THE MUSTS

• Black lives do matter. The year after Black Lives Matter protests, the S&P 100 added more than 300,000 jobs — 94% went to people of color. The trend continued up the job ladder in top, high-paid jobs too!

• Rhino populations in Africa are increasing for the first time in 10 years. A combination of conservation and anti-poaching initiatives has resulted in +4.2% from 2021, with white rhinos having an +5.6% increase.

• America is recovering. Inflation has come down, real wages have gone up, income inequality has declined, and the job market is the best it's been in decades.

• Uganda numbers are really promissing. Fertility rates are down, contraceptive use is up, nine in ten women now give birth accompanied by skilled attendants, child mortality has almost halved in the last decade and a majority of children now receive all basic vaccinations.

• Canada basically ended poverty. While poverty in the country has been trending more or less downward for 30 years, it reached it’s lowest due to their ability to generate jobs for people at the lower end of the income distribution.

• Kenya achieves remarkable 68% decline in Aids-related fatalities. Since the initiation of a comprehensive ARV programme in 2013, over 1.2 million people have been able to access treatment.

Who Really Controls Our Infrastructure?

This week, Follow The Money dropped a mind-blowing, a bit dense, exposé on the power shift towards asset managers and their ever-growing influence over public assets. The situation raises red flags about transparency and accountability in the management of our vital public infrastructure.

Governments are cozying up to the private sector for colossal infrastructure investments (think roads, water systems, and rental properties) and climate action. Asset managers like Blackstone, Brookfield, and Macquarie are now infiltrating sectors previously government-owned, essentially crafting an "asset manager society." 

In the UK for example, the privatization of drinking water services led to massive debt accumulation within these companies, while shareholders received significant dividends.

How it works: Asset managers extract profits from investments and transfer risks to others - including governments and taxpayers (you, baby). Pension funds, which should have long-term vision horizons, often invest in these short-term-focused asset managers making everything even more intertwined.

• Reduced Accountability: Citizens struggle to keep these entities accountable for delivering essential services fairly and maintaining quality standards.

• Short-Term vision: Asset managers are all about short-term gains and returns. This can lead to neglecting long-term investments – think deteriorating roads, crumbling buildings, or inadequate healthcare facilities.

• Income Inequality: In their pursuit of profit, asset managers often increase costs for services, affecting lower-income individuals the hardest. Meanwhile, they and their shareholders rake in the cash, deepening the wealth gap.

• Loss of Control: Decisions on pricing, access, and quality are now in the hands of profit-chasing private entities. No democratic control over crucial aspects of our lives.

• Global Inequities: Asset managers often invest in both developed and developing countries. Profits generated from investments in developing nations may flow back to the developed world, perpetuating global economic inequalities. It's like modern-day colonialism.

• Ethical Quandaries: Ever wondered if it's right for private entities to profit from healthcare, education, or housing? Plus, they might invest in industries that don't align with our values or sustainability goals.
  
  feeling smarter already?

What else is on?

• Hollywood strike ends in historic settlement: After 148 days, the deal includes higher streaming content compensation, minimum writers’ room sizes and AI protections.

• Michael Jordan. With an estimated net worth of 3 billion dollars, the businessman became the first athlete to enter the list of the 400 richest people in the United States.

• New IPO coming up: Birkenstock is targeting a $9.2 billion valuation in its upcoming IPO. Not bad for a sandal so grounded it brought Barbie to the real world.

US Government (Almost) Shuts Down

Life has not been easy for uncle Biden. In addition to an impeachment inquiry and a complicated re-election scenario, the US Goverment almost shut down this week.

What happened? On one hand, Biden's opposition in the House, led by Kevin McCarthy, wanted to cut 100 billion dollars from public spending, while Senate Democrats, the president's party, wouldn't accept the reduction.

The problem is that the US government only had money to pay its bills until the end of this month (something I can personally relate) and this was known since the beginning of the year.

The relevance: Government shutdowns are extremely uncommon, occurring only 4x in the history of the US. Estimates suggest that this can reduce GDP growth by approximately 0.2 percentage points per week

And the biggest lost goes to…… Ukraine: The short-term funding deal approved by the House and the Senate excludes any new aid for Ukraine, that already tried to calm the press stating their country is not in jeopardy - even after losing the $20 billion in assistance that was expected from the US.

What else in on?

• The fastest growing country: Guyana is expected to grow by 38% this year and a cumulative 115% over the next five years. By 2022, the growth of the Guyanese economy has already accelerated to over 62%.

• Canada & India: The relations between the two nations came to a head this week. Justin Trudeau, Canada's prime minister, accused the Indian government of murdering a citizen of his country - and things escalated quickly.

• US Latin economy boom: 20.9% of GDP growth Latinos contributed a 1/5 of the real GDP growth in the US during the last decade, showing the importance of this group in the country's economic expansion.

• 11 million people: Poverty in Argentina reaches 40% of the population, according to 1H data.

• Record High: Panama-Colombia migration hits 400,000 people this year.

Trend Alert

• Prada to the moon. The brand is working with NASA for next-generation spacesuits.

• Fashion Week Wrap up: What happened in the Milan Fashion Week?

• Victoria’s Secret is bleeding money. Can a fashion show save it?

• Only for the young readers. How Shiatzy Chen is tapping Gen Z

Jazz is for ordinary people by berlioz: In his first EP, berlioz skillfully brings jazz back into popular consciousness while simultaneously redefining the boundaries of house music. By simplifying something as complex as jazz can be, he opens the door and invites people who wouldn't normally think of listening to the genre. The tracks are a compelling example of the rare fusion of these two genres, resulting in an atmospheric, rich, and diverse musical experience filtered by a promissing new artist.

Must-listen for anyone who appreciates house, jazz, or music in general. (Rating: 9/10)

Starfucker by Slayyyter: This might be one of the most incredibly produced pop albums of the year. Just like a tailor-made playlist for an awesome night and using whatever handheld object that’s around as a microphone, starfucker is bright, loud, dark, mysterious, theatrical, and grimy as hell - which sounds delicious.

For those that enjoy Kim Petras, Charli XCX, Ava Max and shockingly, Carly Rae Jepsen. (Rating: 8/10)

Origins by Mike Cahill: (Summary) Ian Gray is a molecular biologist obsessed with the evolution of human eyes. After an encounter with a young foreign model (Àstrid Bergès-Frisbey) and the implications of his future scientific discoveries, Ian succeeds in an inner journey that can change his beliefs forever.

The plot is developed in a very interesting way, encouraging reflection and opening our minds to everything that opposes our convictions. Talking about themes like spirituality, synchronicity, past lives, and the controversial debate of science vs. spirituality, the film shows how living beings are beyond their own physical existence, but are not always able to realize it. (Rating 8/10)

PS: Inexplicably, I cried for about five minutes after the movie ended. I don't want to give away spoilers, but let me know your thoughts if you watch it.

As a self-proclaimed overthinker, I have a tendency to dissect every detail of life to the point of exhaustion. But we all know that constantly mulling over the same life challenges can be a draining experience - and therefore I decided to give it a chance and attempt to transform this never-ending mental conversation into something more productive and peaceful.

In this easily digestible piece, Ethan Kross delves deep into the inner workings of the brain, with a blend of scientific research and compelling real-life examples, shedding light on how we can we quiet our often relentless chatter and giving tools to benefit from this endless self talk.

Sure, putting all the wisdom from the book into practice might not be a walk in the park, but it was indeed fascinating to comprehend the power we have to shape our own thoughts and carve a clearer path to our own happiness. (Rating: 8/10)

• Eclipse coming on the 14th: If you live in North or South America, an eclipse is on the horizon. Here’s how to best enjoy it.

• Put Your Records On: This site connects to Spotify and creates playlists of artists where all their releases are listed in chronological order.

• Maximalism is coming back: When all design trends are marked by so much of the same, it seems like people are desperate for some distinctness. But how does the “more is more” aesthetic look like?

• Out of a sci-fi movie: A mysterious circular island in Argentina sounds like something out of a sci-fi blockbuster, but it’s completely real.

• Time for some coffee and crumpets? Coffee surpasses tea as Britain’s most-consumed drink.

• Want to live to be a hundred? In this Netflix documentary, you'll travel the world and discover 5 communities where people live long and happy lives.

Hello beautiful,

This month marks exactly one year of one the happiest chapters of my life - my time in Australia.

I can honestly say I never experienced a single sad moment during my stay. I woke up with a smile, went to bed with a smile, and spent my days in a state of perpetual happiness. But why was I so happy there? What made it different from my regular life? I spend many nights wondering and I'd like to share some of my thoughts.

The awareness of temporality: I knew my time in Australia was limited, and as humans, we tend to cherish things more when we know they're finite. Annoyances became less bothersome because I knew they were temporary, while pleasant moments were treasured since I knew they will soon come to an end. It's hard to apply this perspective to everyday life when we don't see an end for our daily struggles, but how can we infuse the beauty of the finite into our daily existence - allowing us to appreciate more what life can bring?

Money Matters: Knowing exactly what I can spend, whether I'll make it to the end of the month or what would happen if I got laid off, are just examples of thoughts that trigger anxiety in me like no other. But not there. With my company covering all my expenses (shoes not included), for the first time I didn't have worry about money at all. This newfound financial security opened up a huge mental space and now I could use that to focus on developing my passions and fully enjoy my free time. It was by having a life without constant financial worry that I realized the value of being financially well off and how important that is to happiness overall. Imagine if we didn’t have to worry about money as much as we do?

My own company: I spent more time alone there than ever before - For the first time I challenged myself to dine alone, I did my first solo vacation, I went to museums by myself and I literally got to fall in love with another side of me that I had never explored. While I still believe that sharing happiness with loved ones is invaluable, I also realized that we need to know how to share our own happiness with ourselves.

P.S. It's hard to believe it's already been two weeks since the launch of Tanamesa. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, and I'm grateful that many of you enjoyed the content. I've been carefully listening to your feedback and I am brainstorming ways to incorporate it into future editions. Thank you for all the love and support.

Micael.