Economics, but fun

Plus: a once in a lifetime experience. (#546)

David Bauer

10 Oct 2025 — 4 min read

This is David, your human web crawler who is actually on holiday, but forgot to tell you last week and thus is writing the newsletter anyway. This is, as usual, the Weekly Filet, for curious minds who love when something makes them go «Huh, I never thought of it this way!». It's great to have you.

1. Planet Money is Making a Board Game

The makers of the best economics podcast bar none have set out to create a board game. The only little problem (and what makes this making-of interesting to listen to): They have never made a game before, let alone a popular one. Their starting point: a Nobel Prize winning paper about the asymmetry of information in the used car market.

Reminded me of «Mission: ImPASTAble», one of my favourite podcasts of all time, where the host takes on the challenge to invent the perfect pasta shape.

2. Sigur Rós – Ára Bátur (Royal Albert Hall London)

Last Friday, I got to see Sigur Rós live at Royal Albert Hall in London – truly a once in a lifetime experience. The culmination of a breathtaking two-hour show was the rarely performed Ára Bátur featuring a children's choir and the massive pipe organ. No recording can do this performance justice, but I invite you to dive in nonetheless.

3. 5 Wars That Experts Fear Could Start in the Next 5 Years

«The rise of new disruptive technologies and asymmetric advantages (...) will likely make the years ahead more unstable in ways that haven’t been considered.» As compared to the...checks notes...very stable and peaceful times in 2025, that is 😬

4. The 25 Most Interesting Ideas I've Found in 2025 (So Far)

A very nice collection of charts and observations, each of which can serve as a starting point for further exploration.

5. The product of the railways is the timetable

A nerdy observation, but a consequential one. And what are we here for if not nerdy, consequential «Huh, I never thought of it that way!» moments?

What else?

Instant-gratification links that make you go wow! or aha! the moment you click.

When I recently came across this in my hometown of Basel, I didn't think much of it. But seen from above...wow!
A zebra crossing that is a bar chart of accidents.
For the first time, solar and wind covered all electricity demand growth, sloooooowly reducing fossil fuel dependency.
Capture the Dark 2025: Winning photographs.
«Your primary job is time allocation.» – Shane Parrish

Books for curious minds

Some new ones as I read them, some older ones that continue to inform how I look at the world and myself.

Co-written by a leading AI expert and a science fiction writer, this book combines ten thought-provoking stories of a not-too-distant future with non-fiction commentary on each story. Recommended. Buy it here.

A gem from the archive

That's it for this week. Thanks for reading. I wish you a nice weekend and hope to see you again next Friday!

— David

More ways to learn and take inspiration from

Check my 📚 digital bookshelf, with sections of 🌡️ books that help you make sense of the climate crisis, ⛵ books that make you a better product manager, 🪄 books that help you make sense of AI, and 🧒 books that help you as a parent. And from collecting the best links on the web for close to 15 years, my thematic collections: The Art of Thinking (Differently), The Stuff Our Modern World Runs On, Bingeworthy Podcasts, and more.

Little useful apps from me, for you

📊 Dataguessr, a playful way to update your knowledge of the world. 🌍 You Don't Know Africa, a simple game that has already humbled millions of people. 💯 Choose Impact, an online tool to compare job opportunities. 🧭 Priority Compass, a tool for individuals, teams and organisations to focus your energy on what really matters. 🪄 How I Use AI, a collection of use cases, ready to use and adapt. 💬 Climate Questions, a playful conversation starter. And ⏱️ One Minute Challenge, a little meaningful distraction to refocus.