David Lidsky's Blog, page 39

New demand for familiar crops fuels innovation

Staple crops like corn and soy are quietly powering a more resilient manufacturing economy.

For generations, American farms have powered the country’s food, feed, and fuel. Now, crops like corn and soybeans are at the core of homegrown industrial innovation.

Graphic videos of Charlie Kirk’s killing reach the feeds of unwitting social media users with auto-play

With images of the incident plastered across social media, experts who study mental health worry about the impact of repeated exposure to violence.

On the afternoon of September 10, shortly after right-wing political activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated in front of a crowd at Utah Valley University, videos of the Turning Point USA cofounder getting shot in the neck flooded social media.

How Gen Alpha is set to change the game: What to expect from the next generation

Generation Alpha is poised to redefine industries, reshape digital culture, and drive innovation like never before.

Generation Alpha is poised to redefine industries, reshape digital culture, and drive innovation like never before.

Why Verily’s promise of precision health faces precision scrutiny

A former exec says Verily concealed HIPAA breaches affecting 25,000 patients—and fired him for speaking up.

A whistleblower is suing Alphabet, claiming that Verily, its health tech subsidiary, breached proper protocol for handling the sensitive health data of 25,000 patients.

Is Oracle’s stock spike the strongest indicator yet that we’re in an AI bubble?

Larry Ellison briefly became the world’s richest man after Oracle shares spiked nearly 40%. But analysts warn the AI-driven surge may echo the dot-com bubble, leaving markets vulnerable if the rally falters.

Even if you only pay a little attention to the business world, it’s been hard to miss Oracle’s phenomenal week. The company’s shares jumped nearly 40% on Wednesday, and CEO Larry Ellison briefly overtook Elon Musk as the world’s richest person (he’s now essentially tied). Oracle also signed a staggering $300 billion deal with OpenAI for computing power over the next five years.

Healthcare is at the end of its MS-DOS era

The next revolution isn’t just powered by AI. It’s driven by design.

In 2003, when the New York Times asked Steve Jobs why the iPod became an overnight success, he didn’t talk about its storage capacity, hardware specs, or marketing campaign. He said, simply: “Design.”

Revised BLS data shows the job market is weaker than expected

The agency estimates the U.S. created almost a million fewer jobs than it had previously reported.

The labor market may be weaker than previously reported. According to newly revised Bureau and Labor Statistics (BLS) data, the U.S. added nearly a million fewer jobs than it had said earlier.

The smart way to ask ‘dumb’ questions

A good question can make you look sharp, collaborative, and strategic. Here’s how to improve your question game.

You’re in a meeting, the slides are rolling, people are nodding, others are fiddling on their phones, and then it happens. You have a question. You want to be seen as engaged, so you open your mouth, and words start to tumble out . . .and the room goes still. Silence. 

GLP-1s broke the system

Now, the companies that make GLP-1s are driving innovation in systems to make medications affordable.

The explosive rise of GLP-1 medications—such as Mounjaro, Ozempic, and Wegovy—has ignited more than just headlines. It has fundamentally shifted how Americans access and pay for medications, driving innovation in affordability models, and fueling a dramatic increase in direct-to-consumer (DTC) healthcare platforms.

The secret playbook for successful M&A

The secret playbook for successful M&A

After a few slow years, M&A is heating up again. Crunchbase counted 537 M&A deals in Q4 2024. It’s the strongest quarter in seven years, up 46% year-over-year, much of it driven by an interest in AI.