Lately, I've been watching those blinking "arbitrage opportunities" on the blockchain, and my first reaction isn't to jump in, but to ask: who's ahead of me in line for this deal?

Basically, sandwich attacks are just you thinking you're making a little profit from slippage, but all the slippage ends up in someone else's pocket, and they even charge you twice in fees.
People who have been rug-pulled really find it hard to believe in "free money from the sky."
Now, when I see trades going too smoothly and gas suddenly spiking, I first check the contract permissions and routing, even if it means earning less.
Recently, there's been talk about rate cut expectations and the US dollar index fluctuating wildly along with risk assets.
It feels more like flipping a switch—once turned on, the on-chain activity gets even more lively...
Lively as it is, every time the retail investors chase a rally, it might just be someone else's fee.
(My advice: keep your hands in your pockets and don't randomly confirm transactions.)