Recent Articles
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US employers add 273,000 jobs; unemployment drops to 3.5%
Seth Sandronsky Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementIn February, total U.S. nonfarm payroll jobs increased by 273,000 after January's growth of 225,000, while the unemployment rate dipped to 3.5% from 3.6% the previous month, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The jobless rate has been 3.5% or 3.6% since September. In February, nearly all major groups of workers had scant change in the rate of employment versus January's figures. Meanwhile, wage growth remained rather tepid.
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How technology can help to contain COVID-19 — and how it can’t
Tammy Hinojos Medical & Allied HealthcareAs the world navigates the coronavirus outbreak, a few key technologically advanced tools are front and center in the fight to contain COVID-19. Digital tools like telehealth, consumer-facing AI-based chatbots and remote patient monitoring could play a key role in assisting with containing the virus and helping people who think they might have been exposed. Some experts warn that these tools are not a total solution, but they could be helpful as one part of a large, comprehensive and integrated plan.
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What are the features homeowners want the most?
Terri Williams Interior Design, Furnishings & FixturesAmericans are a diverse group, and as a general rule, that's a good thing. But a level of uniformity, especially as it relates to homes and neighborhoods, can also be good. For example, despite the snickers and snide remarks surrounding "cookie-cutter homes," these types of properties sell very well. And millions of people choose to live in a community that has a homeowners' association to ensure that no one paints their house purple. A survey by Porch and Homes.com has identified the top features that people want when they're looking for a home — and how much they’re willing to bust the budget to pay for it.
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Opportunity zone developments spread despite being under investigation
Michelle R. Matisons Construction & Building MaterialsOpportunity zones provide tax breaks for real estate developers who invest in low-income communities. Yet, numerous examples of opportunity zone (OZ) investments ignore the supposed original spirit supporting low-income, affordable housing. Democrats and Republicans in both the House and Senate criticize existing code, but disagree whether or not this is another ruling class machination to increase wealth. Some kind of opportunity zone reform seems inevitable in coming months as the Treasury Department’s inspector general investigates the program.
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What makes a car popular?
David Newton Transportation Technology & AutomotiveLike many of you, I prefer to own and drive cars that others will notice for the right reason — but since popularity tends to be subjective, I have to wonder if they would agree with my eclectic automotive preferences. So, I decided to do my own research with the first step of defining the word popularity. If you Google the most popular cars, you’ll get a variety of results depending on the search phrases you use, along with a very loose description of the word popular. I used several search strings and received as many categorizations, ranging from purely the most sold to the "most loved or treasured."
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Infographic: The real reasons behind internet censorship around the world
Daniel Markuson Science & TechnologyFor millions around the world, internet outages have become the norm. For example, the Iranian government recently shut off the internet for nearly all of its population of more than 80 million. The authorities say this was done to silence protests over rising gasoline prices. But sometimes official motives for switching off the internet may be different from the actual ones. The infographic in this article takes a look at the countries with the heaviest internet censorship. It also lists their motives for cutting down access to global websites.
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Understanding sexual harassment: Why isn’t it obvious?
Sarah Beaulieu Business Management, Services & Risk Management"Shouldn’t this stuff be obvious to people?" At a recent kickoff meeting for a company-wide sexual harassment training, a CEO expressed frustration that he had to explain — and keep explaining — the basics of sexual harassment to his employees. Though I didn't mean to, I laughed, and then noted that he probably had more experience understanding behavior, boundaries, and relationships than the average employee. When organizations fail to recognize that people have various levels of experience with sexual harassment, they approach training through a one-size-fits-all lens.
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Podcast: Escaping reimbursement nightmares by transitioning out of network
Jarod Carter Healthcare AdministrationIn 2005, Cody Barnett left his job to open a physical therapy practice because he wanted to be able to provide the kind of care that exceeds patient expectations. For the same reason, he had the intention of structuring the practice as cash-based from the start. However, with limited access to good resources on how to make that succeed, he felt he needed to bolster his cash-pay practice by participating with the two biggest insurance carriers in his market. But after years of fighting with insurance companies, he began "plotting his escape."
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Healthcare thought leaders: Who they are, and why we need them
Keith Carlson Medical & Allied HealthcareThe notion of the thought leader is not necessarily new, but the term does continue to receive a great deal of attention in these early decades of the 21st century. A thought leader is sometimes self-identified or possibly recognized by their industry as an individual with their finger on the pulse of change. In that regard, why are thought leaders important to recognize in healthcare, nursing, medicine, and related fields?
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North American cannabis industry set to undergo a period of consolidation…
Bambi Majumdar Retail2018 saw myriad acquisitions in the cannabis industry, which slowed down somewhat last year. 2020 will likely be the year of consolidation. Investor euphoria from 2018 and early 2019 has led to current travails for both the emerging Canadian and U.S. marijuana industries. Some have likened this period to the internet boom of the early 2000s and the inevitable growing pains of a new industry. In Canada, legal retailers face a continued robust and lower-priced illegal cannabis market. The U.S., on the other hand, has suffered from oversupply and a lack of regulation, which have driven down prices.