We are in the very early stages of adoption and broadening the mass appeal of its usage. Today, the use cases are still heavily concentrated in trading, finance, and facilitating the micro-economies of digital communities.

However, the blockchain could be combined with other measures to create a more equitable and sustainable digital economy. We need to think beyond technical solutions and instead focus on broader structural changes to how the digital economy is organised. Furthermore, we need to consider the promotion of alternative business models that prioritise social and environmental values over profit.

I see web3+ as the evolution of the model to Read, Write, Generate, and Own your digital experience. This is in contrast to web1 (Read only), web2 (Read, Write) and web3 (Read, Write, Own).

The power to harness Generative AI (ethically, and efficiently) will be the subject of more debates to come - how large language models are being trained, the implications for gig-based work, displacement of administrative tasks that can churn out multiple, novel outputs on trillions of parameters. But this also presents a unique opportunity for education systems to be reimagined - are we teaching the right skills to truly master Moore’s Law?

The gut-brain connection links your central nervous system (CNS), including your brain, with the enteric nervous system (ENS) in your gut. Often dubbed the “second brain,” the ENS plays an important role not only in your digestive health but also in your mental health.

Personalised nutrition, adjusted to your unique microbiome, with food tailored for maximum nutritional density, is a lot of work when you don’t have a personal chef/nutritionist on standby. This is an area I am actively interested in.

Currently, I follow a low-FODMAP diet, and do not consume any gluten, dairy, or processed foods. It may sound boring, but it is possible to have delicious meals (and even eat out) when you stick to your gut (literally). I do love my red wine, though, so I try to manage my intake accordingly.

One scene in the movie is particularly moving. Vincent and his far genetically/mentally superior brother, Anton, swim out from the shore of the ocean as far as they can. The first one to turn around and head back for shore loses. Thus, they must keep in mind the energy they'll need for the swim back.

All throughout their lives, Vincent and Anton have had this competition. Every time, Vincent was the one to turn around first and swim back to shore. However, at the end of the movie, Vincent is changed. One last time, the brothers step into the water and begin swimming.

Eventually, Anton cries out, "Vincent! Vincent! Where's the shore? We're too far out."

"You want to quit?" Vincent asks.

"We're too far out!" Anton yells.

"You want to quit?" Vincent repeats.

Pausing and considering his safety, Anton pridefully yells, "No!"

So they keep swimming, further and further out.

Eventually, Anton pauses and calls out, "Vincent! How are you doing this? Vincent, how have you done any of this? We have to go back."

"No, it's too late for that. We are closer to the other side," Vincent responds.

"What other side? Do you want to drown us both?" Anton says in frustration.

"You want to know how I did it? This is how I did it, Anton: I never saved anything for the swim back," Vincent said resolutely.

Geography is the backdrop to history, and history is background to politics, but geography remains the most compelling and constant theme.

Borders have always been porous and changing, but they are still significant because they exist in people's minds as well as on the ground. They have cultural and strategic significance, and they can make the difference between war and peace.

As we enter the Anthropocene, the age of human influence on the planet, the environment is becoming a strategic concern. The future will belong to those who can adapt to the changing climate and resource availability.