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China’s Births Hit Historic Low, a Political Problem for Beijing – The New York Times
China’s Births Hit Historic Low, a Political Problem for Beijing – The New York Times:
China’s ruling Communist Party has taken steps to address the birthrate decline, by relaxing its notorious “one child” policy, first allowing two children in 2016 and as many as three since last year. It is also offering incentives to young families and promising improvement in workplace rules and early education.
None have been able to reverse a stark fact: An increasing number of Chinese women don’t want children.
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How The mRNA Vaccines Were Made: Halting Progress and Happy Accidents – The New York Times
How The mRNA Vaccines Were Made: Halting Progress and Happy Accidents – The New York Times:
The vaccines were possible only because of efforts in three areas. The first began more than 60 years ago with the discovery of mRNA, the genetic molecule that helps cells make proteins. A few decades later, two scientists in Pennsylvania decided to pursue what seemed like a pipe dream: using the molecule to command cells to make tiny pieces of viruses that would strengthen the immune system.
The second effort took place in the private sector, as biotechnology companies in Canada in the budding field of gene therapy — the modification or repair of genes to treat diseases — searched for a way to protect fragile genetic molecules so they could be safely delivered to human cells.
The third crucial line of inquiry began in the 1990s, when the U.S. government embarked on a multibillion-dollar quest to find a vaccine to prevent AIDS.
*Worthy read.
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They Remodeled Before Covid. Here’s What They Regret Now. – The New York Times
They Remodeled Before Covid. Here’s What They Regret Now. – The New York Times:
(Year-over-year spending on home remodeling grew by more than 9 percent from the third quarter of 2019 to the third quarter of 2021, to $357 billion a year, according to the Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies.)
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Opinion | I Just Turned 60, but I Still Feel 22 – The New York Times
Opinion | I Just Turned 60, but I Still Feel 22 – The New York Times:
Friendship is forged across time, through good fortune and tragedy alike, and true friends are those who keep on loving one another even when it isn’t convenient and even when they don’t always agree.
Maybe wisdom is just too much to ask of a culture in the grip of collective trauma. Maybe wisdom can be acquired only with time, even if time by itself is no guarantee.
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Which errors to focus on? | Seth’s Blog
Which errors to focus on? | Seth’s Blog:
The roads not seen almost always matter more than the potholes we hit along the way.
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Moved a Wi-Fi router? That could mess with an iPhone’s location | Macworld
Moved a Wi-Fi router? That could mess with an iPhone’s location | Macworld:
These signal captures are paired with millions—or maybe billions—of Wi-Fi “snapshots” taken every day by iPhones, iPads, and Macs that help flesh out the picture. Your devices are constantly scanning for nearby Wi-Fi networks, even when connected to an active Wi-Fi router or hotspot. Those scans contain signal strength information and bolster Apple’s database.
*Interesting read. Data can be collected and put to use in ways you hadn’t thought of.
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PCE Index Hit Highest Level in November Since 1982 – The New York Times
PCE Index Hit Highest Level in November Since 1982 – The New York Times:
Fed policymakers announced this month that they are speeding up their plans to withdraw support from the economy, and they set themselves up to potentially raise interest rates several times next year. That would make buying a car or expanding a business more expensive, making it more attractive to save and less attractive to spend, cooling off the economy and, over time, weighing on inflation.
“We understand that high inflation imposes significant hardship, especially on those least able to meet the higher costs of essentials like food, housing and transportation,” Jerome H. Powell, the Fed chair, said last week. “We are committed to our price stability goal.”
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Amazon X-Ray
*It would be interesting if more related data could be shared with users for different services. This makes me think of voice activated data requests and how they often miss the mark currently. Over time these will get better. Will user frustration prevent some of the late early adopters for becoming work of mouth for their friends and family?
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How a Relief Fund for Restaurants Picked Winners and Losers – The New York Times
How a Relief Fund for Restaurants Picked Winners and Losers – The New York Times:
James Hutton submitted his claim just one minute after the application system opened on May 3, seeking $2.4 million for his business, Players Sports Grill & Arcade in San Francisco. At the end of June, his grant was denied.