A mid-October batch of links
Since the most recent batch of links went out, paying subscribers received an essay about predictability, then a reflection on reading, then all subscribers got my published writing about my synagogue closing, then a meditation on the art of a catchup call, and most recently a critique on Jewish geography. This coming weekend they will enjoy a light review about two memoirs from people I know.
Below, you’ll find a batch of links that represent the themes of this newsletter, which are career development, community building, and self care.
Black Unemployment Is Surging Again. This Time Is Different.
“A lot of people get their jobs through networking,” Mx. Jenkins said. “Part of our role is to create the programs that will create the network that connects highly skilled, qualified workers to employers who might not have initially seen them.”
Wall Street Is Pushing Private Assets Into 401(k)s. We Asked Whether Anyone Wants Them.
Should we give toddlers phones? Good, measured discussion about an active, contentious topic. It makes sense to roll these products out slowly to kids to adjust to and to grow familiarity with rather than to withhold them until an arbitrary time when to open the doors.
AI Startups Have a New (Old) Secret Weapon: Forward Deployed Engineers.
Two industries were supposed to drive America’s future. One is booming, the other slumping.
Chipmaking operations can similarly be a boon for the communities around them, Tucker added, bringing high-paying engineering jobs and training pipelines. But they are generally not as labor intensive as the assembly lines of the 20th century were, he said.
To Find Workers, Hospitals Are Training Teenagers.
Uncertainty over the economy and tariffs forces many retailers to be cautious on holiday hiring. You’re going to see people working retail this season who were once white-collar workers, and you won’t be able to perceive who they are, because they’ve been trained up for retail, but the vibes of the stores, if you look and listen, will be different than what you’re accustomed to.
Don’t panic, but there might be lead in your protein powder.
Furloughed Federal Workers Turn to Side Hustles to Survive Shutdown. This sounds about right to me: “For many staffers, that included earning money from platforms such as Uber, Lyft, TaskRabbit and DoorDash, as well as event-support services such as wedding planning and catering. Also exempt: performing music, hairstyling, waitressing, personal training, pet-sitting and substitute teaching.” Whatever it takes.
Grocery Prices Keep Rising. Frustrated Consumers Are Trying to Adapt.
After 2 years and roughly 2,000 applications, I got a job offer. Here’s what finally worked for me.
I’m lucky that I didn’t burn a lot of bridges in my past jobs, but even reaching out to former colleagues seemed untenable in a way, because the place they’d be working wasn’t hiring. So how much help could they give me?
Pop-Tarts, Doritos, and Uncrustables have joined the protein craze taking over America’s snack aisle.
Money talks - yet so many people don’t talk about it.
The reason so many do this is because money symbolises: power, status, security, and self-worth. When there’s a conflict between our perception of how much men should earn, and how much they really do, relationships suffer. We can all do better by changing these assumptions.
Another concern is medication adherence, which is the extent to which a patient follows their provider’s guidance for taking a prescription drug, taking into account frequency, timing and dosage. When patients go in person to a local pharmacy, Sevilla said he’s noticed “better adherence in taking [medication] more regularly than they do for a mail-away pharmacy.”