Today I blasted off into another great corner of California, the recently reopened Sequoia National Park, home of the world's largest trees (and hence, largest living things, period).  These majestic trees are just amazing, and they're surrounded by "ordinary" pine trees, so you can tell just how much bigger and awesomer they are.  Oh, and they're over 2,000 years old.  Yeah, the stories they can tell...

My weekend forays have given me some interesting data points about how people "out there" are handling the pandemic.  Today it was evident many things besides the National Park have reopened - like restaurants, there was a lot more traffic, and far fewer people are wearing masks.

I've often wondered: Why we refuse to spend much money on Apps.  "First is a principle called anchoring, or the idea that there is a sort of reference price for particular items, based on what else is available and how the first price was set."  Yep I get it.  Online everything is anchored to free. 

The very definition of contrarian: The Gospel According to Peter Thiel.  His central thesis is that we can improve ourselves and the world, a sort of anti-fate.  Very cool, and the comment thread is pretty interesting, too. 

Visual Capitalist: Do you know where your electricity comes from?  Hint: fossil fuels.  But you've watched Planet of the Humans, so you knew that already, right?  Another *great* graphic from this great blog...  (by all means, click through to enbiggen!) 

Via Reid Hoffman, this great framework for business strategy from Shishir Mehrotra: Four Myths of Bundling.  The whole notion of establishing value for abstract things is so ... weird.  Like Apps :) 

Chris Dixon: Why Decentralization Matters.  More insightful business philosophy.  Decentralized networks should win, but will they? 

This looks cool: 'Hardspace: Shipbreaker' is a puzzle-solving parable.  I'm rarely attracted to games (and often disappointed in the ones I try), but this looks like it might be worth a chance. 

Meanwhile, this demo of new Unreal game engine is unreal.  I found the spatial sound as impressive as the incredible lighting.  Virtual reality is definitely in the uncanny valley now. 

Eye, Robot: Artificial intelligence dramatically improves accuracy of classic eye exam.  Linked for the headline pun but also quite interesting; and click through if you want to take the eye test yourself :) 

Luca Stricagnoli brings us this unbelievable acoustic cover of Led Zep's Whole Lotta Love.  Well worth the three minutes - maybe six if, like me, you want to hear it again :) 

Finally: Is 2020 over yet?  This website will help you figure it out.