10 Weekend Reads

The weekend is here, and The Big Picture is offering a selection of longer-form articles for readers to enjoy.

First, there's a story about both liberal and conservative areas agreeing on the need to remove AI license-plate readers. Communities from Asheville to Oconee County have voted to end these surveillance systems, with a national backlash against the technology uniting Trump country and progressive strongholds. No one wants to be surveilled, regardless of political views.

Next up is an article revisiting Paulina Borsook's Cyberselfish from the 1990s internet optimism. Nitish Pahwa tracks down Borsook to discuss her earlier warnings about tech bros and the potential problems that would arise later on. The industry has always claimed to want legal guardrails, but has rarely followed through.

Richard Dewey's account tells the story of how Warren Buffett saved Salomon Brothers in 1991. Facing many intertwined problems, Buffett had to find a way to rescue the bank, convince regulators, and determine who would run the company after previous leadership resigned.

The Insider explores the impact of Russian stand-up comedy during the war and censorship. Performing on stage can now lead to prison time, so comedians have to be careful about what they say. With fear and self-censorship affecting the scene, some comedians left Russia but later returned when they couldn't stay in exile.

The Guardian covers the resurgence of Quaaludes, a drug that was once extinct. These "ludes" made a comeback, surprising many. Meanwhile, in the world of art and finance, Sacha Jafri sold an artwork for $62 million at auction, but the money never changed hands. The Fence explains what happened in this fascinating story.

Lastly, Apple's ad that caused Microsoft to break their silence, and a Masters in Business featuring Glen Kacher, founder and CIO of Light Street Capital. He discusses his firm's focus on tech opportunities and shares the impressive returns of their Mercury funds over the last few years.