Sunday, August 9, 2015

Links

A Dozen Things Learned from Sam Zell about Investing and Business (LINK) [I've also recently begun to read a review copy of Tren Griffin's book on Charlie Munger, which will be released next month. It is fantastic. As always, you can pre-order the book at no extra cost to you and also support this blog by buying it through THIS link.]

Paul Graham: If you have a US startup called X and you don't have x.com, you should probably change your name. (LINK)

a16z Podcast: A Copernican Update ... In Tech, the Smartphone is the Center (LINK)

The Seven Books You Must Read If You Want to Understand Oil [H/T Matt] (LINK)
The books:  
The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money & Power  
The Quest: Energy, Security, and the Remaking of the Modern World 
Abu Dhabi: Oil and Beyond 
Oil & Gas Production in Nontechnical Language 
The History of The Standard Oil Company 
Inorganic Chemistry For Dummies 
The Commanding Heights : The Battle for the World Economy
Eye Shape May Help Distinguish Predator From Prey (LINK)
Why do the eyes of some animals, including goats, have horizontal-shaped pupils, while others, such as rattlesnakes and domestic cats, have vertical slits? 
It is a question that has longed intrigued researchers, and a study of 214 species published Friday suggests the answer may be strongly linked to giving animals a survival edge: vertical pupils and circular pupils help certain predators hunt, while horizontal pupils help other species spot predators from afar. 
Not all vision scientists accept the researchers’ hypothesis, however, citing examples of animals that do not fit cleanly into these classifications.