#JobMarket #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #CollegeDegrees #UnemploymentRate It’s been said that a college degree will open more doors than just a high school diploma. But, according to an article by Sydney Ember in the New York Times, there are fewer employers showing up at college job fairs. In fact, the article states, the unemployment rate for college graduates between ages 22 and 27 surged to 5.6 percent at the end of last year. It quotes an analysis from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. That rate outstripped the overall 4.2 percent unemployment rate at the time. “For those who were employed, more than 40 percent held jobs that do not typically require college degrees, the highest level since 2020,” the article reads. The Times story was also published March 26, 2026, in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The job market probably will be in flux for many years to come. With the emergence of artificial intelligence, and other economic factors, jobs will change. The need for people will change. The article also provokes a thought: Though no education is a waste, one will have to think long and hard before committing a lot of money to college in the future. Definitely, if you don’t think you are college material, don’t waste your money, thinking a degree will somehow pay off later. AI can do a lot of things. It can accomplish menial but necessary tasks that seem to waste human time. Robots don’t need bathroom or lunch breaks, vacation time or sick time. Still, there will be a need for humans to repair them when they break down. Machines can copy. They can perform tasks based on past patterns. But, they are no substitute for human intuition, innovation or creativity. Machines also do not need college degrees to perform any tasks. So where does all this leave a young person trying to create an adult life? We’ve gone through uncertain times before. The Industrial Revolution and the invention of the computer changed work for many people. Though some people’s lives radically changed, society survived. This will be another one of those times. We as people may have to rethink how we work, how we make a living and how we advance financially. Progress cannot be stopped, despite the efforts of those who want to take the U.S. back to another bygone era. AI may also change our lifestyles. It will certainly make some chores easier, but it may make other things more challenging. Therefore, it will be incumbent upon us, particularly the younger generations, to rethink how to make a good life. That may mean thinking about whether to go to college. If you decide to go, will the investment pay off? If you have to go into debt to do it, can you pay it off in a reasonable amount of time? And, if you get a job somewhere, how long will it last? What are you going to do when one day you suddenly have lost your job? Despite these potentially difficult decisions, it’s best to stay optimistic. Pessimism and self-doubt can scramble your thought process. Regardless of what you decide, know that AI is here to stay. How can you best live with it? Peter
#vaccines #PolioVaccine #Rotary #polio #RotaryInternational #PurplePinky In an opinion piece, two academics from New York University’s Medical Ethics section touted the success of the polio vaccine, as it comes up against vaccine skeptics now regulating the nation’s health. The piece, published in the April 1, 2026, edition of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, even had a photo of Elvis Presley getting his polio vaccine shot backstage at The Ed Sullivan Show in 1956. Nathaniel Mamo, MA, and Arthur Caplan, Ph.D., rightly say that polio is close to being eradicated BECAUSE of the vaccine, developed by Jonas Salk through research funding by what was then called the March of Dimes. But, what the doctors fail to mention is the role of Rotary International in distributing the vaccine worldwide, as it still does. By Rotary’s count, polio cases are down to a few in Afghanistan and Pakistan. As the academics point out, the vaccine skeptics argue that sanitation has improved enough to prevent an increase in cases. Sanitation has improved, but the poliovirus can easily spread if enough people decide not to get vaccinated. By extension, they may not get their children vaccinated. If the disease spreads, all of Rotary International’s efforts over many decades will not have been wasted, but the progress will be slowed. Certainly, getting all those folks in all those countries vaccinated was no small task. Rotary faced all kinds of obstacles to get the vaccine into people. In fact, on April 28, 2026, Rotary District 6780 in East Tennessee will have its annual Purple Pinky Day. Buy a box of 10 doughnuts from participating Dunkin’ stores for $25, and proceeds will be matched 7.5 times toward the eradication of polio through vaccinations. If you live in East Tennessee and you’d like to participate, contact your local Rotary club to order your doughnuts. If you don’t like doughnuts, you can also donate money to Rotary’s Polio Plus campaign. Those donations also will be matched 7.5 times. The clubs will be taking doughnut orders through April 9 (April 13 for some clubs), and the clubs will advise you on how you can pick up your doughnuts. If you don’t live in East Tennessee, check your local Rotary club to find out when they will have Purple Pinky campaigns. It’s called Purple Pinky Day because, as people got their polio vaccines, one of their pinkies was dipped in a purple dye to tell those distributing the vaccines that they had been vaccinated. So, the NYU folks are correct. We all should be vaccinated against polio. Science has demonstrated for decades the vaccine’s effectiveness. And, one can thank Rotary International for spearheading the campaign to help those around the world who may not have ready access to the vaccine get it. Polio and other diseases are either preventable, or their effects can be minimized through vaccines that have been properly tested. Those who cast doubt on proven vaccines are doing a disservice to the nation, the world and overall health. But, creating and testing vaccines and making them available may not be enough. Organizations like Rotary have to make it their mission to make sure the vaccines are widely available. If it succeeds in eradicating polio, Rotary undoubtedly will move on to conquering other diseases worldwide. Distributing vaccines is the most effective and efficient way to do that. Peter
#ArtificialIntelligence #AI #jobs #Amazon #AIInvestment #PreparingForAI Your salary and benefits are so good, you can buy your daughter a big scoop of ice cream. Or, you can comfortably take your girlfriend out on a dinner date. These scenarios come from Amazon recruiting ads on television. But, how long will you have a job, if you work for Amazon, or anywhere in manufacturing? Jeff Bezos, who owns Amazon, is investing $100 billion in AI that could ultimately eliminate many manufacturing or warehousing jobs. Bezos is spearheading a new $100 billion fund to buy and modernize industrial manufacturing firms with AI, often utilizing technology from his own startup, Project Prometheus. Prometheus, focused on physical AI simulations for aerospace and defense, launched with $$$6.2 billion, according to The New York Times. If people don’t have jobs, will the U.S., state and local governments have to tax robots? That is being debated today, according to reports. AI seems to be the wave of the future. But, we don’t yet know exactly what toll – or benefit – AI will have on working people. Certainly, some jobs will be created, but many others will be eliminated over time. And, from all indications, that time is not too far off. So, if you are a relatively young person who works in manufacturing, or for companies like Amazon, and have a great salary and benefit package, how long do you think you will have it? It may be wise to start preparing for – not just thinking about – what you will do next. Of course, that is much easier said than done. Sometimes, it’s often hard to project where your skills might be useful. You may be matched perfectly to your current job, but jobs go away. Or, jobs change. Or, you may have to look at your environment to see what other jobs you could learn. You may have to do this on your own time. Your employer, no matter how currently generous he or she may be, likely will NOT be thinking about you as the workplace evolves. It also may be difficult for some to project what his or her workspace will look like in, say, five, 10 or 15 years. It is a time for people with detail-oriented jobs to look at the bigger picture. The details of your job may be important now. But, imagine a machine doing the same thing. If perfected, or even if not, a machine likely will do a job faster than a human. Will it do it as well? Will the company care about the quality of human touch? If the machine does a good-enough job at a faster rate at less cost to the company, it could be very easily embraced. AI, robots and other technology are NOT substitutes for human talent. Perhaps we should think of this in foodie terms. The small farmer who raises grass-fed beef without any artificial enhancement to the cattle will produce great meat. But, overprocessed meat is cheaper. What do you think most consumers will buy more of? We can’t stop AI. But, we’ve gotten enough warning that we should ALL be preparing for it. Peter
#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
#children #lessons #chaos #BadBehavior #right #wrong #leaders When children see the political division in this country, what could be going through their minds? Are they seeing people who are supposed to work for the benefit of others only working to benefit themselves? Are they seeing others stand by and watch as people gobble up more for themselves, which means less for others? Are they seeing victims of a child sex trafficking ring get no justice, as the government works to cover up those who perpetrated the crime? Are they seeing people nabbed in the streets, sometimes beaten or even killed, just because of how they look, or for exercising their constitutional rights? Are they being taught never to lie, but see leaders on television tell them not to believe their own eyes and ears? If your child sees all this, do you approve? Were you raised in an environment in which the Golden Rule is “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you?” If so, you can’t, or shouldn’t, be happy with what is going on. And, you can’t be happy that your child is watching all this in plain sight. What will you tell that child when he or she is old enough to start asking questions about what he or she witnessed, or is witnessing? Children see things they probably had been taught at home, in school or at church to be wrong. They see leaders act with less maturity than the children themselves have. They see cowardice masquerading as strength. They see vengeance masquerading as fighting crime. They see kidnapping, physical assault and destruction of property masquerading as law enforcement. They see “leaders” complaining about being victims. They see governmental bodies empowered by the Constitution sit idle as a companion body runs improperly rampant. When seeing all this, your child may not understand when you tell them, “Don’t worry. Everything will turn out OK.” How will your child react when he or she observes your own actions? Are you standing up for what’s right, or are you lying down for political expediency? Are you making your objections heard, or are you sitting back and hoping “everything will turn out OK?” Are you allowing cowardice to overtake you, or are you fearlessly uniting with your neighbors to try to stop the chaos? Are you voting in every election in which you are eligible? In 1968, at the Democratic National Convention, Vietnam War protesters gathered in Chicago chanting, “The Whole World Is Watching!” The police overstepped at that event, too. Your children, perhaps not audibly, are chanting, “We Are Watching!” Are YOU doing the right thing by them? Peter
#reach #stretch #stars #goals #WhateverItTakes #foundation “Keep your feet on the ground and reach for the stars.” That was the closing line from Casey Kasem’s “American Top 40” regular, syndicated radio show. When first hearing it, it seems contradictory. How can one reach for the stars while keeping his or her feet on the ground? To reach, as many motivational speakers will tell you, you must stretch. One can certainly stretch while his or her feet are planted, but to go the extra mile, one may have to stand on his or her tiptoes. For example, when reaching for something on the top shelf of a cabinet, as a short person, you may have to stand on your tiptoes to get the item. But, what Kasem may be getting at is a bit more subtle. With one’s feet on the ground, he or she can create a firm foundation. Usually, one needs a firm foundation to reach any goal. That foundation can manifest in character, honesty, humility, generosity, selflessness or may other desired human attributes. From that foundation, one can set goals and reach for them, no matter how far, how unlikely or how difficult they may seem. That good foundation can now become flexible. It can help the person realize what he or she needs to do, and must do, to achieve the goal(s). That flexibility may require the person to do things he or she may never have done before. That may require manufacturing the courage to pursue the unknown or untried. It can manifest in reaching for the proverbial stars, as in something that may seem out of reach. Not everyone will do it, hence the adage: “do today what others won’t so you can do tomorrow what others can’t.” So Kasem tells his listeners (his show is still broadcast today in reruns, despite his death in 2014) that they can reach for the stars if they want to do what it takes. He’s also telling them to start with a good foundation. It can be a difficult message for some. It can go over the heads of others. Still, others will shrug it off. But his words will ring true to those who want to change their lives for the better. Keeping one’s feet on the ground amid life’s difficult circumstances is not easy for many. But, for some, it’s not circumstances that matter. It’s how one responds to them that’s the key to a better life. Amid the chaos of today, the stars may be reachable for those who want to stretch. Being optimistic may be the first step in that stretch. It may be the main attribute in establishing a good foundation. Peter
#vote #VoterSuppression #VoterIntimidation #EarlyVoting #VoteByMail They’re giving fair warning. They are saying that ICE agents will be at the polling places during the 2026 midterm elections. They’re hoping to discourage voter turnout, fearing a landslide defeat for the current party in power if too many people vote. But, if you’re among those who are not happy with what’s going on, the most powerful weapon you have is your vote. Don’t be afraid to vote. They can’t stop you from voting. It may take courage to vote in some places, but you must summon that courage. If you don’t want to vote on Election Day, vote early, if you can. Or, if it’s available to you, vote by mail. Visit your local election office well ahead of time to discern your options. If your area has a special election prior to November, vote then, too. By any means that you have, VOTE! Take your example of courage from the protesters in Minnesota, Los Angeles, Chicago, Portland and elsewhere. In Minnesota, they are braving harsh winter weather to stand in the streets, risk their lives and tell the overwhelming contingent of federal agents that they don’t want them there. They are helping their neighbors who legitimately fear capture and deportation – often illegitimate deportation – stay safe and stay fed. If we all turn out to vote, we will show that there are more of us than there are of federal agents. They will not be able to stop ALL of us – and they legally cannot stop ANY of us. You may have to brave long lines at the polls if you have to vote on Election Day. There may even be some lines at early-voting locations on some days. These are inconvenient, to be sure. But, casting your vote is paramount. Life as you know it could depend on it. Local and state officials who, by law, run elections, have to stand firm. They have to make sure EVERY legal vote is counted. They also have to protect polling places from the illegitimate presence of federal officials. They have to protect voters from intimidation from federal officials or others seeking a certain outcome. You have months to prepare to vote in November. You have months to choose your preferred candidates carefully. If you want things to change, vote for candidates that will help enable that change. If you’re among those who like what you see from your federal government, you certainly have the right to elect those who’ll preserve the status quo. Many people see unnecessary cruelty. Many people see unnecessary injury and even death. Those people want that to change. Therefore, it’s incumbent on those people to vote by whatever means suits them. Not voting is NOT an option. The legitimate power of the vote can negate the illegitimate power of those who want to suppress the vote. Don’t let them. Brave whatever you have to brave to vote. There is plenty of time to plan. Use that time, and your vote, wisely. Peter
