#coronavirus #COVID19 #FlattenTheCurve #AirPollution
Air pollution makes the novel coronavirus more lethal.
So says a study by Harvard University.
Long-term exposure to polluted air makes the virus more deadly because pollution worsens complications of respiratory illness, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution quotes the study. The newspaper published an explainer on this April 18, 2020.
But here’s the irony: because the virus has kept many people in their homes, thereby minimizing human activity, many cities around the world are reporting cleaner air, the article says. By not driving much, and with businesses not churning as much pollution into the air, one can actually see mountains in the distance from some cityscapes that were clouded with smog prior to the outbreak.
U.S. Environmental Protection chief Andrew R. Wheeler said the agency would not tighten controls on particle pollution, known as PM2.5, because of insufficient scientific evidence, the article says. The PM2.5 standards were enacted in 2012.
In fact, the article says, PM2.5 – small lung-damaging particles generated by power plants, cars, airplanes and burning – levels have dropped by 39 percent between 2000 and 2018. However, data has shown an uptick in some regions since 2016, according to the article.
Americans now see less pollution and have gained 1.5 years of life expectancy since 1970, the article says.
This information puts our lives into perspective. We need economic activity to live. But economic activity means pollution. It’s up to us as humans to try to maximize – we can’t really eliminate all pollution – our air quality.
This viral outbreak has taught us a lot about how to do things differently. Something as simple as minimizing trips to the grocery store can put savings back in our pocket, and minimize the particles we put into the air.
Though it would be impractical over time to live lives secluded at home, perhaps this stay-at-home life can teach us to value things we had put little value on before.
Meanwhile, stay-at-home orders also mean no income coming in for many people. What if you could make money by staying home? There are many vehicles out there that allow you to use technology to help you generate income while you, and everyone else, is staying home. To learn about one of the best such vehicles, message me.
As progress is made on alternative energy sources, we will see less pollution over time.
Decades ago, the hum of engines and factory machines meant industrial progress. They were the sounds of money being made.
As we continued to make progress, we, in turn, made our air quality worse. As we look forward to a cleaner, perhaps quieter, world, it will mean some jobs could disappear.
If you are among those for whom the sound of internal combustion engines or factory machinery means money, you may eventually have to rethink how you earn a living.
Peter
Author Archives: pbilodeau01
THINK BEFORE TAPPING 401K
#coronavirus #COVID19 #FlattenTheCurve #retirement #savings #401ks
You’ve been laid off or furloughed.
You have no income, at least for the moment.
Federal stimulus, unemployment insurance etc. will help, but it may not bail you out entirely.
You haven’t got much, if anything, in savings, except, perhaps your 401(k).
You’d like to save it until retirement, but things are desperate now.
Carla Fried, from Rate.com, suggests you consider four things before you tap that retirement nest egg.
Her article was published April 16, 2020, in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Fried’s first suggestion: try reducing your monthly bills. Some people have subscriptions, or belong to things, they don’t use much. If that’s the case with you, cut some of those expenses.
Fried points out that the stimulus bill allows you to stop payments on student loans until Sept. 30. Most landlords will work with you on rent. Remember, many landlords have mortgages on the place you live in, and they are hurting, too.
Fried’s second suggestion is to understand the taxes you will owe if you tape that 401(k) early. Congress has allowed those tax payments to be made over three years, but you should not tap that money unless absolutely necessary.
If you have a Roth IRA or Roth 401(k), withdraw that first, she suggests, since you can do so without a tax penalty.
Thirdly, Fried suggests taking a few minutes to think about the future. “Before you tap retirement savings, try to slow down your racing brain. Imagine yourself at 65. At 70. At 90. That’s why you save,” the article says.
Finally, Fried suggests not rushing to make that, or any, decisions because you are laid off. Know that this crisis is temporary, and if you can weather it without drastically impairing your financial future, you’ll be better off for it.
Also, take a moment to think outside the box. There are many vehicles out there that allow you to spend a few, part-time hours a week to generate an income that could ultimately dwarf whatever you would make at a job.
They can allow you to rebuild your retirement savings over time, if you desperately need to tap into it now.
To learn about one of the best such programs, message me.
In summary, take a breath. Consider everything now and in the future before making decisions. These times will test our patience, but steel yourself to be up to the test.
Remember, too, that this situation is temporary, albeit indefinite. Some states are looking to open up certain businesses at the end of April or early May. Remember, too, that “normal” may not look like the normal you remember. Some jobs may not come back. Employers will learn from this experience, and find ways to do things that may save them money, and, perhaps, cost jobs.
For you, it’s best to wait before tapping your retirement savings, if you can, and look for other ways to generate income, if you need to.
Peter
WE WANT THINGS TO BE OPEN AGAIN; DOES THAT INCLUDE YOU?
coronavirus #COVID19 #FlattenTheCurve #OpenTheCountry #AloneTogether
Open.
We so want the country opened back up again, but don’t know yet when that can happen safely.
Close and close.
We hated to see the country close. We long for the days when we can get close again.
As much as we’d like to see the country reopen, let’s look at ourselves.
Do WE want to be more open?
It’s not an easy answer. It may take some effort to think about. But we SHOULD think about it.
Inevitably, when the country reopens completely, things are going to change.
Some companies, indeed some individuals, will have to adapt to new ways of doing things.
It’s been reported that as many as 50 percent of the jobs lost because of the pandemic will not return. Some businesses will not survive this short-term closure. Some companies will re-examine what they did during this time, to stay up to speed without violating guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Of course, they will want plans in place to combat another pandemic.
Don’t underestimate the innovation and creativity taking place during this time. Parents who work from home also had to help school their kids from home. So much communication took place without face-to-face meetings. There is potential for great savings for companies, schools and other organization if they can perfect remote communication practices.
Restaurants, bars and other businesses will need to get back up and running as they previously did. But even they may change practices as a result of this take-out-only time. For example, some restaurants allow ordering and paying online prior to pickup. What if you could order your meal, pay for it and have your food already prepared when you arrive to dine in?
All of these things will likely mean that they will eventually need fewer people.
Here’s a way, even before the country reopens, that you can be more open: consider checking out something that could give you a potentially great income without having to worry about whether a pandemic will cost you your job.
There are many programs out there that enable a person to work from home, whether there is a pandemic or not. (As a bonus, when the pandemic is over, you can work face-to-face, if you prefer that.)
If you’d like to be more open, and want to check one of the best such programs, message me.
Remember, as we long for things to be open again, we have to do it safely. That may mean remaining closed for a bit more time.
But while things are closed, why not think about being more open yourself?
What you know, and are content to pursue, may disappear very quickly. One day, you could be forced to find alternatives, some of which may be much less desirable than what you know or are content to pursue.
While we wait for the time to open the country, open yourself.
You won’t know what’s out there for you unless you open up to find it.
Peter
EVEN LONERS MISS SOMETHING DURING SOLITUDE
#coronavirus #COVID19 #FlattenTheCurve #solitude #loneliness
Even introverts eventually tire of solitude.
In this period of social distancing, even if you don’t consider yourself a “people person,” there will be things you will miss.
Leonard Pitts, columnist the Miami Herald, misses his Wednesdays, when new comic books come out.
In a column also published April 5, 2020, in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, he discusses not only his introversion, but also the pleasures he’s missing.
Pitts writes that he thought the quarantine period would be easier for him than many of us.
It is, but …
Everyone has SOMETHING they enjoy that’s no longer part of their routine during this period.
For Pitts, it was the conversation at the comics store with other aficionados. That conversation, he points out, was about nothing serious. But, he still misses it.
So what are you missing?
Your job? Your office conversations?Hugs for friends and family? Meeting new people? Shaking their hands?
We know – at least most of us know – that distance from others is needed right now, lest the coronavirus spread worsens. We also know – at least most of us do – that it is temporary.
How temporary it is remains to be seen.
On the other hand, maybe you DON’T miss work. Maybe for you, your job is a necessary evil. Maybe you don’t have a job to go back to.
If you are among those who feel that way, and are willing to look at something that is so different you never would have considered doing anything like it, there are many programs out there that allow you to earn an income without a necessarily evil job.
If you have an open mind and are willing to check out one of the best such programs, message me. (As a bonus, you can even do it remotely from home, when necessary).
For Pitts, staying at home may have proved easier for him than others. However, he writes, “easier” is not “easy.”
Again, what’s not “easy” for you?
For some, who are trying not to go to the grocery store, it may be fresh fruits and vegetables.
A good piece of advice is if you must go to the grocery store, get in, get what you need and get out. Don’t linger. Stay away from others. Don’t browse.
In other words, to quote Moe Howard of The Three Stooges, “spread out!”
In normal situations, getting close would be a good thing. But until the pandemic passes, as the government repeats daily, “Do your part. Stay apart.”
Peter
NO LAYOFFS, FOR NOW, AT SOME COMPANIES
#coronavirus #covid19 #jobs #layoffs #FlattenTheCurve
Employers of all sizes are in a bind.
Many have to stay closed to keep up with social distancing in the age of Covid-19.
Yet, they don’t want to lose the workers that made them successful prior to the spread of the virus, and will want them back when things open up again.
Jena McGregor looked at this issue in an article for the Washington Post. It was also published April 3, 2020, in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
“We don’t want our teammates to worry about their jobs during a time like this,” the article quotes Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan. “We told them there’s no issue; you’re going to be working now through year end. No layoffs, nothing. We’ll continue to pay everybody,” Moynihan continued.
Meanwhile, Salesforce.com Chief Executive Marc Benioff pledged March 25 “not to conduct any significant layoffs over the next 90 days” and to continue to pay hourly workers while offices are shut down, McGregor writes.
The article points out that large corporations with big cash reserves are better able to avoid layoffs during the current crisis than small companies or those in hard-hit sectors.
Companies that were scrambling to hire people just weeks ago may also worry about getting caught without them once the worst is over, McGregor quotes Jeffrey Pfeffer, a professor at Stanford University’s business school.
Again, it’s a tough spot for employees, but also a tough spot for their employers.
Federal aid for both appears to be on its way, but may not arrive for weeks.
It’s clear not all of the businesses that were up and running before the pandemic hit will be able to recover quickly. Some may not recover at all, and will go out of business.
If this crisis brings uncertainty to your life, as it does for many, know that you have several options out there that allow you to make an income by not only working remotely, but also avoiding a lot of personal contact. And the bonus is that once the crisis is over, you can work these programs in a more face-to-face manner.
To learn about one of best of these programs, message me.
Meanwhile, above all, stay safe, stay in as much as possible and presume you are a carrier of the virus, even if you feel good.
The slowness and selectivity of testing may leave many carriers out there who may never know they are carriers.
Wash your hands frequently, and clean surfaces you touch thoroughly.
At the same time, stay in touch with folks, even if you can’t see them. Know that those you love, even if you can’t see or touch them now, appreciate hearing your voice or seeing your face through the various technical options for video conferencing.
It’s a tough time at the moment, but it will pass. We just don’t know when. And, we don’t know whether this virus, or some other, will shut us down again.
Staying free of illness and helping others do the same is all that matters right now. You can deal with the uncertainties later.
Peter
STUDENT AID: THE PITFALLS
#StudentAid #CollegeLoans #scholarships #FamilyContribution
When a family applies for federal student aid, the application process spits out an expected family contribution.
When the student chooses a school, the school may tell the family what ITS expected family contribution will be. Often, that number is higher than the federal number – often considerably higher and potentially unaffordable for the average family.
Tara Siegel Bernar tackled this subject in an article for The New York Times. It was also published Nov. 24. 2019, in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
“For a long time, there has been this growing chasm between the need-analysis formula and accurately reflecting a student and their family’s ability to pay for college,” the article quotes Justin Draeger, president of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, which has members at nearly 3,000 schools.
“The gap has grown wider not just because of the exponential rise in college prices, but also because of the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) formula itself,” Siegel Bernar writes.
The EFC formula often assumes families have more income available for college than they actually do, the article quotes financial aid experts. “The reason lies in its basic assumptions: that a family of four, for example, can subsist on less than $30,000, no matter where they live,” Siegel Bernar writes.
There are certainly differences in the cost of living among various areas of the country. The East Coast and West Coast areas are generally expensive to live in, because that’s where where many job and career opportunities lie.
There are also different family circumstances. A family may have an elderly parent living with it, for example.
The point here is that formulaic calculations don’t always add up for everyone. Also, college is expensive. When a family sends a student to college, and may have trouble affording to pay for it, there had better be lots of thought: what will the student study, will that study pay off in terms of a lucrative career, is it worth incurring debt to make it happen etc.
First, college is not for everyone. Second, not every field of study will necessarily lead to a good-paying job. If a job is hard to find at the end, and the student is saddled with a big debt, it may be a long time before he or she gets on his or her feet as an adult.
Parents, meanwhile, need to have a nest egg for retirement. Sacrificing one’s retirement to send a child to college may not always be the best option for families.
Finally, there are many programs out there that allow a person, regardless of background or education, to earn a potentially lucrative income, if he or she puts his or her mind to it and follows a system. To learn about one of the best such programs, message me.
In sum, the cost of college is likely to be more than you originally thought it would. As with health care, colleges have to find economies, efficiencies etc., to make higher education more affordable.
Students have to think about not only which school to attend, but also what they will major in. Will that major likely produce a payoff that will make it worth it to mortgage one’s self, or family, for many years?
Certainly, no education is wasted. But there is a difference between payoff and waste. Think long and hard, and get good family and educational input, before deciding where to go to college, what to study or even whether to go to college.
Peter
4-DAY WORKWEEK; IN OUR DREAMS?
#4DayWorkweek #work #jobs #layoffs
Since the 1970s, it’s been predicted that the economy would adopt, even embrace, the four-day workweek.
Some have experimented with it. Nursing, as an example, tried the Baylor plan that even cut the workweek to three days at 12 hours each.
Niraj Chokshi has discussed this concept in an article for The New York Times. It was also published Nov. 17, 2019, in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
“Just recently, Microsoft Japan inspired a flood of stories after reporting that, in a trial, shortened weeks had boosted productivity by about 40 percent,” Chokshi writes. But the four-day workweek is “a profound advancement that has seemed just around the corner for decades,” the article says.
In fact, the article says, famed economist John Maynard Keynes predicted that the trend toward shorter workweeks would continue. Keynes imagined that by 2030 or so, people would work just 15 hours a week.
Of course, Keynes’ prediction came shortly after Ford introduced the five-day workweek decades ago, the article says.
Alas, today’s employers are often unwilling to experiment with the four-day workweeks. Adam Grant, and organizational psychologist at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business, attributes employers’ reluctance to a lack of three things: interest, faith in employees and understanding of the benefits a shortened workweek can offer, the article says.
One of those benefits is appropriate for today: less exposure to others as a disease circulates.
In recent times, it’s been said that people are either overworked or unemployed. Many are time-broke, because of work demands. Employers want to get every bit out of every employee to get their money’s worth.
With all the emphasis on work today, many feel fortunate to have a job. However, if you are overworked, time-broke or unemployed, there may be a solution for all those conditions outside the traditional job market.
There are many vehicles that allow people to spend a few, part-time, off-work hours enhancing their incomes, without having to take a second traditional job.
The vehicles require only an open mind, a willingness to be coached and the desire to help other people. No other experience or education is required.
To learn about one of the best such vehicles, message me.
Meanwhile, technological advancements and other efficiencies are enabling companies to do more with fewer people.
Your job, if you have one, may not be there for as long as you want it. The ability to change jobs has gotten a bit better, but you have to ask yourself whether you are changing jobs for the right reasons.
People have a tendency to view themselves as a necessary component to their employer’s success. Know that no matter how “necessary” you are, your employer will not hesitate to let you go if he or she sees a better, cheaper way to do what you do. Or, the could let you go if they believe they can get along without you.
It’s a nice idea to be able to work at a job you love, for as long as you want to work. For most, that is a dream – literally.
The reality: you go to work every day not knowing whether it will be your last. Be on the lookout for something that can enable you to smile as you are being laid off.
Peter
WORKING FROM HOME CHANGING HOUSING MARKET
#WorkFromHome #coronavirus #COVID-19 #commuting
Technology is allowing more people to work remotely.
That’s changing the way people think about where to live.
In and around big cities may not be the only option for those able to carve out office space at home.
Lisa Prevost took on this subject in an article for The New York Times. It was also published Sept. 25, 2019, in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of last year, 24 percent of employed persons worked at least part of the time at home, the article says. That percentage has undoubtedly increased as coronavirus (COVID-19) fears and precautions have set in.
Among those with advanced degrees, it was 42 percent, the article quotes the figures.
In a survey last year of 23,000 new home shoppers, John Burns Real Estate Consulting, a firm with offices nationwide, 30 percent worked at home between one and four days a week. Some 13 percent worked at home full time, the article says.
States like Vermont are offering incentives for people to move there and work from home, the article says.
Is this a trend? Let’s look at it from all sides.
In past decades, employers frowned on people working from home for lack of supervision. They didn’t trust that employees could give full attention to their work, or give a full day’s work, from home.
It’s not that people would necessarily cheat their employers , though there are certainly those who might try. It’s more that home provides distractions – kids, TV, personal phone calls etc. – that would prevent an employee’s 100 percent concentration on his or her job.
But longer commutes, or even short commutes in heavy traffic are forcing people to spend more time getting to and from work, adding stress that could interfere with their ability to do their jobs.
Commuting and traffic add to the general societal problem of overcrowding and gridlock in cities, pollution from vehicles and portions of life wasted commuting.
So, the attitude about working at home may be changing, and technology is enabling people to do their jobs from anywhere.
Be careful what you wish for. You pay for the freedom to work from home with the electronic leash from work that never gets removed.
Certainly, technological advancement is a blessing and curse. But it is here, and people must adapt.
But what if you could work from home at a job you enjoyed, and could work when you wanted? There are many vehicles out there that allow people to work independently, yet have a network of colleagues they can call for help. These programs are designed for people who want to be their own bosses. They certainly require work, but, with no one watching you, are aimed at people who are self-motivated.
If you believe you are that self-motivated person, regardless of your education and skills, and want to learn about one of the best such programs, message me.
The bonus with these programs is you can live and work from anywhere.
Business and society are certainly warming up to the idea of having people work from home. They have to evaluate people more on tasks than hours worked.
Is it right for you? Remember, there are benefits and costs – freedom, but loss of interactions and gain of distractions. You have to evaluate your own situation to determine whether such an arrangement would suit you.
Peter
ROBOTS SERVING AT RESTAURANTS? INDEED
#robots #restaurants #FastFood #novelties
Maybe you went into a certain line of work thinking that a machine could never replace you.
Now, they have robots at restaurants.
Ligaya Figueras, food columnist for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, found one such robot at Big Bang Pizza in Brookhaven, Ga. She featured the topic in her Sept. 23, 2019, column.
One customer, age 4, was excited by the robot greeter at the pizza place.
But, if you earn a living, or make a little extra money, as a restaurant server, you may one day be replaced by a robot.
Not only is it happening at Big Bang Pizza, some restaurants cut down on server time by allowing you to order at your table by computer.
That’s a modern variation on the “order first, be seated later,” restaurants.
If you are in the restaurant industry, the news is not all bad.
Restaurant workers are getting difficult to find in some places. Some restaurants or restaurant chains that would like to open in Location X, decline to do so for lack of good help.
If you live in a community where younger people are in relatively short supply – that means high school and college students who need to earn a little part-time income or summer income – you may be deprived of certain dining options for that reason.
The Big Bang Pizza owners used the robots as a hook to stand out among the plethora of pizza joints, Figueras points out.
“Here is your food. Please take it away from my tray and when you’re done, touch my hand so I can get back to work,” the robot named Pepper tells a Big Bang customer, according to Figueras.
The pizza place still has many human employees who take orders, mix drinks from the full bar, cook the pizzas and program the robots to deliver food to the table, Figueras writes. The employees actually like working with the bots, she says.
At Big Bang, the attraction becomes a practical alternative to people. It requires no benefits, no salary, no tips – nothing a human would require. In another article by Sam Dean for the Los Angeles Times, a robot named Flippy, being used in Pasadena, Calif., had sensors to tell it when to flip a burger, or pull a basket of fries out of the boiling oil. That article was published March 9, 2020, in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. By the way, the restaurant’s cost to lease Flippy: $3 per hour, Dean’s article says.
Couple the food robots with the coming of driverless vehicles, delivery services by drone etc., and you can see where some jobs are headed.
But there is good news for workers. There are programs out there that can allow you to invest a few part-time hours a week to earn a potentially substantial income that could dwarf what you are earning in your W-2 job. You just have to be open to checking them out, since they may not be for everyone. To check out one of the best, message me.
Some jobs are inevitably going away, perhaps sooner rather than later. If you can prepare ahead of time for that day – remember, you may not get a warning from your employer – you might be able to be shown the door, yet leave with a smile.
To do that, you may need an open mind, a willingness to be coached, and a willingness to do something you may have thought you would never do.
So, open up, take a look and, perhaps, see your future.
Peter
SUPER CITIES LOSING THEIR LUSTER
#SuperCities #Seattle #KingCounty #SantaClaraCounty #MovingOut
For the first time in at least a decade, 4,868 more people moved out of King County, Wash. – home of Seattle and Amazon – than moved in.
Santa Clara County, Calif., home of Silicon Valley, lost 24,645 people, its ninth consecutive loss.
These figures from the U.S. Census Bureau were featured in an article by Eduardo Porter for The New York Times. It was also published June 2, 2019, in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Eight of the 10 largest metropolitan areas in the country, including those around New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Miami, lost people to other places in 2018, the article says.
Thirty of the 44 largest counties, with populations above 1 million, recorded more domestic outflows than inflows of people in 2018, according to the article.
As the article points out, these big metro areas offer more opportunities for highly educated people. But, moving to opportunity it not what it once was, the article says.
“Big cities have lost their luster for workers without four-year college degrees. They will make no more than they would in, say, small-town Alabama,” the article quotes Massachusetts Institute of Technology economist David Autor. His work was part of another New York Times article by Emily Badger and Quoctrung Bui, Porter’s article says.
If folks cannot get a big enough pay increase to offset the higher cost of living in those big cities, there seems little point to move there.
That begs the questions: where do YOU want to live? Do you live there now? Are you able to move?
What if you could live anywhere you wanted? What if the cost of living there didn’t matter to you? What if the job opportunities didn’t matter to you?
Well, there are plenty of vehicles out there that will allow you to potentially increase your income by devoting a few part-time hours a week. You just have to open to checking out something that you may have never thought you would do. If you’re in that mind-set and want to know about one of the best such vehicles, message me.
There are certain reasons we may live where we live. A job, family, friends etc., create attachments for us.
Plus, moving can be scary to some. Living some place where you don’t know a soul can be daunting. To others, the adventure of moving to a whole new place can be exhilarating.
What’s important is whatever makes a person happy. For some, who can’t change the people around them, changing the people around them — meeting all new people – may be just what the doctor ordered.
Cost of living can be important. Paying three times as much – or more – for rent or a house that’s basically the same as the one you left may seem ridiculous. Ironically, some of the most expensive areas to live are some of the most fun and opportunistic. Their desirability may have a lot to do with why they are so expensive.
Remember, rents and house prices usually are set at what the market will bear. The more desirable a location, the more expensive it likely will be.
So explore your options – if you dare. There are ways that will allow you to live wherever your heart wants you to.
Peter