December 7, 2020
Amazon strained to meet its two-day delivery window early in the pandemic, but over the course of 2020, Amazon responded to increased demand. It boosted its fleet of cargo ships to 80, added 220 packaging facilities, and hired hundreds of thousands of new employees. One analyst estimated Amazon could capture 42 cents of every dollar spent this holiday season. Marketplace December 4, 2020
Even without further fiscal support, consumers collectively are sitting on more than $1 trillion in “excess savings” over and above pre-Covid levels. The S&P 500 companies have a record $2 trillion in cash, and those with debt have refinanced at rock-bottom rates and extended maturities to record length. CNBC December 5, 2020
In 1966, Coach Bear Bryant’s undefeated Alabama team only had 19 players who weighed more than 200 pounds. The linemen averaged 194. The quarterback, Ken Stabler weighed 177. Topeka Capital-Journal, August 7, 2012
“The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom.” Isaac Asimov
As recently as 2013, Exxon was the largest company in the world. Today, ExxonMobil is not even in the top 40 most valuable companies in America. Axios, November 1, 2020
With a view to slashing the impact of industrial livestock production on climate change, as well as providing cleaner, drug-free, and cruelty-free meat, dozens of firms are developing cultivated chicken, beef, and pork. Currently, about 130 million chickens and 4 million pigs are slaughtered every day. By weight, 60% of mammals on earth are livestock, 36% are humans and only 4% are wild. The Guardian, December 1, 2020
“Progress would be wonderful- if only it would stop.” Robert Musil
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