Miscellaneous September 2025
@Henri
Miscellaneous September 2025
“It seems a common experience in the lives of people with high agency is that they, at some point, metaphorically, lean against a wall and discover that there is a hidden door. they get into the habit of testing if walls are actually doors, and the more they do so, the more examples of hidden doors they find, and the more inclined they are to look for them.” (Henrik Karlsson)
A few tech highlights from September 2025 on AI, self-driving cars, and next generation interfaces
AI happenings
This month I noticed a number of posts/newsletters/articles on China, in particular on how China was innovating technically to an extent not fully appreciated (or always matched) in the US. Below are a few snapshots from what I came across this month.
Violin Covers
People often ask me “Henri, you play the violin, what are your favorite violin covers of pop songs?” (no one has ever said this to me ever…).
Here are 3 of my favorites - some familiar yet different takes on some of your favorite songs!
Where the profits come from (not always the core product sold)
America’s Phenomenal Geography
Jamie Dimon once said: “America has the best hand ever dealt of any country on this planet today ever, okay. And Americans don’t fully appreciate what I’m about to say. We have peaceful, wonderful neighbors in Canada and Mexico. We’ve got the biggest military barriers ever built, called the Atlantic and the Pacific. We have all the food, water and energy we will ever need.”
Michael Gridley posted a great Twitter thread expanding on the tremendous geographic hand the US has been dealt a few takeaways below:
From 16,000 to 32
At any given time there are 16,000 high school quarterbacks, 32 starting QBs in the NFL (~12 very good ones, ~4 great ones).
"American Kings", a new book by Seth Wickersham, explores the question of what these 32 have in common that the other 15,968 don't.
A few takeaways below - what I found most interesting was that once a minimum athletic baseline is reached, greater intangibles (work ethic, resilience, adaptability, etc.) were more valuable than greater athleticism.
Athleticism - Baseline minimum bar for:
The Invisible:
The Environment:
The Basics:
Double Click: