Some people look at the US economy’s rising inflation and wish for a recession. They want lower inflation rates to match the growth rate of American workers’ wages. However, a recession is actually more damaging than inflation. Typically accompanied by higher unemployment rates, recessions do lower inflation rates… along with severely cutting the growth rate of wages. This rise in unemployment, crippled wages, and a long recovery period after the fact all make recessions the greater of two evils in economics. Read full article here
Societal Issues
To curb drug deaths, communities turn to Reddit, texts and wastewater
With drug overdose deaths on the rise, authorities are attempting to curb the epidemic by tracking and sharing information in real time. In one unique effort, a nonprofit in New York City is using drug-testing equipment and stamping or marking habits of dealers to identify drug batches that may endanger users. Other approaches are also being used, such as monitoring drug-related chatter on Reddit and analyzing local wastewater for opioid and other drug levels. With the combination of these efforts, researchers hope to put a dent in the opioid crisis and reduce overdose deaths. Read full article here
Merv
June 1, 2023
