Good Morning. Most people chase 10% annual returns. But computing improved 100,000x in a decade. Here's why 1% daily compounds into 37x yearly gains.
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TOP STORY TODAY
Brain Cancer Breakthrough
MIT chemists synthesized verticillin A for the first time, over 50 years after the fungal compound was discovered. A derivative showed promise against diffuse midline glioma, a rare pediatric brain cancer, in human cell tests (MIT).
The compound's complex structure—with 10 rings, eight stereogenic centers, and sensitive oxygen atoms—made synthesis challenging despite similarities to related molecules. Researchers required 16 steps from the starting material, carefully controlling stereochemistry throughout. See brain cancer trends here.
The most effective derivatives targeted cancer cells with high EZHIP protein levels, inducing programmed cell death through increased DNA methylation. Dana-Farber researchers will validate the mechanism and test compounds in animal models. MIT’s 10 breakthrough technologies for 2025.
Drug Lord Transfers
Mexico transferred 55 cartel leaders to US custody in February and August 2025 under pressure from the Trump administration. The operation involved 2,000 Mexican special forces and included leaders from major cartels like Sinaloa, Jalisco New Generation, and Zetas.
The prisoners were removed on national-security grounds, bypassing normal extradition. They had controlled criminal operations from Mexican prisons, where corruption provided weapons, phones, and privileges to coordinate drug trafficking and violence from behind bars.
US officials expect many will cooperate, sharing intelligence about cartel operations and corrupt officials. Mexico acted partly to avoid US military intervention, including threatened drone strikes on fentanyl labs.
MH370 Search Resumes
Malaysia will resume searching for flight MH370 on December 30, over a decade after the Boeing 777 vanished with 239 people. Ocean Infinity leads the 55-day search under a "no find, no fee" deal worth $70 million.
The Malaysia Airlines flight disappeared March 8, 2014, traveling from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. It lost contact within an hour and deviated from its flight path. Previous multinational searches in 2017 and 2018 found nothing (More).
A 2018 investigation concluded the plane's controls were likely deliberately manipulated. Officials say the renewed effort reflects commitment to providing closure for families after over a decade without answers.
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TODAY’S LIFE ADVICE
7 Lessons from Jensen Huang on JRE
Yesterday, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang was on the Joe Rogan Experience. Here’s our top takeaways:
Think Exponentially, Not Linearly. Nvidia improved computing 100,000x in a decade. Your wealth and health work the same way. Daily 1% improvements = 37x better in a year. Don't think "10% annual returns," think compound leverage. Small habits, exponential outcomes. This is how wealth actually builds.
Remove Your #1 Constraint First. Trump's first priority: "drill baby drill." Remove energy constraints before anything else. Jensen's insight: identify your bottleneck—sleep? capital? time?—and solve it before optimizing everything else. Remove the constraint, unlock everything downstream.
Automate the Grunt Work, Multiply Your Impact. Radiologists automated image analysis and their industry grew. They diagnosed 3x more patients, hospitals made more money, hired more radiologists. Use AI for emails, research, admin. Automation creates leverage, not unemployment.
Defend Your Job: Outcomes Over Tasks. "What is the purpose of the job?" If you chop vegetables, you're replaceable. If you create unforgettable dining experiences, you're irreplaceable. Lawyers who draft documents die. Lawyers who win cases thrive. Focus on results, not process.
New Technology = New Wealth Opportunities. When robots arrive, we'll need robot mechanics, robot customization, robot fashion. AI boom = demand for prompt engineers, AI consultants, automation specialists. Don't fear change. Position yourself early in emerging markets.
Yesterday's Tools Win Today's Battles "9-year-old AI will be amazing. You don't need frontier AI." Stop waiting for the perfect tool, course, or moment. ChatGPT-3 is enough to 10x your productivity right now. Last year's knowledge builds this year's wealth. Done beats perfect. Ship it.
Access Is Solved. Judgment Is Everything. Billion people use ChatGPT because it's free and easy. Everyone has the same tools now. Your edge isn't access—it's taste, discernment, and execution. In a world drowning in AI content, your unique perspective and decision-making become your only moat.
*These notes are only from the first hour. Here’s the full 2:28:00 podcast.
ChatGPT's New Holiday Shopping Assistant
ChatGPT launched a free shopping research mode for all users this holiday season. Ask about products like "best TVs for bright rooms," and it acts as a personal shopper, filtering by budget and preferences. Results link to retailers, with in-app checkout coming soon. Pro users get customized buyer's guides.
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▲ European carmakers surge 5% after Trump slashes Biden fuel economy rules, easing gasoline car sales
▲ Adversarial poetry defeats AI safety filters 62% of time, with Google Gemini failing every test
▲ Goodwill stores hit record $5.5 billion in sales, opening 42 larger locations targeting affluent neighborhoods
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