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From Scottie · July 31, 2026
See Derek Thompson in a Scottie brief
Scottie read Derek Thompson, Noahpinion, and Slow Boring for a reader with the priorities shown below. Start with the rundown, open the full brief, or check every issue behind it.
3sources
18issues read
6stories included
1 of 1 Derek Thompson issues included
What shaped this brief
Reader priorities
A curious operator who wants evidence-led writing about abundance, science, technology, culture, and public policy.
These are illustrative priorities, not a customer’s data.
Sources in this brief
- Derek ThompsonThe publication this guide is about
- NoahpinionAdds economics, industrial policy, and geopolitics to the same public-policy questions.
- Slow BoringAdds pragmatic U.S. policy analysis and attention to implementation tradeoffs.
Scottie
Scottie example brief
July 31, 2026 · Executive brief
01 / The rundown
- Mandating public clinical trial data could allow AI models to uncover hidden cures inside thousands of shelved pharmaceutical compounds.
- Artificial intelligence recently disproved an 87-year-old math conjecture, proving advanced models can solve complex theoretical problems despite broader economic bottlenecks.
- Real-time spot pricing for home electricity could significantly lower average energy bills, though political friction keeps the policy off the table.
Read the complete brief 6 stories · 2 action items
02 / The briefing
01 / main
AI could turn shelved clinical trials into next-generation drug cures
The takeaway: AI can scan neglected drug trial data to find unexpected secondary uses for old compounds. To unlock this, policy must force pharmaceutical firms to publish failed trial results that usually stay hidden.
Concrete details
- Only 41% of clinical trial results are reported on time, while nearly a third are never published at all.
- The FDA holds authority to fine non-compliant trial sponsors $10,000 per day but has never collected a penalty.
Why it matters for this reader: As an operator seeking abundance, public medical data mandates offer a fast track to compressing decades of drug discovery into months.
Original sourcesDerek Thompson
02 / main
AI solves the 87-year-old Jacobian Conjecture theoretical math problem
The takeaway: An AI model successfully disproved the 87-year-old Jacobian Conjecture, prompting elite mathematicians to consult artificial intelligence to comprehend the proof. Yet physical and data constraints may limit AI's broader economic impact.
Concrete details
- Fields Medalist Terence Tao utilized AI to help analyze the model's proof for the 87-year-old math problem.
- Long-distance trucking employment remains slightly higher today than it was a decade ago despite automated transport predictions.
Why it matters for this reader: For tech observers analyzing productivity, AI excels at abstract math and code, but real-world growth requires physical hardware and robotics.
Original sourcesNoahpinion
03 / main
Why concentrated homeownership undermines standard financial diversification advice
The takeaway: Standard financial wisdom preaches asset diversification, yet typical policy pushes Americans to lock most of their net worth into a single residential property. Rethinking homeownership incentives could create a more flexible housing economy.
Concrete details
- Standard financial planning emphasizes asset diversification, yet single-family home purchases commit the majority of personal savings into one asset.
- Major metropolitan markets like New York City maintain strong middle-class renting norms with long-term residential lease availability.
Why it matters for this reader: Understanding capital allocation tradeoffs helps operators evaluate whether housing policy status quo artificially distorts household balance sheets and abundance.
Original sourcesSlow Boring
04 / main
Proposed federal science policy shifts grant funding directly to researchers
The takeaway: A new report from the Office of Science and Technology Policy recommends bypassing administrative university overhead by backing individual scientists directly. Meanwhile, rising national debt interest rates continue to inflate consumer borrowing costs.
Concrete details
- Federal deficit decisions since 2015 raised Treasury yields by one percentage point, adding $2,500 annually to median mortgages.
- Uncollected legal taxes generate an estimated $700 billion annual gap in federal government revenues.
Why it matters for this reader: Policy changes that fund researchers directly and address the $700 billion tax gap could unleash faster scientific progress and fiscal stability.
Original sourcesNoahpinion
05 / main
American universities overloaded as primary social and cultural hubs
The takeaway: Higher education expanded rapidly over half a century to replace declining civic institutions like churches and corporate employers. However, accommodating broader populations forced universities to rely on grade inflation to sustain completion rates.
Concrete details
- The share of Americans aged 25 to 29 holding bachelor degrees rose from 16.4% in 1970 to 39.6% in 2020.
- Rising college graduation rates since the 1990s were primarily driven by institutional grade inflation rather than student preparation.
Why it matters for this reader: Examining how higher education became our dominant cultural filter illuminates systemic human capital shortages across technology and policy sectors.
Original sourcesNoahpinion
06 / main
Charging households wholesale spot prices could lower electricity bills
The takeaway: Exposing residential energy consumers to real-time wholesale spot prices could cut overall electricity costs and incentivize battery adoption. However, politicians routinely avoid the policy due to fears of voter backlash over price spikes.
Concrete details
- Smoky weather reduced New England solar generation on July 15, while grid congestion caused negative Maine prices on July 17.
- Residential electricity consumers currently pay flat annualized average prices rather than fluctuating real-time wholesale grid rates.
Why it matters for this reader: For abundance-focused policy operators, modernizing grid pricing structures offers an immediate mechanism to reduce energy overhead and speed electrification.
Original sourcesSlow Boring
Action items
- Review federal scientific grant proposals for opportunities to fund individual researchers directly rather than traditional academic institutions.
- Audit personal capital allocations to ensure real estate investments do not overshadow a diversified growth portfolio.
See every issue behind this brief
The Economic Argument Against Concentrating Wealth in Homeownership
- The case against homeownershipSlow Boring · Included
Repurposing Existing Drugs for New Medical Discoveries
- The Next Miracle Drug Might Already Be in Your Medicine CabinetDerek Thompson · Included
AI Systems Disproving Longstanding Mathematical Conjectures
- What will more intelligence actually do for us?Noahpinion · Included
American foreign policy popularity
- How Trump made America less popular than ChinaSlow Boring · Read, not included
home prices update
- One block, two fightsSlow Boring · Read, not included
Politically Toxic Policy Ideas That Could Reduce Energy Costs
- A great idea that everyone hatesSlow Boring · Included
How Government Economic Strategy Functions as Industrial Policy
- Roundup #85: Most policy is also industrial policyNoahpinion · Included
Examining the Overextended Role of American Higher Education
- We asked too much of the American universityNoahpinion · Included
South Korean stock crash
- Why did South Korean stocks just crash?Noahpinion · Read, not included
free markets capitalism polling
- Why free markets beat capitalismSlow Boring · Read, not included
midterm elections preview
- The midterms, 100 days outSlow Boring · Read, not included
historical accuracy culture
- Historical accuracy is a surprisingly modern ideaSlow Boring · Read, not included
political speech evaluation
- Great speeches need good ideasSlow Boring · Read, not included
Odyssey movie premiere
- Thank you, Christopher NolanSlow Boring · Read, not included
Thursday discussion post
- Thursday discussion postSlow Boring · Read, not included
- Tuesday discussion postSlow Boring · Read, not included
- Saturday discussion postSlow Boring · Read, not included
Sunday mailbag thread
- Sunday Thread + MailbagSlow Boring · Read, not included
About Derek Thompson
Should you add Derek Thompson to Scottie?
Connect new research and technology to the policy choices shaping economic and social life.[1][2][3]
Who it’s for
A curious operator who wants evidence-led writing about abundance, science, technology, culture, and public policy.[1][2]
What you’ll find in it
The issues linked below include “The 25 Most Interesting Ideas I've Found in 2025 (So Far)”, “The Next Miracle Drug Might Already Be in Your Medicine Cabinet”, and “What Is Lost When We Make 'The Odyssey' Modern”. Open them to judge the publication in its own words.
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