Thursdays are all about longform links on Abnormal Returns. Wherever possible, free links for premium sites are used. You can check out last week’s linkfest including a look at the downsides of using AI to talk to animals.
Quote of the Day
"We do not, in fact, have an internal clock measuring minutes, hours and days. Instead, we use our external environment as a proxy for the passage of time."
(Mike Mariani)
Books
- Tyler Cowen talks with Annie Lowery, author of "Time Tax: How the Government Wastes Our Time—and How to Fix It." (conversationswithtyler.com)
- An excerpt from: "The Opposite of Happiness: How Bad Feelings Make and Break Us" by George Loewenstein. (derekthompson.org)
- A profile of Angela Duckworth, author of the new book: "Situated: Find the People and Places That Bring Out Your Best." (newyorker.com)
- A profile of Danny Meyer, author of the new book: "What Could Possibly Go Right?: The Essential Journey to Scale an Enduring Culture" (nytimes.com)
- An excerpt from "How to Eat an Elephant: One Voter at a Time" by Sarah Longwell. (thebulwark.com)
Profiles
- A profile of Jared Kushner, and his efforts at diplomacy. (newyorker.com)
- A (very) big profile of Mark Zuckerberg, founder and CEO of Facebook ($FB). (colossus.com)
- What does JD Vance believe? (vanityfair.com)
Russia
- A Russian oligarch, with Putin ties, helped bankroll Donald Trump Jr.'s recent wedding. (propublica.org)
- Who were the Russians at Don Jr.'s wedding? (olgalautman.substack.com)
Graft
- The U.S. is now exporting graft around the world. (theatlantic.com)
- Why scandals no longer bring down politicians. (nytimes.com)
- Crypto is the new way to undertake affinity fraud. (technologyreview.com)
Business
- A long profile of Texas Pacific Corporation ($TPL). (quartr.com)
- When Warren Buffett saved Salomon Brothers. (giftarticle.ft.com)
Sports
- A look at the business of professional baseball in the Dominican Republic. (propublica.org)
- The contradiction that is Oberlin College football. (newyorker.com)
Longreads
- How America's legal system is dealing with AI. (bloomberg.com)
- There is a middle ground between Luddite and AI-pilled. (moretothat.com)
- How the regime in Iran maintains strict control of internet access. (bloomberg.com)
- The most accomplished piece of 9/11-era arts is the musical “Come From Away.” (nytimes.com)
- Play helps make us human. (aeon.co)
- The message of Mr. Rogers. (lionsroar.com)