Author: knjohn

Why Lumber And Plywood Prices Are So High—And When They Will Come Down

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Lumber and plywood prices have jumped through the roof in the U.S. Building materials prices will retreat in 2022, returning to pre-pandemic levels by 2023. They reflect housing-specific issues, not general inflation. (The general inflation is coming, I have argued, but lumber is not an early sign.)

Wood products prices typically fluctuate more than most goods, because homebuilding can move up or down much faster than sawmill capacity can. Wood products have other uses that are more stable, such as non-residential construction, crates and pallets, but new housing is the largest usage, followed by home repairs and remodeling, and both of those activities are highly cyclical.

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Questions to Ask Before Taking Out a Business Loan | AllBusiness.com

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Whether you’ve been helping customers for decades or are just starting your first venture, you may need to take out a loan to help build your business. But, taking out a business loan is a delicate process that requires careful consideration.

The thought of taking out a loan (or even multiple loans) might scare the daylights out of you. After all, it’s a big step of being in business. But, sometimes your business needs that extra helping hand to be able to grow and succeed.

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How to Terminate Employee Benefits | business.com

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If you have to let an employee go or they quit, you should provide them with a termination of benefits letter. Here’s what to include in your letter and a sample template.

As a business leader, when you make the difficult decision to fire or lay off an employee – or if they decide to quit – you must end their employee benefits. While most benefits are immediately terminated, employees often have the right to continue with some benefits. Terminating employee benefits is a delicate process, and you want to make sure you follow all of the proper steps.

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Google and Samsung Together Could Take on the Apple Watch | Digital Trends

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At this moment in time, Apple owns the smartwatch space, and the Apple Watch’s status as the world’s bestselling watch is well-deserved. Google, on the other hand, has let Wear OS stagnate over the years, and while the dedicated companies that use Wear OS keep making great hardware, the software usually feels substandard.

Samsung makes the only true competitor to the Apple Watch. The Galaxy Watch 3’s fluid, well-designed Tizen software and innovative control system make it a winner, but it lacks Google apps and services. Neither Google nor Samsung can beat Apple on their own, but perhaps together they can?

That’s what was announced at Google I/O 2021. Google’s new “Wear” software is an exciting mash-up of Wear OS and Samsung’s Tizen, complete with Fitbit’s comprehensive health tech for good measure. Apple may not be shaking in its boots yet, but for the first time, it should be looking over its shoulder to see what’s coming.

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Facts About Bitcoin Mining | The Startup Magazine

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BTC mining is a crucial part of the Bitcoin ecosystem and the blockchain network. Without Bitcoin mining, it would be impossible to create a decentralized peer-to-peer-based blockchain system that works without the influence of third-party financial institutions.

Bitcoin mining is still as important as it was in the beginning, but it is very much competitive, and Bitcoin mining is considered an industry today. If you want to get into Bitcoin mining, or you’re new to the crypto world, we provide top facts about Bitcoin mining that will be useful to you.

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Meet the Tech Startups Battling America’s Raging Wildfire Problem | Inc.com

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DAVE WINNACKER stood on a hill in Northern California as flames devoured the houses below him. The Ala­meda County Fire Department division chief had fought wildfires before, but the 2017 North Bay Fires felt different. A sense of helplessness overcame him as he watched them burn.

“I had engines assigned to them,” he says. “But you couldn’t stop it.”

A former Marine (and now a fire chief in the Bay Area’s Moraga-Orinda Fire District), Winnacker was one of more than 10,000 firefighters who battled the infernos, which raged for three weeks. The blaze tore through a quarter-million acres, killed 44 people, and destroyed over 6,000 homes. At times, it spread at a rate of one football field every three seconds. The damage totaled $13 billion, a new U.S. record that would fall the following year.

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California Gov. Newsom proposes $3.2B in EV investment as part of economic recovery package | TechCrunch

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California Governor Gavin Newsom, a vocal proponent of electric vehicles, on Friday debuted a new proposal that would earmark $3.2 billion to boost EV infrastructure and adoption in the state.

“This is a big deal,” Newsom said at a press conference Friday. “The Biden administration’s been talking a lot about this, they’re hoping to do something with the Senate, but we’re doing it. We’re not waiting around.”

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The Case for Letting People Work From Home Forever | WIRED

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IN 2020, BECAUSE of the Covid-19 pandemic, almost 70 percent of full-time employees worked from home. Many employers that perhaps may never have considered offering a remote work option adapted to the necessity. Today, as businesses consider their return-to-office plans, they would do well for themselves and for their employees to continue to offer remote work arrangements for individuals who prefer them.

Several years ago, I quit my corporate job to stay home full time with my children. I never planned to be a stay-at-home parent. But my second child was born with multiple disabilities, and as he grew so did his list of doctor and therapy appointments. I had difficulty managing my son’s needs and keeping up with the more than 40 hours each week I needed to spend in the office.

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