Saturdays are all about longform links on Abnormal Returns. You can check out last week’s linkfest including a look at how the pandemic nearly brought the global financial system to its knees.
Companies
- The biggest change in the US housing market post-GFC has been the explosive growth of the single-family rental market. (nybooks.com)
- A successful manned SpaceX launch is the key to private space travel. (theringer.com)
- How Varsity Brands came to dominate business of cheerleading in the US. (mattstoller.substack.com)
Weed
- MedMen was hyped as being the 'Apple of Pot.' That story has since unraveled. (politico.com)
- How CBD became a mainstream consumer product. (nytimes.com)
Conspiracy theories
- The coronavirus served as an opportunity for extremist groups to push their pet theories. (nature.com)
- How Bill Gates was somehow turned into a villain by conspiracy theorists. (buzzfeednews.com)
Profiles
- Hall of Famer Andre Dawson now owns and runs a funeral home. (espn.com)
- A big profile of actor Steve Buscemi. (gq.com)
Longreads
- Bacteria and viruses have upended civilizations through history. The novel coronavirus is just the latest. (wsj.com)
- Civilizations don't implode. History shows they largely fade away. (aeon.co)
- American consumers have been told buying stuff is their civic duty. How the pandemic may change all that. (buzzfeednews.com)
- Human behavior makes a whole lot more sense when you take into account repeated behaviors. (breakingthemarket.com)
- Selfie culture has taken over the great outdoors. (thewalrus.ca)
- What does copyright mean in the age of fan fiction? (nytimes.com)
