New U.S. Tariffs Are Contributing to the Shipping Crisis, and There ’s Little We Can Do About It
Scott Lincicome and Alfredo Carrillo ObregonAccording tonumerousreports, skyrocketing global shipping prices and related transportation bottlenecks arehindering the U.S. economic recovery. Indeed, this “shipping crisis” is one of the summer’s most‐covered financial phenomena. Yet barely mentioned outside of a few industry publications is howbrand new U.S. tariffs of more than 200 percent(!) are contributing to the problem. And U.S. trade law all but ensures that there ’s little we – even the White House itself – can do about it.American ports and rail terminals are struggling to cope with unprecedente...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - August 26, 2021 Category: American Health Authors: Scott Lincicome, Alfredo Carrillo Obregon Source Type: blogs
FAQ on Biden ’s Extension of the Eviction Moratorium
William YeatmanHow did the eviction moratorium come about? In early 2020, as part of the first major pandemic stimulus, Congress passed a 120-day eviction moratorium for rental properties receiving federal assistance. After the moratorium expired, President Trumpannounced that “unlike the Congress, I cannot sit idly and refuse to assist vulnerable Americans in need.” So heordered his administration to “do all that it can to help vulnerable populations stay in their homes.” Accordingly, the Center for Disease Control (CDC)promulgated an eviction moratorium more restrictive than the one enacted by Congress. Whereas ...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - August 5, 2021 Category: American Health Authors: William Yeatman Source Type: blogs
Infrastructure Arithmetic
Randal O'TooleDepending on what you read, the White House and Senate Republican leaders have either compromised on a$1.2 trillion infrastructure bill or a$579 billion infrastructure bill. Actually, both are true, sort of.The difference is that the $1.2 trillion includes “baseline spending,” or the amount that would have been spent on infrastructure even if no bill were passed. The actual infrastructure bill would only include $579 billion of new spending.That ’s quite a concession on the part of the White House, which hadoriginally proposed $2.3 trillion in new spending, or nearly four times as much as the ...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - June 28, 2021 Category: American Health Authors: Randal O ' Toole Source Type: blogs
Unemployment Insurance Waste and Fraud
Ryan BourneUnemployment Insurance has been the hot economic policy debate topic for a while. This week ’s jobs figures again showedlabor supply failing to keep up with a soaring demand for workers as the economy reopens, leading tosharply rising wages in pandemic ‐hit sectors and thehighest unfilled opening rate among small businesses ever. As I ’ve written before, there is good indicative evidence that the $300 per week UI supplement has been slowing rehiring rates by disincentivizing returns to work. Hence why 25 states so far have opted out of the program from June onwards.Lesser commented on though i...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - June 4, 2021 Category: American Health Authors: Ryan Bourne Source Type: blogs
The Economics of COVID-19 Prevention
Ryan BourneMy new book,Economics In One Virus,uses the pandemic to highlight a range of economic principles and ideas. But there has been plenty of interesting newappliedeconomics on the pandemic since its publication. The latest isa fascinating paper by the University of Chicago ’s Casey Mulligan on the economics of COVID-19 mitigation in the workplace.Basic epidemiology suggests the risk of getting infected with COVID-19 was much higher in workplaces or other crowded gatherings than staying home, right? Well, not necessarily, at least on a per ‐hour basis. The risk balance is also affected by preven...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - May 14, 2021 Category: American Health Authors: Ryan Bourne Source Type: blogs
Best and Worst States for Entrepreneurs
Chris EdwardsMy new Catostudy examines state and local regulations that create barriers to startup businesses. It looks at occupational licensing, marijuana laws, alcohol licensing, minimum wages, rules on home ‐based businesses, and much else. It ranks the 50 states based on an index of 17 variables. The table shows the overall results.The state ranking should be considered a rough guide. Theresults may be biased toward regulatory factors that can be measured with available data. Another caveat is that the climate for startup businesses is affected by numerous factors in addition to regulations, including taxes and...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - May 5, 2021 Category: American Health Authors: Chris Edwards Source Type: blogs
Wanted: NIGMS Small Business Development Strategy Coordinator
We’re recruiting for an outstanding individual to serve as the NIGMS small business development strategy coordinator. The incumbent will report to our deputy director and assume a broad range of responsibilities including:
Providing counsel and advice to NIGMS leadership on the planning, development, and implementation of our small business programs as they affect a broad range of stakeholders.
Serving as the Institute’s expert on matters related to new technology development by small biomedical businesses.
Serving as a liaison between NIGMS and the NIH Small Business Education and Entrepreneurial Development...
Source: NIGMS Feedback Loop Blog - National Institute of General Medical Sciences - April 16, 2021 Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Chrissa Chverchko Tags: Job Announcements Source Type: blogs
Evidence of the Risks of Elevated Unemployment Insurance Benefits
Erin PartinLast week ’s job market numberswere strong. The unemployment rate fell to 6.0 percent – the lowest since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic – and total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 916,000 in March. But signs already suggest that the employment bounce-back is being restrained from its full potential by Congress’s decision to entrench a $300 weekly unemployment benefit sup plement through September.Combined with state unemployment benefits,around 37 percent of workers can currently make more unemployed than in work. A low-income worker in Massachusetts previously earning $535 per week faced a pre-pa...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - April 8, 2021 Category: American Health Authors: Erin Partin Source Type: blogs
Accelerating the Development of Tests for Endometriosis and Cancer
NIGMS’ Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program works toward more effective methods for patient screening, diagnosis, and treatment.
Translating lab discoveries into health care products requires large investments of time and resources. Through the STTR Regional Technology Transfer Accelerator Hubs for IDeA States program, NIGMS helps researchers interested in transitioning their discoveries and/or inventions into products. Here are the stories of three researchers working with the XLerator Hub, which funds projects in the southeastern United States and Puerto Rico.
Ending Diagnostic Delays for Endomet...
Source: Biomedical Beat Blog - National Institute of General Medical Sciences - April 7, 2021 Category: Research Authors: Chrissa Chverchko Tags: Being a Scientist Injury and Illness Cancer Diseases Profiles Scientific Process Source Type: blogs
Biden ’s Not‐Really‐Necessary Plan
Randal O'ToolePresident Biden ’s proposedinfrastructure plan includes $621 billion for transportation. It would spend $115 billion on accelerated road and bridge repairs, $20 billion for “vision zero” and other anti‐auto programs, $85 billion for mass transit, and $80 billion for Amtrak’s backlog and expansion of Amtrak service. It also would spend $174 billion supporting electric vehicle manufacturers, $25 billion on airports, and $17 billion on inland waterways. That’ s $104 billion short of $621 billion, but the White House press release doesn’t say where that $104 billion will go.Non ‐transpo...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - March 31, 2021 Category: American Health Authors: Randal O ' Toole Source Type: blogs
How I Support My Local Communities & Why It ’s Good for My Health
I have been involved in my local community for many years. Even before the pandemic started, I found great joy in supporting those in my community. Although this time is hard right now, and people have to social distance, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t continue to pour in time and love to the people and businesses around us!
Our communities need us now more than ever. If you can provide any kind of support to your local community, I highly encourage you to do so. Once the days of COVID-19 are behind us, continue to bring your community together.
The Importance of Community Involvement
Being involved in and sup...
Source: PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement - March 29, 2021 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Kara Reynolds Tags: featured happiness health and fitness motivation philosophy self-improvement community mental health volunteering Source Type: blogs
Can biofeedback-based videogames help children better manage stress? Magellan Health and Mightier secure $2 million NIMH grant to investigate
This study’s goal is to validate that digital tools like Mightier can improve health outcomes, lower the cost of care and increase access to mental healthcare” said Matthew Miller, senior vice president, behavioral health, Magellan Healthcare.
About the grant:
The research is supported by the National Institute Of Mental Health of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R44MH124574. The NIMH supports scientists, clinicians, and research personnel at universities, medical schools, hospitals, small businesses, and other institutions via grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements. Researchers at NIMH-suppo...
Source: SharpBrains - February 10, 2021 Category: Neuroscience Authors: SharpBrains Tags: Brain/ Mental Health Technology & Innovation Behavioral Health biofeedback biofeedback video game heart rate-monitor Magellan Health mental health disorders Mightier NIMH regulate stress video-games videogame wearable Source Type: blogs
Minimum Wage Effects
Chris EdwardsPresident Biden has proposed doubling the federal minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $15 an hour. Democrats havepushed to include the increase in their $1.9 trillion relief bill being debated in Congress. But with millions of people unemployed and small businesses struggling, now would be an awful time to impose such a costly mandate. Fortunately, the president now suggests that a minimum wage increase may not be included in the current relief bill.Yesterday, the CBOestimated that a minimum wage increase would eliminate 1.4 million jobs. Entry level workers would be hard hit.Milton Friedmannoted...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - February 9, 2021 Category: American Health Authors: Chris Edwards Source Type: blogs
Marijuana Licensing Corruption
Chris EdwardsFifteen states have legalized recreational marijuana and 36 states have legalized medical marijuana. As we move toward legalization across the nation, state policymakers should be learning lessons from the reforms we ’ve seen so far.One lesson is that ceding full control to local governments and allowing them to impose licensing in a discretionary and opaque manner is a recipe for corruption. The FBI issued a statement on the problem in 2019: “States require licenses to grow and sell the drug —opening the possibility for public officials to become susceptible to bribes in exchange for thos...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - February 4, 2021 Category: American Health Authors: Chris Edwards Source Type: blogs
Commentators and Journalists Weigh In On Digital Health And Related Privacy, Safety, Social Media And Security Matters. Lots Of Interesting Perspectives - February 02, 2021.
----- This weekly blog is to explore the news around the larger issues around Digital Health, data security, data privacy, AI / ML. technology, social media and related matters. I will also try to highlight ADHA Propaganda when I come upon it. Just so we keep count, the latest Notes from the ADHA Board were dated 6 December, 2018 and we have seen none since! Its pretty sad! Note: Appearance here is not to suggest I see any credibility or value in what follows. I will leave it to the reader to decide what is worthwhile and what is not! The point is to let people know what is being said / published that I have come upon. ---...
Source: Australian Health Information Technology - February 2, 2021 Category: Information Technology Authors: Dr David G More MB PhD Source Type: blogs
