Critiques of Amazon; Jeff Bezos' annual letters; Shooting, Sex Crime, and Theft: Airbnb Takes Halting Steps to Protect Its Users; Question No. 7 to ask before you marry someone; A reader broke off his engagement

1) Amazon (AMZN) is one of the most incredible business stories of all time. In less than three decades, it has grown to be a global juggernaut that has changed the world in countless ways... So every investor and businessperson should study the company closely. As a start, I suggest reading all of the annual letters by founder and CEO Jeff Bezos, which I've compiled into a 76-page PDF posted here.

Not surprisingly, with great success and great power has come great scrutiny. Here's a collection of articles from the past month that are critical of Amazon:

• Prime Leverage: How Amazon Wields Power in the Technology World, New York Times
• Prime Mover: How Amazon Wove Itself Into the Life of an American City, New York Times
• Prime Power: How Amazon Squeezes the Businesses Behind Its Store, New York Times
• Prime Anchor: An Amazon Warehouse Town Dreams of a Better Life, New York Times
• How Amazon knocks off Allbirds, Robinhood
• You Might Be Buying Trash on Amazon – Literally, Wall Street Journal

I think this scrutiny is healthy and mostly well-deserved – but it doesn't change my view that the stock is attractive. As an investor, my job is to tune out the noise and focus on the fundamentals, which remain strong, as this article highlights: Holidays Cheer Amazon, Tiffany.

2) Speaking of scrutiny of tech leaders, this article shows why it's needed – because, without it, these companies generally put growth and profits ahead of safety: Shooting, Sex Crime, and Theft: Airbnb Takes Halting Steps to Protect Its Users. Excerpt:

Airbnb employees had a proposal in 2017 for making the home-sharing platform safer for both hosts and guests. Everyone who signs up, they suggested, should have to provide a government identification such as a driver's license.

The company had suffered through a string of embarrassing safety problems, including prostitution, theft and voyeuristic hosts using cameras to watch guests. An ID requirement might deter bad actors, the employees argued.

It wasn't the first time members of Airbnb's trust and safety team had made such a proposal, according to people familiar with the discussions. Once again, after heated debate, other company executives, including co-founder and Chief Executive Brian Chesky, rejected it. Airbnb had studied the issue and found that some users would stop signing up if asked to produce ID, said the people familiar with the discussions.

San Francisco-based Airbnb, which is preparing to go public next year in a highly anticipated IPO, blossomed into a $31-billion behemoth by following the growth-first mantra that has defined Silicon Valley for years. Now it is grappling with the question that could consume the tech industry in the coming decade: How much responsibility should companies assume for bad things that happen on their platforms?

On Halloween night, Airbnb got a reminder of what was at stake. Gunmen entered an out-of-control house party in Orinda, Calif., and opened fire, killing five people. The home had been rented out on Airbnb, then advertised on social media as a "mansion party."

3) Question No. 7 to ask before you marry someone:

Does he or she have a strong work ethic and a purpose?

Initially, this question was "have a good job or career," but I decided to replace it with "a purpose" because some people choose to do things like write books, raise kids, or do volunteer work – and they're very happy and are wonderful spouses. Rather, what I mean by this is that if you're a hustler and your spouse is a lump, your marriage will soon be in trouble...

4) One of my readers sent me this kind note over the weekend:

I just wanted to reach out and say I appreciate the information you disseminate regarding the different questions/issues to consider before marriage. This past summer, I was having doubts about getting married (I was already engaged at this point) and the doubts were not subsiding. I reviewed your questions that one should ask themselves before getting married and found several notes very helpful such as the line regarding commitment bias: "If you aren't 100% certain... Then wait and collect more information" and "If someone reveals their true colors, don't go through with the marriage."

It was two weeks before I was due to get married and your words were most helpful in making a decision to call off the wedding.

While it was a hard decision to make because it impacts many people, and there are financial consequences as well, it was the best decision I have made in my life!! I am living a much happier life now and have zero regrets about the decision since my doubts have proved to be accurate.

I appreciate you including these types of messages with your daily investment thoughts. They are both very valuable.

Best regards,

Whitney