the booking company’s image and business.” ~ learn more

big ideas 📚

Regulatory approval for a solar transmission line from Australia to Singapore. “The world's largest renewable energy and transmission project has received key approval from government officials. The Australia-Asia Power Link project will send Australian solar power to Singapore via 4,300 kilometer-long undersea cables.” ~ learn more

staying thirsty 🚰

It’s 2024 and drought is optional. Casey Hamder, my favorite solar power maximalist, is back with another way to take advantage of abundant sunshine and declining solar panel costs. Solar desalination can address water scarcity in southern California and produce thriving industry at the edge of the dessert. ~ learn more

thanks for reading!