No. 211 Jan 5, 2023
Hi All!
Below is your weekly dose of a list of things I’m reading, watching, listening to, or thinking about. If this message was forwarded to you, sign up for this newsletter using this link.
Book I Read
Empires of Light: Edison, Tesla, Westinghouse, and the Race to Electrify the World by Jill Jonnes is the story of the three pioneers in the world of electricity. Many people know the name Edison but Tesla (outside of Elon Musk’s company) and Westinghouse may be names you don’t hear as often. Edison kicked off the race to electrify the world by creating the first incandescent light build and first direct current (DC) electrical networks. Tesla followed soon thereafter by pioneering the use of alternating current (AC). George Westinghouse, an industrialist from the gas industry, saw the value of Tesla’s AC system and partnered with Tesla kicking off what’s known as the War of the Electric Currents. The book ends with a race of DC vs. AC, the creation of the electric power industry, and patent wars to defend each of these inventor’s technologies. My main takeaway is that Edison was an incredible inventor who unfortunately couldn’t see the value in AC, Tesla was an equally talented inventor who would have been better off financially licensing his technology to Westinghouse, and Westinghouse is someone to model your character after by the way he treated others.
Video I Posted
Here’s a short video explaining how the price of electricity in deregulated electricity markets is determined.
New Music I Listened To
I’ve been on a jazz kick lately which I’ve used in the background early in the work day when I have a task requiring intense concentration like writing. Some of my favorite jazz artists to listen to include Thelonious Monk, Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, Ornette Coleman, John Coltrane, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, and Billie Holiday.
Trip I’m Planning
TPC San Antonio, TX; Barton Creek Austin, TX; Big Cedar Branson, MO; French Lick, IN; MS Gulf Coast, MS; Reynolds Plantation, GA; Streamsong, FL; TPC Sawgrass, FL; Sea Island, GA; Kiawah, SC; Pinehurst, NC are at the top of my list for a 2024 golf trip. On previous golf trips, I’ve played the Mississippi Gulf Coast courses, Streamsong, and Pinehurst, all of which are excellent.
Quote I’m Re-Reading
Do you know what success is? Success is when your children want to be with you when they’re adults. How many people have all that bullshit, and their kids don’t come home for the holidays? Come on. – Paul Orfalea (Kinkos Founder)
