Thursdays are all about longform links on Abnormal Returns. You can check out last week’s linkfest including a look at how we can prepare for the next pandemic.
Quote of the Day
"Receiving a lump sum seems to provide a kind of jump start to people’s lives that the usual incremental assistance doesn’t. A lump sum is transformational and it instills in recipients a sense of empowerment, of choice and of dignity."
(David Byrne)
Books
- Russ Roberts talks with Michael Blastland about his book "The Hidden Half: The Unseen Forces That Influence Everything." (econtalk.org)
- An excerpt from Tom Vanderbilt's new book “Beginners: The Joy and Transformative Power of Lifelong Learning.” (wsj.com)
Environment
- The fight over water in the American West is heating up, in part because investors are involved. (nytimes.com)
- Why Hawaii is losing it beaches to illegal seawalls. (projects.propublica.org)
Technology
- Is there path forward for Facebook ($FB) where it isn't a menace to democracy? (newrepublic.com)
- Why defaults matter a lot, especially in tech. (stratechery.com)
Profiles
- A profile of Nicolai Tangen who now heads Norway's sovereign wealth fund. (ft.com)
- A big profile of economic strategist Ed Hyman. (institutionalinvestor.com)
- What do you do if you've built a business, The Points Guy, based on travel and credit card rewards? (nytimes.com)
