8 free cookies, covid passports are a terrible idea, inflation

one of our friends recently converted us to the cookie butter cult, and we couldn’t be happier with their recommendation. they inspired us to start the TWR referral program! share your unique link at the bottom of this email with friends and family, and you can earn prizes for each subscription. three new subscriptions earn you some homemade sea salt chocolate chip cookies, five earns you some sweet stickers, and we’ve also got branded coffee mugs, t-shirts, and hoodies available. spread the word & get rewarded!

big idea: government mandated covid passports are a terrible idea

1. with more countries adopting nationalized registries of vaccinated residents, and providing those people with ‘covid passports’ allowing freer movement, debate as to if ‘murica should follow suit is heating up. 

2. Joe has made it clear that the federal government won’t impose passports, but several states are in the process of rolling out systems similar to those overseas. if the goal of such initiatives is to boost vaccination numbers, they’re a terrible idea.

3. let’s examine the problems:

   1. it’s unlikely passports entice hesitant groups to get vaccinated. heavy handed government schemes will likely harden anti-vaxxer sentiment, as in israel. those crazies don’t need another reason to think bill gates is trying to infect them with 5G trackers.

   2. the analogy of schools and workplaces requiring vaccinations (like chickenpox or yellow fever) is a false one. covid vaccines were authorized under an emergency use protocol, which means they cannot be mandated by employers, and lack years of data on their long-term efficacy.

   3. passports would exacerbate inequities due to unequal access to vaccine appointments among minorities. it’s clear minorities want vaccines as much as whites, but can’t get them.

   4. the privacy and autonomy issue can’t be ignored. as mandated school vaccines have demonstrated, it’s nearly impossible to differentiate between who has a personal objection to vaccines and who cannot medically receive one.

4. while we do think private companies (like airlines) should be able to create industry-run passports, it’s clear that government should stay out of the whole ‘show me your papers’ thing. consumers should have the choice to take their money to businesses with or without passport requirements, rather than a problematic legal mandate. the government’s role should be limited to setting & enforcing standards for private sector initiatives.

story to watch: inflation is heating up the economy

1. real estate and commodity prices are increasing, raising the specter of inflation. the federal reserve aims for a 2% annual inflation rate, and the post-covid recovery may heat up the economy so we overshoot that target.

2. existing home sales in the US are at 14-year highs (pre-great recession levels), likely due to low mortgage rates, stimulus money, and urban flight. commodity costs (the raw materials needed to create consumer goods) are increasing for many reasons, and will result in higher prices for everything from diapers to peanut butter. bad time to be a parent, huh.

3. is there reason to worry? probably not. the US hasn’t hit that 2% target for six out of the last ten years, so the fed would be more than happy to average more than that for a year or two. the housing market will likely cool off once everyone buys their second homes, and that sector is a huge contributor to inflation. so, no need to stock your bunker with gold just yet.

this week’s image: kitten caught red-pawed

• a purr-suasive kitten was able to check-out the works of rumi in a turkish library

this week’s number: place of worship membership falls below 50%

1. only 47% of ‘muricans said they belonged to a church, synagogue, or mosque in 2020, a record low. that’s correlated with age too, with just 36% of millennials attending one. 

2. there are dozens of theories as to why ‘muricans are not interested in religion anymore, from repulsion by the catholic church’s many scandals, to evangelicals' blood-pact with republicans, to losing trust in institutions in general, to internet dating, to political identities replacing religious ones.

3. it’s clear the christian ‘murica we grew up with is disappearing. experts predict no single religion will dominate our culture within 30 years. Don’t tell the moozlums though… #creepinsharia. we take back our previous advice, time to stock up on bunker gold.

what we’re cooking: chocolate hazelnut crostata

• a delicious and quick recipe from 177 Milk Street, this classic italian tart comes together with just a handful of pantry ingredients. chock-full of bittersweet chocolate and roasted hazelnuts, it’s the rare dessert which is both indulgent and filling, no trip to italy required.

and, in case you missed it:

• GM’s CEO is being accused of racism, with full page ads taken out in newspapers against her by black media companies

• major non-profit hospitals, including the Mayo Clinic, made billions in profits last year, largely from covid relief funds

• continuing our streak of weird stories from our neighbors to the north, it took a dozen highly trained government agents in quebec to pull a moose out of a pool

the weekly rundown is produced by Yunus, Faisal (@faisalc93), and Ahmed (@ahmedhcheema). learn more about us and email us your comments and feedback!