What I Wrote Last Week
Lessons Learned From Our Pregnancy & Labor Experience As First-Time Parents
Business
Apple pulls data protection tool after UK government security row. For context, the UK government demanded that Apple build a backdoor to user data for ALL Apple users, not just UK-based ones. Worse, Apple is legally barred from even disclosing such a demand. And even if they appeal to a secret panel, Apple still has to comply in the process. Instead of complying, Apple basically said: screw you guys. The company pulled Advanced Data Protection, an end-to-end encryption feature, for UK customers. Now, the government can feel free to subpeona Apple for any data they want through the front door, not a back door that is not supposed to be there. Instead of compromising the integrity of end-to-end encryption and its promise to customers, Apple chose the least terrible option. I hope the US government as well as UK citizens will hold the UK lawmakers accountable for this horrendous move.
The True Costs of Being on YouTube. This person owns a food recipe YouTube channel. She graciously breaks down what it takes for her to maintain her channel. TLDR, without sponsorships, she would lost $10,000 per month.
The latest shareholder letter from Warren Buffett is another banger. There are a few gems in there regarding willingness to admit mistakes, his dislike of EBITDA, a subtle dig on the government, his investments in Japan, so on and so forth.
The Deep Research problem. I am not always a fan of Ben Evans, but he made good points in this post. It makes you wonder how big the market for AI applications is, and by extension, how big the market for hyperscalers is.
Other Stuff I Find Interesting
Musk’s DOGE says it has saved $55 billion. Not so fast. Whether you support Trump or not, you should really be informed of what is happening right now. Even after you know more about these alleged savings and still support him, do learn about them.
Austria, a Longtime Buyer of Russian Gas, Tries to Break the Habit. Europe, as a whole, needs to figure out the energy problem fast. Climate change makes winter colder and summer hotter than ever. Russia is no longer a viable option as a supplier. Norway has gas and oild, but it’s too far away from the mainland of Europe, making gas more expensive due to transportation costs. Romania is emerging as an alternative, but if Europe still commits to climate change goals while caring for citizens’ wellfare and economic growth, a breakthrough in alternative source of energy is needed.
Estonia and OpenAI to bring ChatGPT to schools nationwide. I am always impressed by how technically savvy Estonia is. The country literally enshrines access to high-speed Internet into its Constitution. So, I am not surprised by this collaboration. I look forward to seeing the impact that ChatGPT Edu brings to Estonian students.
How home ownership has become a nightmare for many Americans. The article discusses how increasingly expensive home ownership gets for many Americans, even for those with a 3% mortgage. I always believe that a home is not a great investment vehicle. If you want to build equity, look at stocks and indexes. However, we all want to build a home and memories, so it’s understandable that people want to buy homes. Just be really mindful that the operational expenses to maintain a home are increasing, faster than our income. Build your financials to the point that not only do you have enough to finance a home, but you also have an emergency fund. Accidents can always happen.
Pure Independence. “Doing something on your own terms can feel better than doing the exact same thing when someone else is peering over your shoulder, telling you what to do, guiding you along. And that’s as true for adults as it is for kids getting ice cream.”
Stats
The top 10% owns 87% of the stocks in the US
54% of Gen Z said they used BNPL during the 2024 holidays
Minh Quang Duong 
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