Exploring Featured Reads: Insights for Your Weekend
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Chapter 1: Personal Updates on Alpha Beta
This year has been quite eventful for me, and I haven't always managed to dedicate as much time to blogging and maintaining Alpha Beta as I would have preferred. Fortunately, the busyness has been positive—I received a promotion and recently purchased a home with my fiancé. While these are wonderful changes, they have inevitably led to less time for reading, reflecting, and writing.
Now that things are beginning to stabilize, I’m excited to refocus on the Alpha Beta blog. The publication has been thriving, recently surpassing 2400 followers! Earlier this year, I shared my struggles with growing from 1500 to 2000 followers, which was a challenging two-year journey. However, thanks to a few popular articles and some promotional efforts, we made a swift leap from 2000 to 2400 followers in just three months.
This experience reinforces that many factors are beyond my control, but one thing I can manage is consistently showing up each week. If you haven’t subscribed to the Alpha Beta Blog yet, please consider doing so—it's crucial to subscribe to the publication itself, rather than just my individual posts. Thank you for your support!
Now, let's move on to the featured reads.
Section 1.1: The Global Chip Industry's Monopoly Issues
Andrew Plummer offers a compelling analysis of the current monopolistic tendencies in the semiconductor sector, where a handful of companies dominate critical industry bottlenecks. This consolidation poses significant risks for global supply chains, as we witnessed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The geopolitical ramifications are also substantial, making it essential to understand how these bottlenecks have evolved over time.
Section 1.2: Milton Friedman's Perspective on Cryptocurrency
Charles R. Lightner revisits Milton Friedman's insights on inflation and how they contrast with Modern Monetary Theory. He also explores Friedman’s views on digital currency. Lately, I’ve been reflecting on the practical applications of cryptocurrency, especially in light of the troubling experiences of friends and family in China, where government actions have gradually undermined personal and financial liberties. In my view, countries like China, Russia, and Turkey highlight the necessity for alternatives like cryptocurrency.
Subsection 1.2.1: China's Economic Challenges
China's economy is struggling and requires effective measures to recover. However, due to significant debt levels and the poor quality of the assets that this debt has financed, there are inherent limitations to its options. The government often resorts to misinformation and suppression of dissent to mask the issues, which is not a sustainable strategy. Given the severity of the situation and the political limitations facing its leaders, it seems there may not be a viable solution at this juncture.