SmallBets

I like the thoughts here on micro vs macro finance in the developing world: https://www.ted.com/talks/sangu_delle_in_praise_of_macro_yes...

i.e. maybe less gofundme and more kickstarter/angelist can have an impact.

Thanks for this one, liked it more than the NYT.

Was also interesting to learn where the game company "Machine Zone" (Game of War) got its name.

It's interesting that most reactions here are either a)"this is nothing compared to country x" or b)this is an example of extremely negative hardship.

I thought the direct lessons he laid out were excellent, about being ruthlessly honest on what you truly need to be happy, and the freedom that you get from the resulting wealth when combining that with a SF tech salary.

It is a reasoning from first principles on living conditions that not enough people do imo. I think we tend to subconsciously accept the default of more space/stuff=better without making a direct choice on what is the specific right amount for ourselves. Coming to a definition of what "enough" is for ourselves keeps the goalposts from moving as income rises.

Also the point about gaining empathy for the poor based on experiencing a lower margin for error and high cost when things went wrong in this lifestyle was another good observation.

Balancing this line defines the human experience in my opinion. Objectively it is true, we are minute. But humanity is in the subjective making of meaning. That opportunity to make your own meaning is an incredible one if you choose to accept it. If you don't, it's not, and depression/nihilism results.

And the funny thing is, those who hone that strongest sense of subjective meaning and well being in how they see the world, are the ones who make an outsized butterfly-effect impact on the world, coming closest to overcoming that objective meaninglessnes.

So basically, imo the answer to why do anything? Is because you believe something is worth doing subjectively/on faith/on instinct. Only then does it have a chance to build toward a more objective answer to why do it, in its impact on people & history.

Giving blood is one of those things where it's low risk, can help others, and has some science behind the benefits presumably by reducing iron. Have been meaning to get into it.

Some of the studies are linked here:http://www.science-of-aging.com/donating-blood-extend-lifesp...

I have been meaning to dive in. What are some recipes/use cases that worked out best for you?

As more in this field comes to light, it makes medicine's overuse (imo) of antibiotics very concerning.

You can add Beats to the list - a low barrier industry ripe to undercut a premium priced brand, but it has not done so.

There is an emotional factor, where customers associate their own identity and how they see themselves with the brands. That is what allows premium pricing to last.

What doesn't get brought up enough in these discussions is the degree to which the advances in AI and resource distribution bring down costs and increase the accessibility of having your needs met.

For example, as Uber has advanced to UberX and now UberPool, the possibility of being car-free is much more feasible and potentially cheaper than ownership. So the labor hours required to own a car are cut out as a need for those workers. Similarly, craigslist, AirBNB etc. are impacting the renting vs. buying scenario and reducing costs in those areas.

Will this increase in accessibility happen at the same rate of labor loss? Probably not and there will be some turbulence, but I think the net result will be a realization of excess in western culture and an adjustment to more reasonable standards of living.

Sure, there will be 'above the api' haves, but there is reason to believe the accessibility of meeting basic needs will scale up as a long term net result after short/mid term turbulence.

No prob - I'm also a huge fan. Should've mentioned it is an interview with Brendan Hampton who is the one playing in the space.

I just listened to this James Altucher podcast on the subject, about monetizing high followed accounts via sponsored posts:

http://www.stansberryradio.com/Frank-Curzio/Latest-Episodes/...

I thought it was pretty eye opening and seems relevant to your situation. Talks about streamlining the content creation process, getting advertisers to pay for sponsored posts, and he is now developing his own products to sell that would otherwise be pitched by advertisers in his sponsored posts.

First software, next seeds.

Loved the first song I heard on web version, +1 for Android.

Good example of non-technical value creation - can't fake good curation. That your project has done so well tells me that the streaming music players have not cracked the code yet.

I've had similar problems and saw a talk by Heidi Halvorson that reframed it a bit: Instead of trying to stop the "compare to others" behavior, replace the behavior instead with "compare to my own past performance". I've found measuring and hacking your own improvement is a more useful feedback loop.