#TeenTakeovers #TeenBoredom #SocialMedia #TeenMentalHealth #ReadABook A “teen takeover’ recently took place at Atlanta’s Beltline. This occurs when social media, i.e TikTok, Instagram etc., encourage teens to gather in a certain place at a certain time and take it over. This incident, at the 700 Block of North Avenue in Atlanta, apparently got out of hand. Police arrested more than a dozen people and recovered 10 firearms, according to Nedra Rhone, “Real Life” columnist for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Her column about “teen takeovers” was published March 1, 2026. Teens apparently are quite bored these days. Teen boredom has been a problem for a long time. But, since the COVID-19 pandemic, kids are feeling more isolated. Mental health problems among young people have increased. Combine boredom, isolation and (some may call) addiction to social media and you have a large mass of young people looking for recognition. When they go to these takeovers, teens record the activity, including themselves, and post it on their social media accounts. Back decades ago, if a teen got bored, mom and dad would just tell them to go amuse himself ot herself. Or, if he or she had nothing else to do, read a book. Today, teen boredom is more than just a phase, or something they will get over. It is manifesting itself in an apparent strong desire to be seen by others. People used to call it one’s 15 minutes of fame. In the wrong person, that desire could turn tragic. At the same time, one-on-one personal interaction is in decline. Young people’s lives are largely tied up in their digital personas. Teens used to talk on the phone for hours, one on one. Now, they spend hours scrolling through their phones, talking to no one in particular, but perhaps commenting on things for the world to read, or see. If they do have a one-on-one conversation, it is through their personal devices, usually not in person, voice to voice. It begs the question: how do these kids interact in school? How will they interact in a future workplace? Schools are beginning to crack down on personal phone use in their buildings. At the same time, with the increasing fear – and actual occurrence – of active shooters at schools, the phones provide a way for kids to quickly let parents know they are OK – or not. They call it “social” media. And, it can be a very good way to stay in touch with people you don’t often see, but want to hear from. But, between bullying that takes place on that media, and the isolation that it seems to create, it may be more like “anti-social” media. If you are feeling bored, or isolated, call – as in, pick up your device, go to the telephone or contacts icon, punch in a number (or speeddial) and call – a friend. Talk as long as you have time for. Talk about anything you want. If you can meet this person one on one, have a cup of coffee or some other favorite beverage. Perhaps meet over lunch or dinner. Talk for as long as you have time for. Your grandparents, who may have told your parents to go read a book if they were bored, were not wrong. If you are alone, find a book (they make digital ones) that interests you and read it. It may take your mind off the reason you are bored. If you believe you have a problem and need help, don’t ever be afraid to ask for it. There are many good people – not just your parents – who are more than willing to help you. Going to a “takeover” just to document that you were there is not the same thing as good, in-person social interaction. At least the kids who went to Woodstock in 1969 just to say they were there got to hear some good music to make the visit worthwhile. Takeovers may get you “clicks,” but they may not get you “kicks.” Or, they could get you the wrong kind of kicks. Plus, you do not want the wrong kind of “click,” which is the sound of arrest and detention by law enforcement, whether or not you did anything wrong. In short, when you are bored, talk, literally talk, to somebody one on one. Peter
#oil #OilMarket #OilPrices #IranWar #GeopolitialForces #EfficientDistributionOfOil The worldwide oil market is both fluid and slick. First, it is fluid because it so depends on geopolitical forces in the world, as the current Middle East war shows. It is slick because it depends as much on how the oil is transported as much as where it is produced. In either case, the price depends on world supply and demand. Middle East conflicts affect supply. How much drivers drive and how the weather affects heating are among the demand factors. Though the U.S. is a net exporter of oil, it still must import oil from Middle East sources. That’s the slickness of the market. Just because we produce a lot of oil does not mean we can distribute that oil efficiently. It’s not easy to get U.S. refined oil to U.S. markets inexpensively. That’s why, for example, the oil produced in Alaska is more economically shipped to Asia, vs. being consumed in the continental U.S. Emmett Lindner explains the oil market in detail in The New York Times. His article was also published March 12, 2026, in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “Refineries in New Jersey, for example, might import oil from Algeria or Nigeria instead of buying it from Texas,” Lindner writes. “Fuel made from imported oil often winds up in U.S. gas stations,” Lindner writes. The type of oil produced in the U.S. tends to be higher quality – light, sweet crude, he said. But U.S. refineries are set up to handle heavy and sour oil. Therefore, it’s often more efficient to sell the sweet crude and buy the heavy, the article says. Here’s the other issue Lindner cites. If the government decided to open up more fragile areas for oil drilling, i.e. government-owned areas in the West, those actions would take time, up to six months, to get online, he writes. All this talk of oil and fossil fuels begs the question: why isn’t the U.S. exploring cleaner, more sustainable energy sources, so we are no longer dependent on geopolitically sensitive oil? The country wax making strides in establishing a clean-energy industry, using solar, wind, electrical even nuclear sources. Politically, the government decided to focus back on oil and fossil fuels which, in addition to geopolitical hazards, also damage the earth more than the other sources do. Remember, when oil prices rise, the already rich oil barons get richer and everyone else gets poorer. For the moment, though, the U.S. needs a mix of fossil fuels and alternative energy, with policies intended to wean the country off fossil fuels eventually. Tower of Power famously sings, “There is only so much oil in the ground.” And, what’s still left in the ground depends almost entirely on a fluid and slick market that can send prices all over the place. The country, and the world, should be aiming for the day when oil and other fossil fuels are NOT the main driver of energy. If we don’t manage this closely, the volatile oil market could one day, when we least expect it, be tapped out. Or, the price could be so high, we may lament on what we didn’t do to secure cheaper, more sustainable alternatives. Peter
#WealthManagement #jobs #JobSecurity #JobChanges #investments #savings “Alex” is about in his early 20s. He’s just gotten a promotion, and can now think about his financial future. He hires a good financial adviser who sets up three accounts for him: one for now, one for later and one for retirement. Alex is, the TV ad says, a real client of JP Morgan Wealth Management. The scenario of Alex laid out in the ad seems perfectly normal. A young man starts a promising career and begins to save for life’s eventualities, like a home (“barndominium,” according to the ad), a family and, of course, retirement. But, as discussed often here, that scenario is hardly typical for a 20-something today. If Alex is completely independent from his parents’ financial assistance, he’s very lucky and very unusual. If Alex can get through, say, 40 more years of working, advancing in his career, saving and investing his money wisely – with an adviser’s help, of course – he will be among a small percentage of people in his generation who will do so. For most of his and other generations, careers will veer in wild directions over time. Technology, particularly AI at the moment, will change the employment landscape. Some jobs will be created. Others will be eliminated. It’s unclear in the ad what Alex does for work (he looks as if he’s in construction), but just about every workplace will change over his adult life. And most, if not all, of those changes will come when employees are not expecting them. That may mean people like Alex, if they can start saving and investing now, should. But, they may need that money much sooner than they had planned. Alex may think he can plot his career now. But, more than likely, his best laid plans will be disrupted through no fault of his own. Some disruptions can be planned for. For example, if you see things about your job, or how you do it, that you believe will change in your working life, do what you can to mitigate or even take advantage of those changes. If you see productivity gaps in what you do, chances are your employer will eventually see them, too. When that happens, it may not bode well for you. Try your best to fill those gaps. Still, you cannot stop the progress of technology. It is like running water. You may be able to divert it (perhaps to your advantage), but you cannot stop it. If you can anticipate it, you’re ahead of the game and can make changes. But, more than likely, you will be surprised at least once in your career that the job that you like will change. Those changes likely will not benefit you – at least immediately. So, if Alex in the ad is a real person, his financial adviser should be talking to him about all eventualities that he may see in his working life. As “The Gambler” put it in the Kenny Rogers song: “The best thing you can hope for is to die in your sleep.” Alex’s adviser should be telling him: The best thing he can hope for is to work as long as he wants to, advance when opportunity comes and retire on his terms. If that happens, Alex will certainly be very fortunate. Peter
#retirement #LIvingLonger #RetireLater #optimism #technology The U.S., as with most countries around the world, is aging. Some have suggested, to take the stress off Social Security and Medicare, that the retirement age should be raised. It sounds like a simple solution, but here’s the rub: most employers don’t want a lot of their workers to be older. In fact, a lot of workers are being forced out of their jobs as relatively senior employees, but well before they are able to retire. Many factors are at play. First, older workers cost more and, in some jobs, are less productive. They cost more in salary, benefits and are statistically sicker than younger workers. Second, older workers have older skills. Not that those skills aren’t valuable, but often, with technology, are obsolete. That isn’t to say that older workers can’t learn new skills, but they may be less patient with the constant retraining. Third, artificial intelligence is here. Employers are evaluating how this technology can replace human labor. They may find that they may need fewer people overall, regardless of age, to accomplish tasks. Fourth, it’s been said that the immigration crackdown will force employers to hire U.S.-born labor, opening the door for older workers to keep working. But, some of those jobs are not suitable for aging workers. They may not be able to keep up with the physical demands, through no fault of their own. These factors, and others, are preventing a lot of people from working into their elder years. So, how do we solve the demographic nightmare some see on the horizon? The answer, as some have suggested, is NOT forcing people to have more children. Young people today are having enough difficulty carving out independent lives. Often, they remain dependent on their parents to help subsidize them, because of the high cost of living, student loans and other burdens. If AI makes getting entry-level jobs more difficult, regardless of education, this will compound that problem. There’s no simple solution(s) here. Lifestyles have had to change out of necessity. One can long for yesteryear, but cannot put toothpaste back in the tube. It seems things will get worse during the transformation that technological advances will bring. In the meantime, people will struggle to live as best they can. They may get jobs, they may lose jobs, but, whatever happens to them, cannot lose hope. One cannot live on hope alone, but one cannot live without hope. One has to presume that struggles will ensue. But, he or she must muster the strength to overcome those struggles, however long it takes. We can’t legislate change, but we can legislate common-sense mitigations. What those are may be subject to debate. As individuals, the best thing we can muster is the optimism that things eventually will change for the better. Peter
