Storyteller. Former aviation and economics reporter who still digs data and travel. Knocking on strangers’ doors to sell Girl Scout cookies was good training.
San Francisco Bay Area, CA
Joined July 2009
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Despite rising #inflation, the #FederalReserve left #interestrates the same before mid-term elections. Plus Chair Kevin #Warsh said the #Fed plans to hold 7 policy-setting meetings in 2027 + 6 in 2028 vs. 8 now.
Dictionary.com's 2026 #WordoftheYear is … “maxxing,” which refers to the pursuit of an activity to the fullest or getting the most out of life. dictionary.com/word-of-the-y…
Despite high #inflation, the National Retail Federation today predicted #holiday #retail sales will grow 4.2% to $1.013 trillion from 2025. #NRF #economy #consumerspending
US #inflation accelerated in September as #consumerprices rose 3.7% from a year earlier. At the same time, Social Security recipients learned their 2027 annual cost-of-living adjustment of +3.6% won’t cover rising prices.
The latest US jobs report disappointing. In September, the #economy added a less-than-expected 29,000 #jobs and the #unemployment rate ticked up to 4.2%. In addition, the government revised the job gains for July and August down by a combined 60,000.
The ConferenceBoard's #consumerconfidence index for September declined to its lowest level in 12 years. Americans are dissatisfied with the #economy, citing higher prices of goods and services, especially #fuel costs.
#ConsumerConfidence fell by 6.7 points to 81.9 (1985=100) in September, down from 88.6 in August.
That's the lowest reading on our survey since 2014, falling just below the nadir reached during the pandemic. conference-board.org/topics/…
FYI: US #airlines typically don’t pay for a hotel if a flight is cancelled due to a problem outside their control. If consumers choose not to travel or don’t accept a travel voucher due to cancelation, they can get a refund. #travel apnews.com/article/faa-fligh…
Highlights of FederalReserve #BeigeBook for August: U.S. #consumerspending grew slightly; reports reflected heightened price sensitivity and solid high-end purchases. #Tourism activity increased, with #airlines reporting strong demand despite higher airfares. #airfare
The #aging world: The U.S. Census Bureau projects the share of the world population age 65-plus will nearly double from 10.5% in 2025 to 19.6% 2060. In the United States, 23.4% of the population will be 65 or older by 2060, up from 18.9% in 2025. census.gov/library/publicati…
New York has surpassed San Francisco as the top office market for #tech talent—thanks largely to #AI, per a new report from CBRE. But tech-related office leasing is greater in #SanFrancisco and Silicon Valley than #NewYork. cnbc.com/2026/08/21/new-york…
A new National Institute on Drug Abuse study found the US #cannabis use disorder (addiction or abuse) rate rose to 9% for men and about 6% for women in 2024 partly because much #marijuana contains higher doses of #THC. Here’s what you need to know: startribune.com/an-older-adu…
Highlights of July #FOMC minutes 1/3: “Some participants noted that, even after excluding prices of items most directly affected by tariffs and energy prices, underlying inflation appeared to be elevated." #economy #interestrates #inflation
Highlights of July #FOMC minutes 2/3: per real GDP growth outlook, "several participants discussed, as a downside risk, the possibility that AI developments could disappoint, leading to a significant repricing of stocks, with consequent negative effects on consumer spending."
Highlights of July #FOMC minutes 3/3: Three bankers, Beth Hammack, Neel Kashkari and Lorie Logan, voted against keeping #interestrates the same, wanting to raise the target range for the federal funds rate by 1/4 percentage point. #economy #interestrates #inflation
I’m reposting two articles I wrote for the #Minnesota Star Tribune about #cannabis and #THC with free gift links. #marijuana 1/2: An Older Adult’s Guide to (Re)Discovering Cannabis, startribune.com/an-older-adu…
I’m reposting two articles I wrote for the #Minnesota Star Tribune about #cannabis with free gift links. #marijuana 2/2: Pot in pop culture, startribune.com/pot-in-pop-c…
Although #inflation has “cooled,” many consumer #prices still are higher than a year ago. One month’s data hints at momentum but doesn’t make a trend because there’s too much volatility and seasonality; that’s why there often are revisions to the data later.
US #inflation rose 3.4% in July from a year earlier thanks largely to high #energy prices. Some big consumer price gains:
* Airfare +25.5%
* A gallons of regular unleaded gas +25.3%
* Computer software + accessories +21.2%
* Public transportation +16.1%
* Postage +13.3%
US #inflation rose 3.4% in July from a year earlier thanks largely to high #energy prices. Some big consumer price gains:
* Airfare +25.5%
* A gallons of regular unleaded gas +25.3%
* Computer software + accessories +21.2%
* Public transportation +16.1%
* Postage +13.3%