The Berkeley Blog

Whether you are trying to stay in a hotel, get your roof fixed, or even eat out at your favorite restaurant, you have probably noticed the lack of workers. There is one glaring reason employers have so many gaps in their staff: There are not enough immigrant workers. The combined effects of the Trump administration shunning immigrants, along with the understandable closing of the border because of the pandemic, have left companies begging for help.

If your turkey and stuffing fixings are costing you more this year as you prepare for the holiday of Thanksgiving, you are not alone. At a 30 year high, inflation has reared its ugly head just as the holidays are approaching, and for those who were already struggling to make ends meet, trips to the grocery store and gas pump will find them tightening their belts even further. Unfortunately, the inflation is not slated to end any time soon.

As learning gaps continue to grow across the United States, there is one gap in education that legislators are finally addressing: the need for high school students to learn about personal finance.

Like a pebble thrown into a pond, the pandemic continues to send out ripples that are affecting the daily life of the consumers across the United States. The country is experiencing a phenomenon of severe labor shortages coupled with the highest wages in 20 years, and experts are not quite sure which way the pendulum will swing when all the dust settles. One thing is for certain: employers are straining their creative and monetary resources in order to keep their business afloat.

Crude oil prices are topping the charts at levels not seen in years. With the glut of oil stockpiled during the pandemic shutdown, getting the crude oil commodities back to an even keel has been difficult. And now that more fuel is needed with winter coming, crude oil is difficult to find. Oil prices are through the roof as global commodity prices have spiked, and experts are predicting a drought of fossil fuels to get the world through the winter.

You have probably noticed a shortage of your favorite items in the grocery stores these days, and although there are many reasons that the broken supply chain is causing empty store shelves, the most far-reaching reason is that there are not enough truck drivers to get items to the shelves.

With seemingly harmless games like “What is Your Favorite Color?” and “What Does Your Name Mean?” Facebook has garnered an enormous following of people seeking connections, relaxation, and information. But recently the harsher side of Facebook is under scrutiny, with whistleblower Frances Haugen telling the world that the safety of children is at risk. Social media companies need to forego endless profits in favor of safety, and algorithms are the way to do that.

Chinese real estate developer, Evergrande Property Services Group, has a predicament on their hands. After amassing $300 billion of debt in the real estate sector, the Chinese government is cracking down on debt since 2020, and Evergrande is struggling.

International events of this past weekend have proven yet again that politics and business don’t mix. With China taking on a larger role in the world of trade in the past several years, and also looking to get their due as a global superpower, innocent entrepreneurs have been used as pawns in their political plans. Governments need to be careful to separate business from politics so that uninvolved people do not bear the weight of a country’s desire for trade.

At a time when many companies are in crisis, the story for business owners has become even bleaker with the retirement of many Baby Boomers who have chosen to leave the workforce.

Americans are amid a job crisis that is affecting businesses throughout the country, no matter the type or scope of work they do. Although there are many people who are out of work, and many jobs that are open, there is currently a mismatch between the unemployed and the skills needed to fill the open jobs in our country.

When a 20-year war comes to an end, not with a bang but a whimper, it seems as though the Stock Market might react to that major event. But whether the length of the war or the distance from America, when United States President Joe Biden ended the war with Afghanistan a few weeks ago, calling for the removal of all the troops, the Stock Market really didn’t budge.

American troops have been in Afghanistan for 20 years, keeping the Taliban quiet and helping the Afghan people live with some sense of autonomy and peace. They have also served as a deterrent to terrorist groups that wish harm to America and the rest of the world.

Compared to the rest of the world, some believe Americans are putting in too much time at the office. In Finland, for instance, workers have a 6.6 hours workday, and in Germany there are laws in place so that Germans don’t exhaust themselves at work. But America is lagging in the race to work-life balance.

Although there is much good news about people getting back to work and the country’s economy rebounding after the Covid-19 shutdown, one sector that is still struggling is that of small business owners trying to find skilled workers. Small businesses have openings and there are workers applying, but there is still a disconnect between what companies need and who is applying.

Simone Biles shocked the world this week by choosing her own mental and physical well-being over her pursuit of a gold medal. And in doing so, she reignited the conversation about mental health in our country. Though progress has been made in stamping out the negative stigma of mental health, the backlash Biles received shows the world that we still have a long way to go in understanding mental health needs and how to help people who struggle.

As the Olympic torch burns bright and the world stops to witness how nations come together in the pool, on the track, and in a gym, I am reminded about the important role sports have played in my own life, namely soccer (the most widely played sport in the world).

The current 5.9% unemployment rate, compared to 3.5% before the pandemic, shows that the country is still suffering from joblessness. But the situation becomes more unusual because there are plenty of job openings and a plethora of workers. Unfortunately, the workers who need jobs are not a suitable match for the jobs that are open. Because of this unbalanced equation, the country is finding it difficult to get back on track.

Although people spent much of the pandemic wishing that the world could return to normal, now that vaccines are administered and people can return to the office, not everyone is in a big hurry to do so. In fact, most workers who can work from home favor the idea of doing so for at least part of each week. Companies are trying to determine the best way to cater to their employees while still fostering creativity and innovation.

The economy has faced a long road to equilibrium, considering the way the pandemic has pounded it over the last 15 months. But recent reports are all bringing positive news, with many growth indicators back on track and most all showing signs of recovery.

Revering football stars is nothing new, but when the stars have a platform of 300 million Instagram followers, whatever they say or do can become gospel. And for chiseled Portuguese football star Cristiano Ronaldo, his stance on sugary drinks has shaken the world of Coca-Cola this week. With all eyes on the European Championship, one moment of passion by a fit football phenom has taken $4 billion away from Coke’s market cap.

For the past 15 months, Americans have been locked up at home. Now that the floodgates have been opened and the country is getting back to normal, a rash of unacceptable behavior has occurred, whether in retail stores, sports arenas, or airplanes. Did all those months at home wipe our memories of how to behave in polite society? The headlines seem to think so. But as Mr. Rogers would say, look for the helpers. Amidst the poor

Like a freighter inching through the sea, time seemed to make no progression over the past year of living through Covid-19. A year ago, the country was in the midst of an unemployment peak that had not been felt since the Great Depression. People were scared to leave their houses, even for a quick trip to the grocery store. And there was seemingly no light at the end of the tunnel. Fast forward to today, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics just reported that the unemployment rate

Thanks to scientists around the globe, the Covid-19 vaccines have effectively lowered the number of cases and deaths in recent weeks. After nearly 15 long months of wearing masks and quarantine, this miraculous “shot heard ‘round the world” is ushering in a return to normalcy. With people returning to an in-person work environment, the real question surfaces: Can employers demand that you get vaccinated?

My name is Samuel Weintraub, and I am a senior at Shaker Heights High School. The school gave me the opportunity to go on senior project, which is where the school gives their students the opportunity to have real-world experience, whether it is shadowing, interning, working at your own job, or creating an art mural within the walls of the high school. In March 2020, I was in a car accident where I stopped at a red light, and I got hit into a car in front of me, totaling

In the developed world, we often take things for granted. And nothing fits into this category more clearly than the vaccine for Covid-19. Without the diligent work of scientists from around the globe, the entire world would still be amid personal and economic chaos. Although some people are not understanding the stark ramifications of not having a vaccine, the world is in much better economic and personal shape than before.

After a year like no other, restaurant owners and retailers are smiling big this week after the CDC lifted the mask mandate, which allows patrons to shop and eat without wearing a mask. Fourteen long months into the pandemic, this is a true glimmer of hope that Americans may return to life as they knew it. And for restaurant owners and retailers, the news is more than welcome.

In the pandemic’s aftermath, one unforeseen circumstance is that many businesses are struggling to find workers. Whether people are still worried about Covid-19, forced to stay home to care for people, or do not have the skills they need for certain jobs, many industries such as construction and food service are having trouble filling jobs.

For prospective home buyers, especially those who are trying to purchase their very first home, and for those over 55, buying a new home in 2021 is a difficult proposition. From bark-eating beetles to millennials coming of age to the ramifications of the pandemic, there are many elements working together to raise the prices of new construction.