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US News

Surgeon General Says Parenting is Horrible For Your Health 

What's going on: Parenting is hard. Bluey helps, but still. Now, America’s doctor is acknowledging just how difficult things are by issuing an official surgeon general’s warning, saying that raising children can be hazardous to one’s health. It’s so challenging that nearly half of parents can barely function due to a combo of loneliness, money woes, and general stress, according to Surgeon General Vivek Murthy's new report. Approximately 66% of parents said they were “consumed by worries regarding money,” compared to 39% percent of other adults. Murthy believes there are measures our government (and bosses) could take that would lighten the load — highly necessary when you already have a little one strapped to your chest. For instance, expanding the child tax credit could give parents a break per dependent. There’s also paid family and medical leave, sick time off, and making investments in healthcare, education, and institutions like libraries. These are policies that parents and advocacy groups have already been fighting for all along, but this acknowledgment is big. 

What it means: This report comes at a time when both former President Donald Trump and VP Kamala Harris are saying they can improve things for parents. Trump’s VP pick Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) has proposed raising the child tax credit to $5,000, a measure Trump is considering, according to Semafor. While in office, Trump already doubled the child tax credit to $2,000 per child. Meanwhile, Harris has said she’d bring back pandemic-level credits of up to $3,600 per child, with a $6,000 credit for newborns. The Democrats’ 2024 party platform also includes free, universal preschool for four-year-olds and child care from birth until kindergarten, either for free or $10 a day, depending on income. With all this said, for those who choose to parent, there are daily joys that aren’t mentioned in the report — like watching your kid slay at a spelling bee or roll over for the first time. But parents are clearly struggling — and some help from the next administration could make a big difference.

Related: Everyone Is Still Dreaming the American Dream. But Is It Reachable? (WSJ)

Economy

What Is “Nvidia Day” and What Does It Mean For Us (And AI)? 

What's going on: Yesterday, Nvidia reported earnings that surpassed investor expectations, but the AI chipmaker’s rapid growth in recent years set the bar so high that investors were still disappointed. As a result, Nvidia’s shares dipped as much as 5% in after-hours trading. This was a big deal, because this isn’t just any company sharing its quarterly earnings, as is required for publicly-traded US companies. Nvidia has become something of a cultural phenomenon — it’s a bellwether for artificial intelligence’s success. It’s also been the best-performing S&P 500 stock this year, and is worth more than $3 trillion.

What it means: There was a lot of fanfare around how this announcement would go, with plenty of memes and watch parties anticipating so-called “Nvidia Day.” Many with Nvidia stock joked that the company was carrying the economy on its back. The fact that Nvidia’s shares still dipped post-announcement adds to concerns about the sustainability of AI and how long the technology could take to start making money. Meanwhile, this one company’s success affects us all, because it makes up such a large chunk of the S&P 500 (7%), which has major economic repercussions. As one investment group put it: Nvidia’s earnings report drops have “become the world’s most important financial news” events. We’ll see how things continue into today. 

Related: The Antitrust Saga Continues — Yelp Is Suing Google (CNN)

Lifestyle

One Star for the Hotels Charging $1,000 a Night

What's going on: Paying $1,000 a night for a hotel room used to guarantee a luxury suite complete with larger rooms and a balcony with a stunning view. But now, that price might only cover a standard room at some top hotels — and that’s if you’re lucky. The cost of staying at higher-end hotels for one night is skyrocketing. Think: October at the Ritz-Carlton New York: $1,300 a night. Four Seasons Miami: $1,500. In the first half of this year, 80 US hotels had average nightly rates of $1,000 or more — up from just 22 in 2019, according to CoStar Group, a real-estate analytics firm. Europe has seen a similar trend, with the number of hotels charging these eye-popping rates tripling.

What it means: Hotels are cashing in on affluent travelers who haven’t fully satisfied their post-pandemic “revenge travel” itch. These deep-pocketed travelers are allowing hotels to push rates higher without much resistance. The demand for luxury suites and connecting rooms is also driving up prices. Some travelers have also come running back into the arms of hotels after growing fed up with Airbnb’s rising fees and inconsistent quality, giving hotels yet another reason to keep prices high. For those of us not made of money, this means getting extra strategic — think alternative destinations, off-peak travel, or desperately hunting down hotels that still offer a shred of value.

Related: How to Snag the Best Fall Travel Deals (USA Today)