(Not) boring finds for April 2017

This month we had our world turned upside down by a more accurate mapping technique; found kindred spirits in scientists looking to rid the world of false data; learned how to talk better; thought about complacency in a new light; and were gob-smacked by the seemingly endless number of things you can do after a few beers.

These are just some of the articles, insights, and ideas percolating amongst our team. Are the topics always about investing? Not necessarily. Do they appeal to our collective sense of curiosity as investors in a complex and fascinating world? Absolutely. We hope you find value in them as well.

World Economic Forum — These maps will change the way that you view the world

This piece got us thinking differently about how we see the world. Literally. You don’t have to be a cartographer to appreciate the significance of how one style of mapping (the one we were taught in school) exaggerates the size of developed nations and reduces the size of less developed countries, versus another style of projection that more accurately depicts different countries’ relative sizes.

Wired — Researching the researchers: meet Stanford school's 'Cassandra' of fake news

There may be differences between scientific research and investment research, but we’re struck by the similarities—particularly the introspective (or meta) approach to questioning results, avoiding bias, and separating accurate data from false data.

TED Talk — 10 ways to have a better conversation (Video: 11 minutes 44 seconds)

We’re not listening to each other. Radio host Celeste Headlee, shares some engaging tips for sustaining coherent, confident conversations with virtually anyone.

Tylercowen.com — How complacent are you? Take the quiz!

Whether you actually take the quiz or simply scroll down to the excellent suggestions on how to live a less complacent, more dynamic life, this is really just the author’s teaser to buy his book. But it’s a teaser with substance and it addresses a shift that has economic impacts. Based on his best-selling book The Complacent Class: The Self-Defeating Quest for the American Dream, Professor Tyler Cowen offers tangible ways to “re-embrace the restlessness” that sparks new action and growth.

P.S. Malcolm Gladwell (author of Tipping Point: How Little Things can make a Big Difference) is perhaps Cowen’s biggest fan, so if you like his books...

Circulate — Mine's a pint: Beer and the circular economy

Honestly, is there anything beer can’t do? Serving as a posterchild for the potential of the reuse system (known as the circular economy), beer and its by-products are creating added business and environmental value by taking waste from one stage in a production cycle and using it as an input ingredient for the next.