The weekend is here! Pour yourself a mug of coffee, grab a seat outside, and get ready for our longer-form weekend reads:
• America’s undying empire: why the decline of US power has been greatly exaggerated: For more than a decade, people have been saying that the era of US dominance is coming to an end. But in reality there are still no other global players to rival it. (The Guardian)
• The Inside Story of Microsoft’s Partnership with OpenAI: The companies had honed a protocol for releasing artificial intelligence ambitiously but safely. Then OpenAI’s board exploded all their carefully laid plans. (The New Yorker)
• Why Teslas Totaled in the US Are Mysteriously Reincarnated in Ukraine: Ukraine’s fearless and expert EV mechanics bring electric vehicles declared unfixable in the US and Canada back to life on the other side of the world. (Wired)
• How did time begin, and how will it end? Most things have a beginning and an end, including time itself. What was the spark that made it begin, and what will one day bring it to an end? (BBC)
• Substack Has a Nazi Problem: The newsletter platform’s lax content moderation creates an opening for white nationalists eager to get their message out. (The Atlantic)
• The Red State Brain Drain Isn’t Coming. It’s Happening Right Now. As conservative states wage total culture war, college-educated workers—physicians, teachers, professors, and more—are packing their bags. (New Republic)
• In the War Room with Steve Bannon: What’s going on in Steve Bannon’s head? Can he once again propel Donald Trump to the presidency? And how worried should we be? (Esquire)
• The Milky Way’s Stars Reveal Its Turbulent Past: The galaxy’s stars keep a record of its history. By reading those stories, astronomers are learning more about how the Milky Way came to be—and about the galaxy we live in today. (Wired)
• Billy Crystal is the last of his kind: The versatile comedian became the ultimate showman. But it was never an act. (Washington Post)
• The 100 greatest BBC music performances – ranked! As the Beeb celebrates its centenary, we take a look at its most memorable pop moments, from the birth of grime to the first sightings of Bob Dylan and Bob Marley, plus TOTP goes Madchester and countless classic Peel sessions. (The Guardian)
Be sure to check out our Masters in Business interview this weekend with Michael Fisch, founder and CEO of American Securities. The private equity firm manages $27 billion in client assets.
Costs for renewables have plummeted and growth is exceeding expectations
Source: Wall Street Journal
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To learn how these reads are assembled each day, please see this.
