Thursdays are all about longform links on Abnormal Returns. You can check out last week’s linkfest including a look at the dim future for virtual reality.
Quote of the Day
“If Austin stops being affordable for those who make it an interesting place, it will stop being an interesting place.” - Patrick McKenna
(Lawrence Wright)
Books
- An excerpt from "A Hacker's Mind: How the Powerful Bend Society’s Rules, and How to Bend them Back" by Bruce Schneier. (wired.com)
- A Q&A with Eduardo J. Gómez author of "Junk Food Politics: How Beverage and Fast Food Industries Are Reshaping Emerging Economies." (npr.org)
- An excerpt from "The Wise Hours: A Journey Into the Wild and Secret World of Owls," a new book by Miriam Darlington. (insidehook.com)
Investing
- A profile of noted short-seller Carson Block of Muddy Waters Research and his many enemies. (theatlantic.com)
- How Jim Cramer endures as a fixture on CNBC. (thespectator.com)
Behavior
- American parenting is full of anxiety. (annehelen.substack.com)
- Have we taken the idea of 'impostor syndrome' too far? (newyorker.com)
- Eight of the best techniques for evaluating someone's character. (tedgioia.substack.com)
Environment
- How climate change drives migration which drives radical populism. (apps.npr.org)
- The broader salmon ecosystem is increasingly at-risk. (biographic.com)
Longreads
- No matter where you look the world it is getting older, faster than anticipated. (grid.news)
- The widespread use of weight loss drugs will change how society approaches obesity. (vox.com)
- Why Russians mistakenly think Telegram is a secure means of communication. (wired.com)
- A first-hand account why being a veterinarian is such a challenging profession. (slate.com)
- Lessons learned about the tire business from Dick Erickson and Danny Murphy's excellent book, "How the Rubber Meets the Road." (mastersinvest.com)
- Streaming services have set off a boom in documentary film making. (vulture.com)
- The Athletic’s James McNicholas leads an odd and fascinating double life. (theringer.com)