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Week of September 1, 2023

Weirdo's Weekly Update — 1 Sept, 2023

Leo arrives in Tbilisi, Georgia for the Heureka conference while covering Grayscale's legal victory over the SEC on a Bitcoin ETF and Google's new AI tools including SynthID watermarking and Duet AI. The update also highlights E-SIM technology as a travel tool and shares productivity advice on time audits.

Crypto News

Grayscale's Recent Legal Victory

A federal judge ordered the SEC to vacate its denial of Grayscale's application to convert its trust-based Bitcoin product into an ETF. This ruling represents a significant win for the crypto industry by opening pathways for a spot Bitcoin ETF, which would give US investors a secure investment vehicle without custody complications. The decision triggered a Bitcoin price rally and narrowed the discount on GBTC's market value.

Spot BTC ETF Battle Not Over

While the SEC faced defeat, additional litigation remains possible. The court mandated the SEC to reconsider Grayscale's proposal, though industry observers like Jake Chervinsky suggest the agency may use this loss as an opportunity to reverse its anti-ETF stance and eventually approve a spot Bitcoin ETF.

SEC's First Enforcement Action Against NFTs

The SEC took action against Impact Theory, a media company that raised $30 million by selling unregistered NFTs while marketing themselves as "the next Disney." The company agreed to a cease-and-desist order, paid fines, and established an investor refund fund.

Twitter Acquires Crypto Payments License

Twitter obtained licensing to enable cryptocurrency payment functionality on its platform, allowing users worldwide to send and receive digital assets.


Changes in the Last Week

  • Bitcoin: $26,046 (-0.2%)
  • Ethereum: $1,650 (-0.3%)
  • Gold: $1,939

AI News

Enhanced AI Models

Google Cloud now offers 20 prebuilt AI models for enterprises, including access to Meta's LLaMa-2 and Anthropic's Claude 2.

AI Watermarking Tool

Google introduced SynthID, an AI watermarking tool designed to identify authentic images and combat disinformation and deepfakes.

Duet AI Assistant

Google's Duet AI assistant integrated across Workspace applications provides enhanced productivity support for $30 per user monthly (enterprise pricing).

"AI prompting will be as important as an Excel certification in the future" — industry observers note that basic ChatGPT usage requires foundational frameworks for mastery.


Travel Update

The author arrived in Tbilisi, Georgia, to attend the Heureka conference and explore the Kakheti wine region. The region boasts 8,000+ years of grapevine cultivation history and produces traditional "qvevri wine" using ancient fermentation techniques in underground clay vessels. The author plans a 6-week stay based primarily in Tbilisi with weekend regional excursions.


Currently Reading

$100M Leads: How to Get Strangers to Want to Buy Your Stuff by Alex Hormozi


Tool of the Week: E-SIM

E-SIM technology enables mobile plans without physical SIM cards—ideal for digital nomads. The author purchased Magti's e-SIM in Georgia for approximately 15 EUR (unlimited 30-day internet) plus 3 EUR for the e-SIM itself. The seamless online purchase and immediate connectivity upon arrival eliminated traditional obstacles like visiting providers or completing paperwork.


Inspiring Quotes

"Don't form conclusions based on what you see. Walk in someone's shoes before judging; the ignorant sees only with eyes" — Mufti Menk

"Be tolerant with others and strict with yourself" — Marcus Aurelius


Productivity Tips and Tricks: Time Audits

Regular time audits align activities with goals and values by examining daily task allocation. Track activities using journals or apps, categorize tasks by importance, and analyze results to streamline workflows. This practice reduces procrastination, clarifies priorities, optimizes scheduling, and ensures balanced allocation between essential work, rest, and leisure.