With the smoke from burning Canadian forests enveloping the U.S. Northeast, major cities fell silent this week. Public schools canceled outdoor activities, companies sent workers home, performances were postponed, libraries shut their doors and professional baseball games were canceled. Such disruptions in ordinary urban life illustrates the wide-ranging economic toll of …
Read More »Orlando drag show restaurant sues DeSantis, claiming anti
Hamburger Mary’s in Orlando, which hosts “family friendly” drag show performances, is suing the state of Florida and Governor Ron DeSantis, alleging a new bill violates its First Amendment rights to free expression. The restaurant’s owner on Thursday filed a lawsuit in federal court, less than a week after Gov. …
Read More »Will Social Security run out — and what will happen if it does?
It’s no wonder the majority of millennials say they aren’t factoring Social Security benefits into their retirement planning, for years they’ve been hearing that the retirement and disability program is going bust. Their belief is based on projections such as from the most recent Social Security Trustees Report showing that Social Security’s …
Read More »Ikea to open 17 new U.S. stores in major expansion
Ikea plans to open 17 new stores across America in a major push to expand its U.S. business, the Swedish home goods company announced Thursday. The retailer will spend more than $2.2 billion over three years growing its U.S. presence, with a focus on entering new markets in the South, …
Read More »Farm fire kills 18,000 cows in West Texas
A fire erupted on a family farm in west Texas this week, killing about 18,000 cows that were worth millions of dollars and injuring one worker. The blaze happened Monday at South Fork Dairy near Dimmitt, Texas. A fire crew rescued one employee who was trapped inside a farm facility. …
Read More »Philips Respironics is a serious recall, FDA officials say
Federal regulators are heightening their warning about devices made by Philips Respironics used to treat obstructive sleep apnea, saying the products “may cause serious injuries or death.” Philips recalled more than 5 million continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines in June 2021 because foam inside the units meant to reduce noise was …
Read More »March Madness: 68 million Americans plan to bet on this year’s NCAA college basketball tournament
A growing number of sports fans plan to try their luck by betting on the NCAA’s annual March Madness college basketball tournament, which kicked off this week. About 68 million Americans will place a wager on the games, up from 45 million in 2022, the American Gaming Association predicted. Of …
Read More »One study said happiness peaked at $75,000 in income. Now, economists say it’s higher — by a lot.
It’s a question that economists, psychologists and armchair philosophers have grappled with for centuries: Can money buy happiness? Now, new research from a Nobel Prize-winning economist and fellow researchers provides a fresh answer. Money does appear to boost happiness — at least for most people — up to earnings of $500,000, …
Read More »Nurses with fake degrees being rooted out the profession
Medical licensing officials in multiple states are scrambling to stop nurses with fraudulent academic credentials from caring for patients, after three Florida schools were accused of selling thousands of bogus diplomas. New York regulators told 903 nurses in recent weeks to either surrender their licenses or prove they were properly …
Read More »Is retirement achievable? Investors say they’ll need at least $3 million.
Saving $1 million for retirement may have once held the promise of financial security, but today, even millionaires are expressing concern they might not have enough money for their golden years. More than 1 in 3 millionaires said it would “take a miracle” for them to retire securely, according to …
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