Saturday, February 3, 2024

The Information Age 2324

When Newt Gingrich announced that the US was entering the “Information Age” in the 1980s, I sensed that the “Information” wasn’t good. We were off-shoring entire industries and losing our manufacturing base. We were degraded our private sector and putting our economy at risk of imploding. Half the information we are able to get is useless. 

The Information Age was launched by the invention of the integrated circuit in 1974 by Texas Instruments. It fueled the Computer Age, the Digital Age and New Media Age. This enabled people to access information and knowledge easily. The problem was that this information expanded beyond the useful and has become a useless distraction that allows fraud and subversion. Kids became addicted to their cell-phones. In the 2000s, Social media went toxic as it became another media indoctrination tool.

Now In the 2020s, Facebook and Instagram's parent company Meta said revenue fell 4% in the three months from July through September compared to a year earlier, from $29 billion to $27.7 billion. Monthly U.S. ad revenue at social media platform X has declined at least 55% year-over-year each month since billionaire Elon Musk bought the company formerly known as Twitter in October 2022, according to third-party data provided to Reuters.  A study conducted in 2014 revealed that number of visits to public libraries had dropped by approximately 12% since 2009, Now libraries are used to promote drag queens. These should be closed.

TikTok brought in $11.6 billion in ad revenue in 2022, a sizable revenue increase from $3.9 billion in 202, estimates data show. ByteDance (owns TikTok) valuation hit $223.5 billion in 2023. The US needs to ban Chinese owned TicTok.  It is a favorite toy where teens and kids can publish their antics, but they could use their own cellphones to record these antics and control distribution. They would be better off trying to learn what they would need to be self-sufficient adults and working a part-time service job.

The electronics boom began in the 1980s and continued through the 1990s and did bring jobs, prosperity and innovation. The Internet launched after computer chips were developed to handle the data volume. CAD design had replaced drafting tables and 3D pictures allowed for Computer Integrated Manufacturing. Lasers measured 3D parts with Coordinate Measuring Machines and replaced manual inspection Telecom went from analog on wires to wireless on radio frequencies to wireless digital and cell towers appeared to handle cell phones. Cell phones in the 2000s could take pictures and access the internet and became expensive toys. In the 1970s, US Auto Manufacturers failed to increase fuel efficiency and lost market share to the Japanese. The US lost jobs in 1998 and middle-income jobs have continued to decline. In 2000, Toyota introduced the Prius Hybrid and in 2005 the Prius got 60mpg. By the 2000s US Manufacturing had solved its quality problems with Lean Manufacturing. This rollercoaster ride put us where we are today, with a service economy where consumers cannot afford the services.

The “Information” included the reality that home value appreciation would be good for Boomers and bad for their kids.  Too many Gen X kids (born 1965-1980) can’t even pay their rent much less qualify for a home mortgage. Gen Y kids (born 1982-1994) and Millennials (born 1981-1996) who don’t currently own a home are stuck with high home costs and high mortgage rates and Gen Z kids (born 1997-2012 need to be warned to increase their earning power in order to be self-supporting. In the 1960s a good family income was $10,000/yr. In 2020, a good family income was $100,000/yr. Unless we do something to end inflation, in 2100, a good family income will be $1,000,000/yr.

College undergraduate enrollment peaked in 2010 at 18.1 million and moved to 15.9 million in 2020

https://educationdata.org/college-enrollment-statistics

US Student Loan College Debt reached $1.74 trillion in 2023.

https://www.fool.com/research/student-loan-debt-statistics/#:~:text=Total%20student%20loan%20debt%20in,of%20all%20student%20loan%20debt.

I expect more students will opt for lower costs and more useful courses.

US Inflation has caused home prices to rise beyond what most families can afford and lower income families are stuck in the “Rent Trap”.

US Single Family Home Prices range from $229 thousand to $787 thousand based on the State. The US median price was $412 thousand in 2023.

https://www.forbes.com/advisor/mortgages/real-estate/median-home-prices-by-state/

Alabama

$275,000

Alaska

$363,000

Arizona

$435,000

Arkansas

$256,000

California

$787,000

Colorado

$612,000

Connecticut

$387,000

Delaware

$342,000

District of Columbia

$626,000

Florida

$402,000

Georgia

$366,000

Hawaii

$750,000

Idaho

$470,000

Illinois

$272,000

Indiana

$250,000

Iowa

$229,000

Kansas

$259,000

Kentucky

$250,000

Louisiana

$243,000

Maine

$392,000

Maryland

$410,000

Massachusetts

$601,000

Michigan

$253,000

Minnesota

$338,000

Mississippi

$258,000

Missouri

$258,000

Montana

$530,000

Nebraska

$282,000

Nevada

$437,000

New Hampshire

$470,000

New Jersey

$494,000

New Mexico

$365,000

New York

$490,000

North Carolina

$363,000

Ohio

$235,000

Oklahoma

$235,000

Oregon

$502,000

Pennsylvania

$276,000

Rhode Island

$467,000

South Carolina

$371,000

South Dakota

$307,000

Tennessee

$368,000

Texas

$348,000

Utah

$566,000

Vermont

$394,000

Virginia

$413,000

Washington

$602,000

West Virginia

$285,000

Wisconsin

$298,000

Source: Redfin Monthly Housing Data (September 2023)

https://www.forbes.com/advisor/mortgages/real-estate/median-home-prices-by-state/

The State Minimum Wage varies in 28 States for 2024.

Some States have been raising their minimum wage. Here is an update. 22 States use the Federal Minimum Wage at $7.25/hr and don’t have a State minimum wage, so companies pay according to skill level and market rate. States with the highest State Minimum Wage are more expensive to live in.

*Differing minimum wages: One or more cities/counties have different rates and/or other factors affect rate (i.e., employer size, number of employees, employee benefits) States with a + are planning another rate hike. States with * use the higher rate for companies with 25 or more employees and may have other factors.

 

STATE

2023

2024

EFFECTIVE

Alabama

$7.25

$7.25

1/1/2024

Alaska

$10.85

$11.73

1/1/2024

Arizona

$13.85*

$14.35*

1/1/2024

Arkansas

$11.00

$11.00

1/1/2023

California

$15.50*

$16.00*

1/1/2024

Colorado

$13.65*

$14.42*

1/1/2024

Connecticut

$15.00+

$15.69

7/1/2024

Delaware

$11.75

$13.25

1/1/2024

Washington D.C.+

$16.10*+

$17.00*+

7/1/2023

Florida

$12.00+

$12.00+

9/30/2023

Georgia

$7.25

$7.25

1/1/2024

Hawaii

$12.00

$14.00

10/1/2024

Idaho

$7.25

$7.25

1/1/2024

Illinois

$13.00*

$14.00*

1/1/2024

Indiana

$7.25

$7.25

1/1/2024

Iowa

$7.25

$7.25

1/1/2024

Kansas

$7.25

$7.25

1/1/2024

Kentucky

$7.25

$7.25

1/1/2024

Louisiana

$7.25

$7.25

1/1/2024

Maine

$13.80*

$14.15*

1/1/2024

Maryland

$13.25*

$15.00*

1/1/2024

Massachusetts

$15.00

$15.00

1/1/2024

Michigan

$10.10+

$10.33+

1/1/2024

Minnesota

$10.59*

$10.85*

1/1/2024

Mississippi

$7.25

$7.25

1/1/2024

Missouri

$12.00

$12.30

1/1/2024

Montana

$9.95

$10.30

1/1/2024

Nebraska

$10.50*

$12.00*

1/1/2024

Nevada

$10.25*+

$10.25*+

7/1/2023

New Hampshire

$7.25

$7.25

1/1/2024

New Jersey

$14.13*

$15.13*

1/1/2024

New Mexico

$12.00*

$12.00*

1/1/2024

New York

$14.20*

$15.00*

1/1/2024

North Carolina

$7.25

$7.25

1/1/2024

North Dakota

$7.25

$7.25

1/1/2024

Ohio

$10.10*

$10.45*

1/1/2024

Oklahoma

$7.25

$7.25

1/1/2024

Oregon

$TBD*

$14.20*+

7/1/2023

Pennsylvania

$7.25

$7.25

1/1/2024

Rhode Island

$13.00

$14.00

1/1/2024

South Carolina

$7.25

$7.25

1/1/2024

South Dakota

$10.80

$11.20

1/1/2024

Tennessee

$7.25

$7.25

1/1/2024

Texas

$7.25

$7.25

1/1/2024

Utah

$7.25

$7.25

1/1/2024

Vermont

$13.18

$13.67

1/1/2024

Virginia

$12.00

$12.00

1/1/2023

Washington

$15.74*+

$16.28*

1/1/2024

West Virginia

$8.75

$8.75

1/1/2024

Wisconsin

$7.25

$7.25

1/1/2024

Wyoming

$7.25

$7.25

1/1/2024

*Differing minimum wages: One or more cities/counties have different rates and/or other factors affect rate (i.e., employer size, number of employees, employee benefits)

https://www.hrministrysolutions.com/blog/2024-minimum-wage?gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIn5fo1KiKhAMVahitBh05RQTAEAAYASAAEgKadPD_BwE

Comments

Since Newt Gingrich announced the “Information Age” in the 1980s we find ourselves in a whole new place.

Social Media and College attendance have peeked and are declining. Single Family Home prices have not peaked. The minimum wage is more complicated. Now you have more information than you need unless you plan on moving to another State.

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader

 

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