SBV Curated Content | A Weekly Update of Enlightening & Intriguing Information | February 10, 2021
Businesses, Stock Markets & the Economy
America’s deeply unequal economic recovery, explained in 7 charts. “The pandemic has made employment disparities in America more evident than ever.” (Vox)
Unfortunate Investing Traits (Morgan Housel)
“An iron rule of investing is that almost nothing is certain and the best we can do is put the odds of success in our favor. Since we’re working with odds – not certainties – it’s possible to make good decisions that don’t work, bad decisions that work beautifully, and random decisions that may go either way. Few industries are like that, so it’s easy to ignore. But it’s a central feature of markets.”
“Many investing blunders occur when people expect “normal” to be a period when nothing goes wrong when in fact it’s normal for things to constantly be breaking and falling apart.”
“Experience helps if you can appreciate and separate what never changes from what never repeats. If not, it can be an anchor, preventing you from seeing the world as it is vs. what you think it should be during the most important moments.”
“When you go past your risk tolerance you’re likely to face a financial bludgeoning when you sell at the worst possible time, and a psychological bludgeoning when the scars of your ordeal cause you to become once bitten, twice shy.”
“How you save, how you spend, what your business strategy is, how you think about money, when you retire, and how you think about risk may all be influenced by the actions and behaviors of people who are playing different games than you are. Few things cause more financial problems, regrets, frustrations, and inability to do the average thing when everyone else around you is losing their mind.”
Your Finances & other Wealth Management links
Your Money: A Hub for Help During the Coronavirus Crisis (The New York Times)
“The pandemic has put millions of people out of work, forced painful sacrifices and put many in the position of needing help they never imagined would be necessary. We have assembled this guide to connect you with information about government benefits, free services and financial strategies to get you through this crisis.”
Changes in FAFSA May Reduce College Aid for Some Families. “A new formula will no longer offer a break to many parents who have multiple children in college at the same time, experts say.” (The New York Times)
The Environment & ESG (Environmental, Social & Governance) Investing
Visualized: Historical Trends in Global Monthly Surface Temperatures (1851-2020) (Visual Capitalist)
View the full-resolution version of this infographic
“Since 1880, the Earth’s average surface temperature has risen by 0.07°C (0.13°F) every decade. That number alone may seem negligible, but over time, it adds up.
In addition, the rate of temperature change has grown significantly more dramatic over time—more than doubling to 0.18°C (0.32°F) since 1981. As a result of this global warming process, environmental crises have become the most prominent risks of our time.
In this global temperature graph, climate data scientist Neil R. Kaye breaks down how monthly average temperatures have changed over nearly 170 years. Temperature values have been benchmarked against pre-industrial averages (1850–1900).”
Capital pouring into ‘green stocks’ will accelerate the shift to clean energy. (wsj.com)
Big corporations are spending hand over fist on renewable energy contracts. (axios.com)
COVID-19 & Your Health
Protecting yourself against Covid requires a layered approach. (via @angie_rasmussen) (twitter.com) Angela Rasmussen, PhD Virologist
5 Hacks And Tips To Make Your Face Mask More Protective (npr)
The Colleges That Took the Pandemic Seriously. “Many colleges and universities have figured out how to diagnose their populations and control outbreaks—and offer a vision for more normal life until the vaccine is available to all.” (The Atlantic)
Your Physical & Mental Well-being
6 fundamental leadership lessons from a Navy captain. “To be effective, author and retired U.S. Navy captain Mark Brouker says leaders need to demonstrate these six critical behaviors.” (Fast Company)
This Week’s Serendipity
Timeline cleanser: You didn’t know you needed to watch penguins being weighed today – but you so did… (@RexChapman) (sc-click on the photo to watch the video)