Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. Read on for the latest updates and some ideas to help us all move forward. Jan. 6 hearing continues to dominate headlines Politico has provided a summary of the second hearing, which took place on Monday. It can be found here. Recession fears loom after Wall Street plunge The S&P 500 sunk more than 20% below its record low on Monday, falling firmly into… Read more
Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. Read on for the latest updates and some ideas to help us all move forward. Americans rapidly taking on debt Consumer debt levels climbed by $52.4 billion in March, according to Federal Reserve data released Friday. Pent-up spending after lockdown and consumers turning to credit cards to cover rising cost of living are likely factors, says credit analyst. Feds increase interest rates by 0.50%… Read more
Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. Read on for the latest updates and some ideas to help us all move forward. US GDP falls The US GDP fell 1.4% in the first quarter, the first time the economy has shrunk since early in the pandemic. S&P 500 drops more than 13% The S&P 500 had its worst four-month start to a year since 1939, falling more than 13%… Read more
Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. Read on for the latest updates and some ideas to help us all move forward. Government Sees Strong GDP Growth in 2022 While the government sees more risks to the economy in the months ahead due to rising prices and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, it still expects healthy GDP growth in 2022. This comes after the International Monetary Fund estimated that the US will… Read more
Virtually everyone can use a savings account to help build up their wealth, but with so many options available, how do you pick the best savings account for you? The number of options available might make it more difficult to select which savings account to choose, but it also means that with a little bit of knowledge, research and strategy, you can almost certainly find a savings account that fits… Read more
One of the odd tell-tale symptoms of COVID-19 is the abrupt loss of sense of smell reported by many patients. Researchers have recently uncovered the mechanism behind this loss. While the COVID-19 virus does not infect the nerve cells in the nose that detect and transmit information about odors to the brain, it does infect supporting cells in the nose. The subsequent inflammation wreaks havoc on the smell receptors and… Read more
One of the side effects of the pandemic has been the expansion of online grocery shopping and speedy delivery. But in large cities, many online grocery purchases are fulfilled by businesses that have taken over retail storefronts to become “ghost stores” or “dark stores.” These are small scale fulfillment centers that serve only ecommerce customers, with most orders being delivered by bike. These dark stores have the potential to reshape… Read more
Signs are emerging that the surge driven by highly transmissible Omicron variant is fading. Across the country, cases and hospitalizations are falling from record peaks. According to data from Johns Hopkins, the seven-day average for new cases was 129,000 on February 16, drastically down from 800,000 at the peak in mid-January. Data from the CDC shows a 9% drop in deaths over the last week. While mortality rates lag behind… Read more
If you think prices are increasing faster than the inflation index shows, you may be correct. Businesses are finding novel ways to pass on their cost increases to consumers. The Labor Department’s consumer-price index measures how much consumers pay for goods and services includes some of the price increases, such as smaller packages or additional fees for hotels or car rentals, but it doesn’t cover some of the hidden ways… Read more
Just as the Omicron surge appears to be peaking in the U.S., a new strain of the Omicron variant has emerged. The new strain, called BA.2, so far appears more contagious than its sibling Omicron variant, BA.1, but is also less likely to cause severe disease compared with the Delta variant. The new variant is spreading quickly in Denmark, England, and Germany, and has also been detected in parts of… Read more
The rapidly spreading Omicron variant is causing worker shortages across the entire economy as employees are out sick or quarantining. At Delta Airlines, 8,000 employees contracted COVID-19 recently, contributing to more than 2,200 cancelled flights. Grocery stores and many other businesses are cutting back on their product lines. A shortage of truck drivers means shipments are delayed, so store shelves are empty. Children are taking public buses to school because… Read more
Once again, some people are seeing bare shelves in grocery stores. Our just-in-time supply chain depends on synchrony in all links to keep shelves stocked, but a combination of factors is disrupting the timing. The fast-spreading omicron variant means grocery store workers are calling in sick, as are workers at food producers. Besides workers who are temporarily out sick, grocery stores are dealing with a labor shortage, as people quit… Read more
As another year winds down, it’s a good time to reflect on your recent business successes – and consider what you’d like to achieve in the coming twelve to fifteen months. These tips can help you with the process of making plans to help guide your business to greater success. Set priorities Entrepreneurs are typically highly creative and optimistic; as a result, they often have difficulty narrowing down their ideas… Read more
With the more contagious Omicron variant rapidly becoming the dominant strain, many experts are recommending upgrading from cloth to N95 masks. This article in Popular Science explains what to look for in a mask, how long they can be worn, how to safely reuse them, and when they should be discarded. Masks designated as KF94, N95, or in the FPP family are all subject to strict government oversight and quality… Read more
Even if you’re fully vaccinated and have your COVID-19 boosters up to date, there is a possibility you’ll still get a breakthrough case of COVID-19. Vox has a list of things you can do now to prepare. First, get a booster and a flu shot. Next, figure out how you can most easily get tested, including possibly purchasing an at-home test kit. Keep wearing your mask, and consider upgrading to… Read more
These days, businesses have plenty of options when it comes to choosing software. There are hundreds of developers creating and perfecting new products designed to help you more effectively and efficiently run your business. With so many options available, it’s important to focus so you know where to start looking and how to make the best decision. Here are some factors to keep in mind when you choose software for… Read more
In our early days of understanding the possible impacts of the new Omicron variant, it can be difficult to parse fact from opinion. In The Atlantic, Derek Thompson looks at the studies and anecdotal evidence so far available to develop an early if imperfect evaluation of the risks. Omicron is more transmissible and will spread faster than Delta. Omicron will cause more breakthrough infections. On the positive side, Omicron will… Read more
Over the weekend, several countries reported their first cases of the new Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus. While little is known about the new variant, genetic sequencing indicates it has at least 30 mutations on the spike protein, which it uses to bind to human cells, so it could be even more easily spread than the Delta variant. In response to the uncertainty, Israel has banned all foreigners from… Read more
Just a few weeks ago, it appeared that the Delta variant was on the wane in the US. However, in pockets of the Midwest, Southwest, and Northeast, cases are climbing, just ahead of the holiday travel season. Minnesota is experiencing its highest average daily case counts since April, at 3,500 per day, overwhelming some hospitals. In response, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has enlisted the National Guard to staff temporary sites… Read more
As the pandemic continues, many people are having a harder time making small daily decisions such as what to wear or what to have for lunch. According to a recent survey by the Harris Poll, nearly a third of adults were still so stressed by the pandemic that small decisions were difficult. Millennials and parents with children under 18 are having the hardest time with decisions. The combination of safety… Read more