Talking Turkey

Thanksgiving 2021 is set to be the most expensive holiday meal on record.  The average cost of preparing the meal in 2020 was $47, according to the Farm Bureau, and they anticipate a 5% increase this year.  Every element of the meal, from cookware to after-dinner coffee, is set to rise.  The Consumer Price Index […]

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Labor Day might have a new meaning

This past Labor Day, it is estimated that nearly 7 million people have lost all unemployment benefits while the federal eviction moratorium simultaneously expires.  An additional 3 million people are expected to lose a $300 weekly increase to their state unemployment benefits. 

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Plans not yet moving forward on new coal mine

Coronado Coal, a multinational coal producer, has its sights set on the development of a $251 million, 340-acre coal mine in Forward Township, Allegheny County.  The mine would be operated by Coronado’s subsidiary, Mon Valley Minerals.  This property was once owned by Consol Energy and sits on the 25-million-ton Upper Freeport Coal seam.

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Delta = Variable

Delta is defined by Merriam-Webster as “an increment of a variable.”  The Delta variant of Covid is (ironically) causing a massive number of variables through global economies.  Oil prices today remain stable as Covid cases push Japan into an extended state of emergency, Asian demand remains weak, New Zealand implements a new lockdown after one […]

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“The heart of democracy requires consensus.”

infrastructure

President Biden and 21 bipartisan senators reached a compromise on Thursday to break the stalemate on Biden’s infrastructure plan.  These 11 Republican senators and 10 Democratic senators are the first step in passing the agenda.  Biden has made a point to comment that he will only sign the bipartisan infrastructure bill if Congress also approves, […]

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Sparking the debate on natural gas

Cities across the U.S. are considering banning natural gas hookups in new construction for both homes and businesses.  Berkley, California passed the first ban in 2019 and other cities like San Jose, New York, Seattle, and Denver are following their lead.

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Home Improvement? I Wood if I Could.

As the pandemic hit, many people began home improvement projects that they had been putting off while being stuck at home.  Simultaneously, sawmills and wood processing factories were temporarily shutting their doors.  Additionally, a 2017 20% tariff on Canadian lumber had kept that supply limited to U.S. consumers.  Nonproductive factories combined with existing tariffs are […]

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No April Fools Joke, that’s Trillion with a “T”

As President Biden unveiled his infrastructure plan in Pittsburgh yesterday, it kicked off the first step in what is estimated to be a months-long negotiation with Congress.  The American Society of Civil Engineers estimates that approximately $2.6 trillion dollars is needed to restore America’s infrastructure over the next decade.  Biden’s plan, called the “American Jobs […]

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Frost-ration in Texas

As Texas begins to thaw from the winter storm that ravaged the state, the rest of the nation is finding out that Texas operates off its own electrical grid. The U.S. has three power grids: one manages the eastern side of the country, one manages the western side, and Texas.

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