Saturdays are the day we catch up with all the non-finance related stuff we didn’t get to during the week. You can check out last week’s edition here.
Quote of the Day
"When we open up and admit to our vulnerabilities, we give people the opportunity to safely admit to theirs as well."
(Shane Parrish)
Autos
- Carlos Ghosn did not leave Nissan in great shape. (nytimes.com)
- Why Tesla ($TSLA) still holds a big advantage over competitors: range. (washingtonpost.com)
- The Hummer is coming back...as an electric pickup truck. (theverge.com)
- What makes your commute more (or less) impactful on the environment? (axios.com)
- Large truck fatalities are at a new high in the US. (indystar.com)
- What factors lead to road rage? (thesimpledollar.com)
Environment
- The 2010s were officially the hottest decade on record. (axios.com)
- Ocean temperatures have now hit a record. (newatlas.com)
- It's hard for anyone to argue that climate change isn't happening. (wsj.com)
- Could a sea wall really protect New York City from rising sea levels? (nytimes.com)
- Will future skyscrapers be built out of wood? (nationalgeographic.com)
- The Himalayas are blooming. (modernfarmer.com)
Wildfires
- 'Pyro-cumulonimbus events' are upending how scientists think about fires. (ft.com)
- There's only so much technology that can be used to fight wildfires. (axios.com)
- At least in the US, 2019 was not as bad a year for wildfires than 2018. (axios.com)
Aviation
- Conor Sen, "Now that the financial fortunes of the airline industry have improved, it may be time for the government to negotiate with carriers about re-establishing or increasing service to communities whose fortunes have suffer because of route elimination." (news.yahoo.com)
- Sustainable aviation fuel is not on the horizon. (wsj.com)
- Air taxi startup, Joby Aviation, raised a new round of funding with Toyota participating. (newatlas.com)
- The best and worst major US airlines ranked for 2019 performance. (wsj.com)
Technology
- The 30 most evil tech companies, ranked. (slate.com)
- Admit it. Everybody these days has a box of obsolete electronics cords in their house. (wsj.com)
Medicine
- Why concierge medicine has not caught on yet. (npr.org)
- A shocking number of doctors are at-risk of burnout. (wsj.com)
Health
- Wealthy Americans live longer AND have more healthy years as well. (theguardian.com)
- "Death rates from cardiovascular disease among people between the ages of 45 and 64 are rising in cities all across the country, including in some of the most unlikely places." (wsj.com)
- Burnout is associated with irregular cardiac rhythms. (sciencedaily.com)
- Why don't we talking more alcohol consumption when it comes to health? (theatlantic.com)
- How genetics may affect how humans are affected by air pollution. (nytimes.com)
- EQRx wants to invent and develop new drugs, and sell them for less money than the competition. (statnews.com)
Behavior
- Humans, and algorithms, can't learn without some failure, around 15% or so. (bigthink.com)
- Four ways to help you overcome impostor syndrome. (bakadesuyo.com)
- Positive memories serve as a resource for when times are bad. (elemental.medium.com)
- How to manage an employee with depression. (hbr.org)
- Why weekends can be especially difficult for the lonely. (theguardian.com)
- How making art helps your brain. (npr.org)
Food
- Nutrition science is beset with industry conflicts. (jamanetwork.com)
- Why hasn't McDonald's ($MCD) jumped into the meatless burger fray yet? (washingtonpost.com)
- Panera Bread is cutting the number of meat-based options on its menu. (ft.com)
- More Americans are eating food from convenience stores and gas stations. (cnn.com)
- What's behind the explosion in crazy, potato chip flavorings? (theguardian.com)
Drink
- The trend toward less alcohol consumption is clear in the data. (wsj.com)
- What you lose, socially, when you stop drinking. (slate.com)
- Can you enjoy a bar even if you don't drink? (goodbeerhunting.com)
- America’s love affair with wine is waning. (wsj.com)
Media
- NBC's new streaming service, Peacock, launches later this year with a free-tier. (theverge.com)
- Short form, premium video startup Quibi is a disaster waiting to happen. (lefsetz.com)
- How to deal with streaming burnout. (theverge.com)
Soccer
- Barcelona is now the world's most valuable football club. (ft.com)
- How Manchester United became the 'GE of football.' (bloomberg.com)
Football
- NFL game attendance was down again in 2019. The league is trying to figure out how to get people back in the seats. (sportsbusinessdaily.com)
- The San Francisco 49ers success in 2019 is raising the profile of assistant coach Katie Sowers. (theguardian.com)
- What the data says on the danger of youth football. (fivethirtyeight.com)
Sports
- Why the home field advantage is disappearing in sports. (nytimes.com)
- WNBA players are going to get big salary hikes. (wsj.com)
- Twitch has become a haven for live pirated sports. (wired.com)
- Climate change is killing off alpine sports. (bloomberg.com)
Music
- How Amazon ($AMZN) turned Ellie Goulding’s 'River' into a hit. (kottke.org)
- Fans are not happy that the Dave Matthews Band was not voted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year. (wsj.com)
- Spotify ($SPOT) is now curating playlists for your pet. (bigthink.com)
College
- College provides an income boost, but does it provide a wealth boost? (worth.com)
- Can California's universities be saved? Some steps to take. (reasonstobecheerful.world)
Middle age
- Middle-age misery peaks around 47.2 years (or so). (nypost.com)
- Midlife crises are now filled with yoga, meditation and trendy diets. (wsj.com)
- A Q&A with Thomas Cole author of "Old Man Country: My Search for Meaning Among the Elders." (wsj.com)
Relationships
- Why negativity is so toxic for relationships. (theatlantic.com)
- How to write a dating profile people will actually read. (engadget.com)
- 'Museum dates' are a bad idea. (gq.com)
Earlier on Abnormal Returns
- Longform links: members of the guild. (abnormalreturns.com)
- What you missed in our Friday linkfest. (abnormalreturns.com)
- Podcast links: building better habits. (abnormalreturns.com)