First principles trivia

This Substack explores a wide array of subjects ranging from practical advice and historical analyses to current trends and future predictions, utilizing first principles reasoning. It covers diverse topics including housing affordability, citizenship processes, urban culinary diversity, definitions of pandemics, the potential of AGI, and historical innovations, among others.

Housing Market Analysis Citizenship and Immigration Culinary Diversity Pandemic Definitions Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) Historical Innovations Photography Tips Agricultural Policies Marriage Preparation Stock Market Fundamentals Interpersonal Relationships Advertising History

The hottest Substack posts of First principles trivia

And their main takeaways

Short story of how the first flights were made possible

19 implied HN points • 17 Feb 24
💾 History Inventions Aviation Entrepreneurship Technology Business
  1. The Wright brothers funded their aviation experiments largely out of their own pocket, showing dedication and perseverance.
  2. Despite receiving offers for funding, the Wright brothers chose to maintain full control over their research, emphasizing the importance of independence and vision.
  3. Through meticulous work, including building their own wind tunnel and conducting extensive test flights, the Wright brothers achieved their goal of creating a successful airplane, highlighting the value of thoroughness and persistence.

90 cuisines you can try in New York City

59 implied HN points • 04 Sep 23
🍲 Food & Drink Cuisines Restaurants World Culture
  1. New York City offers a wide variety of 90 cuisines from different countries and regions around the world.
  2. The list includes popular options like Italian, Japanese, Chinese, Mexican, and French cuisines, as well as lesser-known choices from countries like Bhutan, Guyana, and Cambodia.
  3. Exploring the culinary scene in New York City can be a rich and diverse experience, showcasing the city's cultural melting pot through its food offerings.

Are housing prices worse than ever in history?

177 implied HN points • 07 May 22
💰 Finance Mortgage Rates Housing Affordability
  1. Defining median income, median home prices, and considering mortgage rates are crucial for assessing housing affordability over time.
  2. Analyzing mortgage payments as a percentage of family income reveals that 2022 is not the worst year historically for homebuyers needing a mortgage.
  3. When comparing price-to-income ratios, it's evident that 2022 is the worst year for all-cash homebuyers, but not as dramatic as some claims suggest.

How to take a perfect dating photo

4 HN points • 10 Feb 24
🪞 Fashion & Beauty Photography Clothing Equipment Editing
  1. Taking a perfect dating photo involves addressing technical aspects like focus, exposure, resolution, focal lengths, bokeh, color rendition, and lighting.
  2. Using Photofeeler to get feedback on your photos is crucial in determining which ones are truly attractive, smart, and trustworthy.
  3. Iterative posing and experimenting with different expressions, body orientations, and angles can help you find the most appealing combination for your dating photo.

Как подать заявление на гражданство Чехии в 2024 году

118 implied HN points • 28 Mar 22
🏝 Travel Citizenship Documents Process Benefits
  1. To apply for Czech citizenship, you need to have lived in the Czech Republic with a permanent residency permit for a specific duration, which varies based on different criteria like EU citizenship or total residency time.
  2. Having Czech citizenship offers integration into Czech society, guarantees the right to stay in the country, and provides the benefit of visa-free travel to a significant number of countries.
  3. The application process for Czech citizenship involves submitting a comprehensive set of documents, attending interviews if required, and awaiting a decision that typically takes around a year.
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Получение гражданства Чехии: церемония вручения, чешские документы, смена имени

98 implied HN points • 28 Mar 22
🏝 Travel Citizenship Documentation Ceremony Residency
  1. The process of obtaining Czech citizenship involves waiting for document review, submitting additional documents if requested, and attending a citizenship ceremony.
  2. After approval, individuals can attend a citizenship ceremony where they take an oath and receive confirmation of Czech citizenship. Name changes can be made by following specific procedures.
  3. Upon obtaining Czech citizenship, individuals need to update various documents, such as residency cards, health insurance cards, and driver's licenses. They can also apply for a Czech passport for international travel.

The many definitions of a "pandemic"

59 implied HN points • 15 Aug 22
🏥 Health & Wellness
  1. The definition of a 'pandemic' includes specific criteria such as worldwide spread, seasonal patterns, and absence of major outbreaks outside of typical seasons.
  2. The decision to declare a pandemic over rests with designated Emergency Committees for each disease, based on criteria like case growth rates, virus evolution, public health implementations, and risk communication.
  3. The COVID-19 pandemic could potentially be officially declared over by August 2023 if certain conditions are met, including no major waves in both hemispheres and the World Health Organization determining that continued coordination is no longer necessary.

Can AGI destroy us without trial & error?

39 implied HN points • 13 Jun 22
🕹 Technology Artificial Intelligence Robotics Simulation Engineering Computing
  1. AGI development faces challenges in translating from a computer-based system to independently-operating physical entities, requiring decades of complex R&D
  2. Historical examples show that novel engineering, especially without a basis of previous work, takes significant time, even for AGI with higher intellect
  3. Human scientific progress evidences challenges and limitations in advancing technology efficiently, potentially slowing AGI's ability to advance rapidly

Additional data on historical housing prices

39 implied HN points • 13 May 22
💰 Finance
  1. Single-earner households are becoming rarer, with data showing that median male worker income as a percentage of household income has decreased from 93% in 1963 to 73% in 2022.
  2. While the median home might be more affordable in 2022 compared to 1981, the affordability in popular metro areas like Seattle, Miami, and Santa Clara County in California varies significantly due to factors like income, mortgage rates, and regional price differences.
  3. High prices in 2022 pose challenges for affordability, especially for those needing to save up large deposits for mortgages, with the number of months of income required for a deposit increasing from 2.9 months in 1970 to 5.6 months in 2022.

368 questions to ask before marrying someone

0 implied HN points • 28 Jan 24
  1. Family Planning: Discuss topics like children, values, discipline, education, religion, health, and more to align expectations.
  2. Pets: Address having pets, pet care responsibilities, and potential allergies with your partner.
  3. Finances: Talk about managing money, budgets, savings, debts, financial priorities, joint accounts, and planning for the future.

Abortion advertising in 1971

0 implied HN points • 27 Jun 22
💾 History Events Advertising Legal issues Healthcare First Amendment
  1. In 1971, a billboard in Pennsylvania advertised abortions in New York for under $250, which is equivalent to $1800 today when adjusted for inflation.
  2. The advertising of abortion services was controversial and taboo in the 70s, with public outrage and legal debates surrounding the billboards.
  3. The history of abortion advertising shows evolving social attitudes, from discreet underground referrals to more open advertising today, protected by the First Amendment.

Where does the value of stocks come from?

0 implied HN points • 05 Dec 21
💰 Finance Stocks Dividends Investing Value Predictions
  1. Stock value comes from sources beyond just dividends, like stock buybacks, mergers, acquisitions, voting power, and potential future dividends.
  2. Companies may not pay dividends but can still provide shareholder value through mechanisms like stock buybacks, mergers, and acquisitions.
  3. The stock market functions as a prediction market for future company performance, with investors making long-term bets on potential returns, even if dividends are not immediate.

The real 40 questions that lead to falling in love

0 implied HN points • 07 Jan 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Relationships Intimacy Personal Development
  1. The original set of questions designed to lead to falling in love contained 40 questions, not 36, and was intended to gradually increase intimacy and vulnerability
  2. The questions included sharing personal stories, expressing gratitude, discussing dreams and aspirations, and reflecting on deep emotional topics like regrets and treasured memories
  3. These questions can serve as a tool for couples to enhance their connection and create emotional closeness in a structured and meaningful way

Sri Lanka vs chemical fertilizers: did organic farming ruin the country?

0 implied HN points • 12 Aug 22
🌍 World Politics Agriculture Economics Corruption
  1. Sri Lanka's ban on chemical fertilizers led to a collapse in rice yields, economic crisis, and social unrest due to shortages and inflation.
  2. The ban was due to concerns about fertilizer safety, but the real issue was a shortage of foreign currency reserves, impacting imports and economy.
  3. Allegations of corruption and influence by close associates may have played a role in decisions about the fertilizer ban, impacting the situation.