For Kids, Parents, and the Kid in You

What if the best way to learn about history is by playing with it? https://www.economist.com/christmas-specials/2025/12/18/what-if-the-best-way-to-learn-about-history-is-by-playing-with-it From The Economist Do you have kids—or maybe a kid still alive inside you? Do they (or you) spend countless hours playing games? If the answer to any of these is yes, why not make some of that time educational too? There are plenty of games that can help kids—and adults—learn about specific fields of study. History is the focus of this article, but the same idea applies to other areas of science and knowledge as well. Why not turn playtime into a learning opportunity? It’s a simple way to benefit both you and your kids, without sacrificing fun. Games I’ll be keeping an eye on (especially when they go on promotion): 1- Europa Universalis 5 (eu5) 2- Crusaders Kings 3- Victoria Series 4- Hearts of Iron 5-Imperator:Rome 6- The Civilization 7-Total Wars and remember “When it comes to education, there is no substitute for learning by doing. To teach children Spanish, have them speak it. To teach them art, give them paper and paints. Plenty of tech titans got their start by playing around on a computer in their youth.”

- Pedro

Read on Substack

A Call That Aged Well

After the inspiring and assertive speech by Mark Carney in Davos, I remembered that I had posted something about him following an interview he gave to The Economist, 3 months ago. It is really rewarding to see that my assessment at the time turned out to be right. (text revised by a llm) My linkedin post back in November Great interview with Prime Minister Mark Carney.I must confess, I was genuinely impressed by his performance and his vision for the country.This is clearly linked to his extensive expertise in economics and his previous roles as Governor of both the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England.As I was listening, I thought to myself: here’s a politician I can truly understand — someone who speaks clearly, sounds reasonable, and demonstrates real knowledge of the issues at hand. https://www.economist.com/insider/the-insider/zanny-minton-beddoes-interviews-mark-carney https://www.linkedin.com/posts/pedrospinto_bonus-episode-zanny-minton-beddoes-interviews-activity-7382474995127529473-asPr?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAD8SDIBEeUyeyA2_0sAKh3TRFMPtKOI5AA

- Pedro

Read on Substack

Un encuentro con Vivaldi en Madrid

El pasado finde (24 de enero) tuve la oportunidad de asistir a Las Cuatro Estaciones de Vivaldi, entre otras obras, en el Auditorio Nacional de Música de Madrid, interpretadas por Délica Chamber Orchestra. Fueron dos horas de puro disfrute musical. Ver en vivo el virtuosismo de las músicas de Délica Chamber Orchestra me deleitó con su interpretación y me transportó a otro mundo, a otra realidad y a otro entorno. Un universo solo mío, donde el bullicio del día a día desapareció y solo existíamos la música y yo. Sea cual sea vuestra preferencia musical, de espectáculo o de hobby, os aconsejo encarecidamente que saquéis tiempo de vuestro día para dedicarlo a ello. https://delicachamber.com/about/ https://open.spotify.com/album/2bP8L39GYpPSN2wnNqTJJr?si=RQi3L8sfTYCZBp1Vdt7RLA https://auditorionacional.inaem.gob.es/es/programacion/excelentia-vivaldi-las-cuatro-estaciones

- Pedro

Read on Substack

Curious About the Human-Dog Connection? Start Here

How wolves became dogs https://www.economist.com/christmas-specials/2025/12/18/how-wolves-became-dogs From The Economist “The only, absolute and best friend a man has, in this selfish world, the only one that will not betray or deny him, is his dog.” Do you have an interest in dogs and want to understand how this almost unique symbiosis between humans and dogs was formed? Look no further and read this insightful article. It doesn’t provide all the answers, but it offers solid intel and opens the door for future research if you want to explore this path “Pet dogs are proliferating, too. Half of American households (65m of them) include a dog, and dog food is a multi-billion-dollar industry. The best friendship in zoology shows little sign of coming to an end” (text revised by a llm)

- Pedro

Read on Substack

Just Finished Michael Lewis’ MasterClass on Storytelling

Just finished the MasterClass with Michael Lewis on how to tell a great story. I took away several valuable insights on communication and how to effectively get your ideas across. Hopefully, in the not-too-distant future, I’ll put together a full post on everything I learned. (text revise by a llm) https://youtu.be/9EhRoVj0kfE?si=gQwASd15zLLsDHob

- Pedro

Read on Substack

Filosofía, inteligencia y más: lo mejor de José Antonio Marina

Muy interesante episodio de Aprendemos Juntos con José Antonio Marina sobre filosofía, inteligencia ¡y mucho más! Espero que lo disfruten tanto como yo. José Antonio Marina reflexiona sobre la capacidad humana de orientarse en un mundo complejo, cambiante y lleno de incertidumbre. Para él, pensar con claridad, elegir con sentido y actuar con responsabilidad es la base de una vida más consciente y justa. Reivindica la filosofía como un servicio público imprescindible. Una disciplina que nos ayuda a distinguir la verdad de la mentira, a evaluar nuestras creencias y a desarrollar pensamiento crítico frente a la manipulación, la desinformación y los discursos simplificadores que nos rodean. José Antonio Marina es filósofo, ensayista y pedagogo, referente internacional en el estudio del pensamiento y la educación. Ha dedicado su trayectoria a comprender cómo aprendemos, decidimos y actuamos. Su obra conecta filosofía, ética y pedagogía con los retos del mundo contemporáneo. https://youtu.be/tRPCqO5UT7U?si=utQN6XPC_h9lyZmH

- Pedro

Read on Substack

Autonomy vs. Power: A Trade-Off Worth Rethinking

Highly recommend this podcast with Jeffrey Pfeffer for its many sharp insights into organizational behavior. In particular, the trade-off between autonomy and power stood out and gave me a lot to think about. https://youtu.be/5YAvw0VzB_E?si=19ouqiK02AXPENHa

- Pedro

Read on Substack