10/09/2020: Weekly Newsletter
Money
Medical bills were turned into art to pay off medical debt
A really interesting piece into sex work and camming during COVID
Virtual NBA collectible moments by Dapper Labs on NBA TopShot
John McAfee arrested on criminal charges in Spain
Chargebee, helping companies set up subscrition services, raises $55M in Series F
The world economy in one chart
Tech
Regulating Big Tech and antitrust
A great overview of virtual reality, including how its being used in healthcare,
Culture
It's Nobel Prize which means we get to hear about people who do some cool things. There's also the McArthur grantees and National Book Award nominees... So basically, a lot of really really smart people doing some amazing work
Medicine: Awarded for research of Hepatitis C virus
Physics: Awarded for research on black holes
Chemistry: Awarded for developing Crispr, the revolutionary gene editing tool
Literature: Ameriacn poet Louise Glück
Peace Prize: U.N. World Food Program (Note: I have to admit that before this was announced, I was betting on this year's Peace Prize going to first-line health care workers of the COVID pandemic or the Black Lives Matter movement (both very worthy recipients). However, upon further reflection and gut checking my own blindspots, I think the choice to highlight food insecurity is a powerful reminder that while Trader Joe's and Whole Foods shelves might be restocked, millions of children who cannot attend school aren't getting school lunches and many others are struggling to have basic food needs met. It also highlights the importance of the work that Feeding America, No Kid Hungry, World Central Kitchen, and many other organizations in the US and globally continue to do, and that there is still a long way to go. )
McArthur grantees which every year blow me away with how smart and interesting they are
National Book Awards nominees ( I have to admit that I haven't read any of these yet, so I better get started!)
In less happy news, fashion designer and icon Kenzo Takada passes away
Jim Dwyer, New York City writer and journalist, passes away
