- US wages rose 3.3%.
- Humans can lay bricks at 700/hr. Robots, 1,000/hr.
- Americans turning away from owning homes as only 41% expect to buy.
- Job participation is steady or down at 62.6%, regardless of unemployment.
- Of America’s 85,000 dams, about half no longer serve their purpose and can be removed.
- About 35% of Americans are ready to leave America, and for younger people it is 55%.
- American terrorists are more lethal than jihadists when killing Americans: 48 to 26.
- Fires in Alaska hit 3 million acres, and there are 4,000 wildfires in Canada.
- The economy has to create 3.5 million jobs to recover.
- Robotic taxis could cut 178,000 jobs in America.
- US median income is down to $51,939 (2013) from $55,562 (2001); but above the global middle class at $29,200.
- The difference between the number of companies hiring and firing has hit a record, 32%.
- Increasing the income of the top 20% by 1% decreases GDP by 0.08%. Increasing the income of the bottom 20% increases GDP by 0.38%.
- More than 10% of nations are in some stage of dramatic debt crisis, ala Greece.
- Since the 1970s, there are have been 147 banking crises.
- The wealthiest 85 people on the planet have more money that the poorest 3.5 billion people.
- Psychologists, those people who understand people, are 14 times more likely to be liberal.
- As of July 14, the US used up its annual production of resources. The rest was imported.
- The chance that 2014 was just a weird weather year = 1 in 27 million.
- The most likely sea rise scenario is 10 feet in 50 years instead of 20 in 200.
- More than 669 million people moved out of extreme poverty between 2001 and 2011.
- The US Army Corps of Engineers needs $23B to fix dams, but only got $2.5B.
- 19-24 years old Americans are driving 45% less.
- The US Interstate Highway system needs $1T – $3T for maintenance.
- US GDP grew at 2.3%, with debate over the numbers and the definition of GDP.
- 42% of beehives collapsed in America, probably from pesticides that are still legal, though lethal.
- In one California county, the drought means 5,443 people living without running water.
- The impact of robots on GDP is similar to to impact of the steam engine ~ 0.35%.
Pretending Not To Panic 