Archive
2023
34 articles from this year.
Bird's Chapter 11
According to PR Newswire, Bird Global, Inc
Xfinity Customer Data Breach
Comcast has confirmed a major data breach affecting close to 36 million Xfinity customers, caused by the exploitation of the critical-rated security vulnerability known as "CitrixBleed." CitrixBleed, found in Citrix networking devices commonly used by large corporations, has been under mass-exploitation by hackers since late August
Turquoise Lights for Autonomous Vehicles
Mercedes-Benz has achieved a pioneering milestone in the US automotive industry by obtaining permits to use turquoise-colored lights on its vehicles to indicate autonomous driving
On Bolt's layoffs
Bolt just cut 29% of its staff after raising nearly $750 million at an $11 billion valuation
Lime Scooter Ridership Increase During Taylor Swift's Denver Visit
Lime saw a 2023 concert-ridership lift. The real operating test was handling the surge and retaining riders afterward.
Adobe Abandons $20 Billion Figma Deal
Adobe's $20 billion acquisition of Figma was halted due to regulatory challenges in Europe and the UK, with concerns about potential harm to innovation and competition
Epic Games wins Google
Epic Games just beat Google in their antitrust lawsuit over Play Store practices, after losing a nearly identical case against Apple
W49 TWIL: More Fun at Mexico City
This week I learned (TWIL) about the enchanting allure of Teotihuacan, flying back to San Francisco and mostly traveling around
I thought regulators would block Alaska–Hawaiian. They didn't.
I doubted Alaska's 2023 Hawaiian Airlines deal would close. It did in 2024, leaving the promised consumer benefits to prove.
Uber joining the S&P 500 marked a change in its financial story
Uber entered the S&P 500 in December 2023. The meaningful shift was sustained operating progress, not index-fund buying.
Meituan not buying Foodpanda after all
Meituan backed out of foodpanda acquisition talks, which is good news for Grab and Southeast Asian competition
W48 TWIL: Discoveries in Mexico
Oaxaca's Culinary Delights: Found a new love for mole in Oaxaca
The Birth of "This Week I Learned"
Finance has been the heart of my blogging journey—a world of numbers, trends, and economic forecasts
Basic Spanish / English words relating to food
While traveling in Mexico, I realized how important it is to know a bit of Spanish
OpenAI’s staff forced a governance reset
The employee revolt after Altman’s removal showed the board lacked a workable continuity plan. OpenAI soon installed a new initial board.
Microsoft offered Altman a landing place. OpenAI kept him.
Microsoft’s November 2023 hiring announcement was part of a fast-moving governance crisis, not a permanent transfer of OpenAI’s leaders.
OpenAI fired Sam Altman. The board gave too little explanation.
OpenAI’s November 2023 removal of Sam Altman exposed a governance crisis. Its public statement did not establish a misconduct finding.
Grab Achieves Profit on Adjusted Basis
Grab reached positive adjusted EBITDA in Q3 2023, while still losing money overall. The excluded costs and cash flow mattered.
Shein Targets $90 Billion Valuation in Upcoming IPO
Shein, the Singapore-based fast fashion giant, is setting its sights high for its U.S
Uber's Q3 2023 profit was a repeat, not a first
Uber reported $394 million in Q3 2023 operating income after turning positive the quarter before. The repeat was the useful result.
Mint.com to be sunsetted
Intuit’s decision to sunset Mint in favor of Credit Karma has unsettled its vast user base
WeWork Chapter 11 bankruptcy
In a striking turn of events, WeWork, once a darling of the corporate real estate world, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in New Jersey
LinkedIn lays off 668 workers
LinkedIn announced it's laying off 668 workers, roughly 4% of its workforce, across multiple departments including engineering, product, talent, and finance
A displayed price should be the price you can pay
The FTC proposed a junk-fee rule in 2023. Hidden mandatory charges punish shoppers and honest sellers alike.
Microsoft Acquires Activision Blizzard
Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard is one of the most monumental deals in gaming history
Changes at Lyft Board
Two Lyft directors resigned in October 2023. The filing did not connect their departures to the company's SEC settlement.
Trying DALL-E 3
picture of san francisco with a cat terrorizing the city Here's another one: Open AI is really impressive
Lyft Fined $10 Million Over Icahn-Soros Deal
Lyft Inc. has settled a $10 million fine with the SEC for not disclosing a board director's role in a share sale involving billionaires Carl Icahn and George Soros, just before the company's 2019 IPO. The director, identified as Jonathan Christodoro, helped Icahn sell a 2.6% stake in Lyft to Soros at a discounted rate. Christodoro reportedly received fees for the deal and resigned from Lyft's board at the time of the transaction. The case raises questions about Lyft's transparency and disclosure practices.
Tesla Slashes Model 3 and Model Y Prices
Tesla Slashes Model 3 and Model Y Prices After Underwhelming Q3 Deliveries
23andMe Data Scraping Incident Raises Concerns Over Genetic Privacy
23andMe's 2023 breach used stolen logins to reach DNA Relatives profiles. The privacy risk extended beyond compromised accounts.
Mysa In-Floor Thermostat Review
I just installed two of these Mysa In-Floor Thermostats in my bathrooms during my remodel
Tesla's Q3 Vehicle Numbers Fell Short
Tesla has long been the industry leader when it comes to electric vehicles (EVs), constantly setting the bar high for competitors
Microsoft CEO Highlights the Challenges of Competing in the Search Engine Market
In a federal court this week, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella took the stand in the ongoing antitrust trial against Google, painting a bleak picture for any company aspiring to compete in the search engine market
The Cruise crash was also a disclosure failure
The October 2023 Cruise crash exposed a dangerous post-impact maneuver and a failure to report it fully. That is the operational lesson.