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Real World Economics: The economy is terrible – for the last two decades

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:44 GMT

Edward LottermanMany people think that the U.S. economy is in terrible shape – regardless of highly positive numbers for unemployment, growth in jobs and in the value of output of goods and services. Even though consumer prices increased only 3% over the last 12 months, many people will tell you that inflation is the worst it has been in decades.  Economists are stumped. However, that may be positive on two counts.First, the current situation may quash economic theories based on the assumption that the general public is not only highly informed about economic conditions, but that collectively, they accurately can foresee what government will do, what the effects of such policies will be and thus how to best protect their own positions as circumstances evolve. That “rational expectations” theory was all the rage in the last 20 years of the 20th century but is increasingly ignored as the world has moved on.More importantly, concern about a bad economy in the form of an inflationary sp...

12/3/2023: Rain & mountain snow today

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:44 GMT

The latest Storm Tracker Forecast from meteorologist Matt Mackie:A big system pushing through will bring mostly rain, as temperatures stay in the low 40's for much of the day. The exception will be in the Adirondacks and Green Mountains, where it could be cold enough to support decent snowfall in the higher terrain.While a coating is possible for many north of Interstate 90, totals of a couple inches or more will be limited to Hamilton and Essex, and northwestern Warren counties, and perhaps highs spots in eastern Bennington County over in Vermont.Things ease up overnight, with only leftover showers on Monday. Tuesday is dry, but still cloudy with seasonable temperatures. A few light snow showers are possible Wednesday with a weak system pushing through.Chilly but a bit brighter for Thursday. After a few more chance showers on Friday, we look ahead to a milder start to next weekend - highs in the mid 40's.

Colorado snow totals for December 2-3, 2023

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:44 GMT

The following Colorado snow totals have been reported by the National Weather Service for December 2-3, 2023, as of 8:40 a.m. Sunday:Breckenridge, CO — 3.9 inches at 10:32 p.m. – 12/2/2023Camp Bird, CO — 5 inches at 10:27 a.m. – 12/2/2023Chama, CO — 4 inches at 9:05 a.m. – 12/2/2023Coal Bank Pass, CO — 5 inches at 10:27 a.m. – 12/2/2023Delta, CO — 1 inch at 3:31 p.m. – 12/2/2023Dulce, CO — 5.2 inches at 8:53 a.m. – 12/2/2023Grand Junction, CO — 1 inch at 12:12 p.m. – 12/2/2023Hayden, CO — 4 inches at 6:09 p.m. – 12/2/2023Leadville, CO — 5 inches at 12:39 a.m.Mack, CO — 1 inch at 1:27 p.m. – 12/2/2023Molas Pass, CO — 4 inches at 10:27 a.m. – 12/2/2023Mount Crested But, CO — 4.5 inches at 8:15 a.m.Oak Creek, CO — 4.5 inches at 2:05 p.m. – 12/2/2023Pagosa Springs, CO — 2.5 inches at 9 a.m. – 12/2/2023Red Mountain Pass, CO — 6....

Barnes & Noble’s return to Marin brightens bookstore scene

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:44 GMT

A major bookseller is back in Marin, joining merchants large and small in feeling upbeat about the holiday spending season.A tenant for 17 years, national retailer Barnes & Noble closed its 25,000-square-foot store at Corte Madera Town Center in March. Now the store is back, reopening in a 4,000-square-foot location at the mall with a greater focus on books rather than a range of other media and toys, said store manager Logan Nevens.“We really are back to the basics, so it gives us a chance to cater toward book lovers,” Nevens said. “We are feeling good. We have had consistent people back in since day one.”The Barnes & Noble reopening has signaled an enthusiasm for in-person consumer book sales in an era dominated by online retailers such as Amazon or ThriftBooks, Nevens said.“Being in the mall, it’s a comfort for people. Barnes & Noble is a known name,” Nevens said. “Everyone here has been part of this for as long as they can remember. This holiday season is going to st...

Tower of Power plays hits, holiday tunes at Heritage Theatre

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:44 GMT

A powerful concertTower of Power is bringing its Holidays & Hits Tour to Campbell’s Heritage Theatre Dec. 16 for a concert featuring the band’s hits, with a dusting of select holiday classics.“East Bay Grease,” released by Bill Graham’s Fillmore Records in 1970, was the Oakland-based band’s first LP and landed them with Warner Brothers. Bump City, their 1972 debut for the label, netted them the hits “You’re Still A Young Man” and “Down to The Nightclub.” The hits kept coming in the ’70s with radio classics like “So Very Hard to Go” and “What Is Hip?” These songs and others defined an “Oakland soul” sound.Related ArticlesEntertainment | Junior League of San Jose hosts holiday campaign Entertainment | Barrel tree in San Jose lights the way home for enlisted service members Entertainment | Bay Area ‘mad’ crazy about holiday festival Entertainment | Feeling festive: 12 wonderful ways to get into the spirit of the seaso...

Saratoga Retirement Community ranked among state’s top nursing homes

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:44 GMT

Tops in senior careThe health center at Saratoga Retirement Community (SRC) was recently ranked among the top 6% of nursing homes in California by U.S. News & World Report. In the magazine’s “Best Nursing Homes” list for 2023-24, the SRC Health Center earned the highest ratings for both its short-term rehabilitation and long-term care services. The ratings are based on measures from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services such as infection rates, staffing levels, safety data and health inspection results.“This recognition comes as healthcare costs are climbing,” SRC Executive Director Sarah Stel said in a statement. “This is a big reason why we’re proposing an expansion for SRC. By adding more independent living residents and remodeling the health center, we can generate more revenue, reduce operating costs and better meet patient preferences.”The expansion project at SRC, located at 14500 Fruitvale Ave., would add 52 independent living units with the construction of thre...

Junior League of San Jose hosts holiday campaign

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:44 GMT

Bringing the heatSan Jose ranked 10th in California in a recent study of most affordable cities to heat a home in winter. Overall, the study by HVAC Gnome determined that 94 of the most affordable cities to heat in the country are in California. The study ranked cities based on energy costs, cost inflators and lack of energy efficiency. It looked at average monthly electricity and gas bills, periods of extreme cold, the average size of homes and residential energy efficiency code adoption, among 10 total metrics.Santa Clara was ranked No. 2 in the study, Sunnyvale came in at No. 3 and Milpitas was fourth.The overall study also ranked 2023’s Most Expensive Cities to Heat a Home in Winter. None of the top 50 cities in this ranking are in California; Hawthorne came in at No. 254.Neighborhood NotesRelated ArticlesLocal News | Tower of Power plays hits, holiday tunes at Heritage Theatre Local News | Barrel tree in San Jose lights the way home for enlisted servi...

Los Gatos author shares recipes for remembrance

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:44 GMT

Carolyn DuClos admits she was never a baker, but she and her two sisters learned when their mother Hannalore, a Holocaust survivor, decided it was time for her daughters to learn how to make the many recipes she had perfected over the years.“She told us to bring a suitcase and meet at her house,” says DuClos, who lives in Los Gatos with her husband Tim. “We all flew in or drove with an empty suitcase. She had four baking stations all set up with ingredients for cookies all measured out, and we started in. We baked over 1,500 cookies together and went home with our suitcases full.”When Hannalore was just 13 years old, the Nazis came to her home in Germany and told her nine family members, including her parents and her two siblings, to prepare to leave. They could bring only one suitcase. Hannalore was stalwart and proved useful for cleaning and mending dead soldier’s uniforms for reuse. She was the lone family member to survive the camps after being moved five times over a four-year ...

Barrel tree in San Jose lights the way home for enlisted service members

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:44 GMT

The oak barrels stacked outside the SAP Center in downtown San Jose were once used to age Tennessee whiskey, but they’ve been repurposed to help enlisted service members from all over the country make it home for the holidays.The six-tier barrel tree at SAP’s north entrance is one of 11 constructed in various U.S. cities by Jack Daniel Distillery. The barrels from the San Jose tree and others are being auctioned off to support Operation Ride Home.Through the program, Jack Daniel’s and the Armed Services YMCA have helped send over 12,000 service members and their families home–including this year’s travelers–while raising more than $2.5 million in donations. Men and women from the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard have been assisted with travel to all 50 states.The San Jose Sharks are working with local veteran artists to create custom wraps for a select number of barrels. These barrels will be auctioned off by the Sharks Foundation next spring. The Sharks, in partn...

Niemann beats Hoshino in playoff to win Australian Open. Buhai defends women’s title

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:44 GMT

SYDNEY (AP) — Joaquin Niemann of Chile beat Japan’s Rikuya Hoshino on the second playoff hole to win the Australian Open men’s title on a wild final day.Niemann made an eagle at the second extra hole after a number of contenders slipped away on the back nine due to gusting winds at The Australian course on Sunday.Starting the day four shots behind, Niemann — one of the big-name signings of the breakaway LIV Golf league — produced an excellent final-round 5-under-par 66 to finish at 14-under 271 as he surged up the leaderboard and took the clubhouse lead.Hoshino, who was runner-up to Min Woo Lee at last week’s Australia PGA Championships, made a number of clutch putts on the final holes and closed with a 70 to make the playoff at 14 under. Lee shot 72 and finished in third at 12 under after a frustrating day on the greens extinguished his hopes of winning in back-to-back weeks, despite sharing the overnight lead with Hoshino.Former world No. 1 Adam Scott looked to be surg...