The Diff
Byrne Hobart
The Diff is a newsletter exploring the technologies, companies, and trends that are making the future high-variance. Posts range from in-depth company profiles, applied financial theory, strategy breakdowns and macroeconomics.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Jan 23, 2023 • 12min
Where Fraud Lives and Why
This is an audio version of the free newsletter. Read the newsletter at thediff.co, and subscribe for an additional 3 posts (and podcasts!) per week.
(00:00) - Where Fraud Lives and Why
(07:21) - Segmented Markets
(08:33) - Apple the Outlier
(09:28) - Outsourcing
(10:26) - Working as Intended
(11:10) - Headcount
Jan 17, 2023 • 14min
In a Stable Career Track, Where Does the Risk Go?
This is an audio version of the free newsletter. Read the newsletter at thediff.co, and subscribe for an additional 3 posts (and podcasts!) per week.
(00:00) - In a Stable Career Track, Where Does the Risk Go?
(09:05) - A Word From Our Sponsors
(09:48) - AI Lobbying
(10:34) - Fraud and Credit
(11:36) - How Markets Clear
(12:35) - Deglobalization in Miniature
(13:08) - Crypto Exchanges and Airdrops
Jan 9, 2023 • 21min
Is AI More VBA or Steel?
This is an audio version of the free newsletter. Read the newsletter at thediff.co, and subscribe for an additional 3 posts (and podcasts!) per week.
(00:00) - Is AI More VBA or Steel?
(15:12) - Formalizing an Economy
(16:02) - Shoplifting
(16:51) - Plane Shortage
(17:54) - Mastodon Metrics
(19:02) - The Mystery of the UAE Holding Company
Jan 3, 2023 • 14min
Closing Industry Frontiers
This is an audio version of the free newsletter. Read the newsletter at thediff.co, and subscribe for an additional 3 posts (and podcasts!) per week.
(00:00) - Closing Industry Frontiers
(07:23) - A Word From Our Sponsors
(07:38) - The Slow Move to Subscriptions
(08:58) - TINA Trades
(11:03) - Geoengineering
(11:58) - Warning Signs
(13:07) - Elasticity in Electricity
Dec 19, 2022 • 22min
How Companies Think About Layoffs
This is an audio version of the free newsletter. Read the newsletter at thediff.co, and subscribe for an additional 3 posts (and podcasts!) per week.
(00:00) - How Companies Think About Layoffs
(14:15) - Moderation
(17:48) - Understanding TikTok
(19:19) - Reputational Bank Runs
(20:13) - Coal
(21:02) - Disney
Dec 12, 2022 • 16min
"A Solution in Search of a Problem" is a Low-Rates Phenomenon
This is an audio version of the free newsletter. Read the newsletter at thediff.co, and subscribe for an additional 3 posts (and podcasts!) per week. (00:00) - "A Solution in Search of a Problem" is a Low-Rates Phenomenon
(09:38) - Money and Equilibria
(11:50) - eSports
(13:03) - The Price of Liquidity
(13:43) - Plausible Deniability
(14:30) - The Illiquidity Premium, Continued
Dec 5, 2022 • 13min
The Uses of Friction
This is an audio version of the free newsletter. Read the newsletter at thediff.co, and subscribe for an additional 3 posts (and podcasts!) per week. (00:00) - The Uses of Friction
(07:37) - Market-Making
(09:19) - Poaching and Equity Currency
(10:44) - China's Covid Economy
(11:31) - The Cost of AI
(11:55) - Friendshoring
Nov 28, 2022 • 15min
Why Finance is Hard to Decentralize
This is an audio version of the free newsletter. Read the newsletter at thediff.co, and subscribe for an additional 3 posts (and podcasts!) per week.
(00:00) - Why Finance is Hard to Decentralize
(09:40) - Why They Don't Drill
(11:26) - Shorting
(12:30) - Crypto Liquidity
(13:24) - Food Convergence
(14:29) - Crypto Transparency
Nov 21, 2022 • 12min
What Part of the System Needs to be Smart?
This is an audio version of the free newsletter. Read the newsletter at thediff.co, and subscribe for an additional 3 posts (and podcasts!) per week.
(00:00) - What Part of the System Needs to be Smart?
(05:44) - Redemptions
(07:05) - FTX, Continued
(07:51) - Single-Celebrity Companies
(09:00) - Unretiring
(10:56) - Activism
Nov 14, 2022 • 29min
Money, Credit, Trust, and FTX
This is an audio version of the free newsletter. Read the newsletter at thediff.co, and subscribe for an additional 3 posts (and podcasts!) per week.
(00:00) - Money, Credit, Trust, and FTX
(24:40) - Alternatives
(25:44) - Where Inflation Hits
(26:09) - The Best Job In Tech
(26:59) - Sitting it Out
(27:56) - LNG
