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Two years ago, before COVID-19 hit, Swiss International Air Lines hired me to reinvent the concept of economy-class travel. At least, that was the presenting problem. When I met with members of senior management, it was clear they had certain aesthetic fixes in mind—changing the welcome messages on the video screens, softening the glare of the reading lights, improving the snack selection, etc. I told them that before I could even think about welcome messages, lighting, or snacks, I needed to figure out the real reasons why repeat passenger levels had dropped and why the airline ranked #18 for on-time arrivals. … [Read more...] about Three shockingly obvious ways to make flying less miserable

The essential parts of an economy are intertwined by their very nature. There’s no point in having a food market if there are no farmers to supply food. But there’s no point in growing food until there are markets where you can sell it. And what is the right moment to go into the “food transportation” business, carting the freshly harvested produce from the field to the store? We’ve seen this in our own era: What was the point in creating high-speed internet service if there was no content online that required such speeds? Why bother creating YouTube if no one has the bandwidth to watch and upload videos easily? … [Read more...] about Why now is the most exciting time in space in 50 years

Marriott International Blue Cross Blue Shield Association JPMorgan Chase Citigroup It should be noted that JPMorgan Chase and Citigroup are not just suspending donations to only the 147 lawmakers who opposed Biden’s certification. Rather, those GOP members are included in the suspension of all PAC donations to Republicans and Democrats in the upcoming months. … [Read more...] about These companies say they’re suspending donations to GOP members who opposed certifying Biden’s victory

Try checking the Get My Payment tool again Many Americans who tried to check the status of their payment via the IRS Get My Payment portal last week had little luck, either due to glitches or because the tool was overwhelmed with visitors. If you were one of them, it might be worth trying again. The IRS said it updated the tool with the latest payment information last week. If you’re eligible to receive a check, it should tell you one of three things: … [Read more...] about IRS stimulus check update: What to know about mailed payments and the Friday deadline

While the $900 billion stimulus bill that just passed earmarked $10 billion for childcare funding, advocates say that’s just a fraction of what the industry needs to survive this period, which is believed to be in the range of $50 billion. Biden’s plan calls for increasing pay and benefits for existing childcare workers and creating 1.5 million new jobs in the industry—good jobs that would secure affordable healthcare and paid family leave for a workforce that has historically been underpaid. Another proposal is to build more childcare centers and encourage businesses to invest in on-site childcare through a construction tax credit. … [Read more...] about We’re in the midst of a caregiving crisis. Here’s how Biden may address it