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Salutations, Olio aficionados! 👋
Midweek greetings to all, as we unveil the 225th chapter of Weekly Olio—a delightful concoction of laughter, insight, and a sprinkle of mystery. Within these pages, you'll discover a handpicked selection of fascinating finds from the vast realms of the internet.
Keep your eyes peeled for this week’s Publisher’s Parmesan, arriving this Sunday!
A word from our Sponsors…
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The Quote 💭
“Pressure is a privilege.”
The Tweet 🐦
One idea. Perfect timing. Cultural insight. That's how you build a $50 million annual tradition from nothing.
The Infographic 💹
Any plausible explanations for this?
Leadership Can’t Be Automated
AI can help you move faster, but real leadership still requires human judgment.
The free resource 5 Traits AI Can’t Replace explains the traits leaders must protect in an AI-driven world and why BELAY Executive Assistants are built to support them.
The Short Read 📝
The odd thing about Modi’s mojo - by The Economist
Narendra Modi could have reacted negatively to losing the election or to Donald Trump's tariffs. However, he chose to focus on practical economic solutions instead. This decision to embrace reform is commendable.
Indians appear to have increasingly recognized that the most effective strategy for gaining significant influence and standing on the global stage is to focus on developing a more dynamic and innovative economy. Read more…
The Long Read 📜
The Strange Brain of the World’s Greatest Solo Climber - by JB Mackinnon
Last week, Alex Honnold became the first person to free solo Taipei 101, scaling the 1,667-foot skyscraper without ropes or safety equipment in just 1 hour and 32 minutes—a feat broadcast live on Netflix. Almost instantly, everyone on the internet was talking about him. This is an interesting time to bring up this 2016 article where neuroscientist Jane Joseph put Alex into a fMRI machine to understand how he processes fear.
The scans revealed that Honnold's amygdala shows minimal activation to disturbing stimuli that trigger intense fear responses in others, yet remains anatomically normal. Rather than lacking fear, Honnold possesses an exceptionally powerful frontal cortex that regulates threat responses, making him a "super sensation seeker" who pursues extreme experiences while maintaining tight cognitive control. His reward circuitry requires greater stimulation than average, driving attraction to life-threatening activities. The Taipei 101 climb exemplifies this neurological advantage: while his wife experienced panic watching from below, Honnold's regulated threat-response system enabled flawless execution of an impossible feat. Read more…
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That’s all for this week. If you enjoyed this edition, we’d really appreciate if you shared it with a friend, family member or colleague.
We’ll be back in your inbox 2 PM IST next Wednesday. Till then, have a productive week!
Disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to the author's employer, organization, committee or other group or individual.