What We’re Reading

Chain reaction:

Carbon dioxide is a byproduct of ethanol, which by federal mandate is mixed into gasoline to help it burn more cleanly. But fewer people are driving because of the Covid-19 lockdowns, and demand for gasoline has plunged, prompting ethanol plants to shut down. That has put pressure on the source for roughly 40% of all industrial carbon dioxide produced nationwide—a key ingredient for soft drinks and beers.

Layoffs:

“I asked: Why do you lay so many people off rather than reducing pay? And his answer was – I should’ve made it the title of my book – ‘to get the misery out the door’,” Bewley said.

“It’s sort of obvious, and I kept hearing that same thing all over the place,” he said. “Your core – which you want to hang onto and cultivate – have them work full-time and keep their pay and be loyal to the company. And everybody else, you sacrifice.”

Fear:

Your hypothalamus doesn’t care about your relative safety compared to someone else’s as it sounds the alarm. Your amygdala doesn’t consider other people as it passes on its signals – this is an ancient part of your brain that developed to keep your great grandfather from being eaten by something with sabreteeth. Your pituitary glands don’t feel for others as they pump the adrenocorticotropic hormone which lets the adrenal glands know to pump their epinephrine, and so on. Your whole nervous system is now engaged, the gas pedal is pushed to the floor and held there. It’s not designed to react to your empathy for others, it’s designed for your own survival. And when it remains at this heightened state of vigilance for days on end, you’re in trouble.

Gas rebound:

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Energy:

The United States is on track to produce more electricity this year from renewable power than from coal for the first time on record, new government projections show, a transformation partly driven by the coronavirus pandemic, with profound implications in the fight against climate change.

Safety net:

“The real difference is the amount of stimulus that has gone into the economy,” [Bank of American CEO] Moynihan said.

Balances of checking accounts below $5,000 had 30% to 40% more money in them compared with 12 weeks ago, he said.

Have a good weekend. Stay safe.