“Waiting for the right time is seductive. Our mind tricks us into thinking that waiting is actually doing something.” – Farnam Street
Half way through 2021.
Updated stats through June:
Here are my most influential reads – in no particular order:
- CDC eviction moratorium: Supreme Court leaves ban in place through July – “The ban has just been extended another month, until the end of July, and the Biden administration said it will end then.”
- A Working Narrative – “The future of remote work is also, however, easily linked to general labor concerns, the role of work in American lives, corporatism and the social contract with our present system of capitalism.” SMS here: The current conversation at the executive level in my company seems to be missing the point that some portion of the employee population has now experienced remote work and does not want to go back to the office for that reason – unrelated to COVID concerns.
- 20 of the Best Adventure Quotes of All Time, Courtesy of Author Bill Bryson – “What on earth would I do if four bears came into my camp? Why, I would die of course. Literally shit myself lifeless.”
- On the Crisis and Inflation, Barron’s Shows How the Past Can Be Prologue – “Americans may take the chance to go on more vacations and go to more concerts and movies in the next few years, but they probably won’t be getting more haircuts or more takeout.”
- Infrastructure Finally Gets Its Week. But Inflation and Jobs Haven’t Gone Away – “So, there’s the bipartisan package totaling $559 billion to fund unambiguously needed projects for transportation, power grids, broadband, and the like, which will be financed without tax increases but by unused past spending authorizations, increased IRS enforcement, and things like selling off part of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.”
- We Were Shocked – Shocked! – that Massive Stimulus Caused Inflation – “So clearly, the big mismatch between supply and demand in this cycle is the problem. And it isn’t just in used cars and trucks. It isn’t just in hotels and airfares. In fact, it is a myth that there is a small set of categories that are inflating wildly while other prices are inert.”
- The Fed Pulls Back on Its Ultraeasy Stance. Volatility May Follow – “Yet the admission of this seemingly self-evident fact took markets by surprise.”
- Overwhelming Moab – “The common theme is incredible recreational experiences and towns that are a bit off-kilter.”
- ‘Revenge Travel’ Will Be All The Rage Over The Next Few Years – “The term is also retribution against COVID-19 and how it is losing its power to control our lives, including canceling travel plans.” SMS here: You are not owed anything, and certainly not anymore than anyone else.
- The remedy for high house prices is . . . high house prices – “As always, sales lead prices. If sales continue to trend much lower, expect prices to reverse course soon.”
Note: This is based on when I read the article, not necessarily when it was first published. Unfortunately, my backlog of things I would like to read always seems to dwarf the amount of time I can devote to reading.