Category Archives: Analysis

Views: How Dandelions Conquered The World

This master engineer uses advanced aerodynamics to conquer vast territories. This is the Dandelion.

Dandelion is a plant with yellow flowers. Taraxacum officinale is the most common variety of this plant, and it grows in many parts of the world. Botanists consider dandelions to be herbs. People use the leaves, stem, flower, and root of the dandelion for medicinal purposes.

COVID-19 INFOGRAPHIC: U.S. VACCINATION RATES & STATES HOSPITALIZATIONS (AUG 9)

Highly Vaccinated States Keep Worst Covid-19 Outcomes in Check as Delta Spreads, WSJ Analysis Shows

Investing: The Risks Of Buying Chinese Stocks

Chinese tech stocks popular among U.S. investors have tumbled amid the country’s regulatory crackdown on technology firms. WSJ explains some of the new risks investors face when buying shares of companies like Didi or Tencent. Photo Composite: Michelle Inez Simon

Analysis: Open-Source Intelligence, Stablecoins, Predicting New Viruses

A selection of three essential articles read aloud from the latest issue of The Economist. This week, open-source intelligence comes of age, why regulators should treat stablecoins like banks (10:50) and how predicting viral evolution may let vaccines be prepared in advance (17:00).

Analysis: How Marriott Became The Largest Hotel Operator In The World

Marriott International has been a stalwart in the hotel industry for decades. However, the hotel giant — along with its competitors — was hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. Last year was the worst on record for U.S. hotels, and Marriott was particularly hard hit. The company posted in 2020 its first full-year loss in more than a decade. Despite those challenges, the rollout of vaccines and signs of pent-up travel demand has led to a renewed sense of optimism for the hotel operator.

Crypto Markets: Altcoins Eat Away At Bitcoin Share

The cryptocurrency market was worth more than $1.6 trillion by the end of the July 2021. And bitcoin controls more than 47 percent of that market, according to Tradingview.com, down from more than 70 percent at the start of 2021. Altcoins, or alternatives to bitcoin, have surged in number and value since 2018. Crypto networks with advanced technologies such as Ethereum, Polygon and Uniswap have captured more and more of the crypto market. And there’s also stablecoins, utility coins and meme currencies like Dogecoin. Here’s how altcoins work, and why they’re becoming a larger and larger force in the crypto market. CHAPTERS: 00:00 — Introduction 01:37 — What are altcoins? 04:07 — Who are the top players? 06:36 — What’s next?

Education: How Common Core Failed In U.S. Schools

First implemented in 2009, Common Core was an ambitious initiative to revolutionize the American education system. National leaders from Bill Gates to President Obama supported the idea and it cost an estimated $15.8 billion to implement. Years later, research showed the new curriculum had minimal impact on student performance. So why did Common Core fail? Can a common curriculum be successful for all students? Watch the video to find out.

Analysis: Why Vacation Costs Are Rising (WSJ)

An economy in recovery means finding some rest and relaxation could make a bigger dent in your wallet Experts say price increases reflect an economy on the upswing from pandemic lows, but higher demand has made some vacation essentials harder to come by. We explain why, plus share some strategies to help avoid the sticker shock. Photo illustration: Jacob Reynolds/WSJ

Political Analysis: Tamara Keith & Amy Walter On The Infrastructure Debate

NPR’s Tamara Keith and Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report join Judy Woodruff to discuss the latest political news, including progress on the infrastructure negotiations in the Senate and former President Donald Trump’s fundraising efforts.