The Insider Notebook

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NOTEBOOK – ONE GOOD READ: A look at the U.S.’s top real estate agent

Ben Caballero is on pace to sell 6,000 homes in Texas this year. If you’re doing the math, that’s an average of 16 sales every day. And Caballero is accomplishing the feat of being the …

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NOTEBOOK – ONE GOOD READ: Employers rethink need for college degrees in tight labor market

Reconsidering or eliminating the requirement of a four-year degree for tech positions has already been happening at some companies for years. Now with a labor market that remains tight, more companies are hiring based on experience …

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NOTEBOOK – ONE GOOD READ: Sunday was the busiest day at US airports since before pandemic

BY NORA FELDER: Sunday marked the busiest day at U.S. airports since the start of the pandemic, CNN writer Chris Isidore reports. “This year’s traffic was up 4% from the Sunday after Thanksgiving last year, but it’s still …

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ONE GOOD READ: Why is Gen Z not returning to the workforce? It’s a mystery

BY MICHAEL CRUMB: We’ve heard a lot of the ongoing workforce shortage over the past couple of years, and this story from the Wall Street Journal takes a look at those people who are in their early 20s, …

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ONE GOOD READ: Meet me downtown

BY EMILY KESTEL: The New York Times published last week a dynamic photo story that features dispatches from 10 cities across the country, highlighting the pandemic’s effects on downtown areas. The story’s introduction reads, “While some downtown …

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NOTEBOOK: ONE GOOD READ- Free returns: The end of an era

BY MICHAEL CRUMB:The increased cost of shipping is causing some companies to charge customers for returning items they ordered online, and that means the beginning of the end of the era of free returns, Insider reports …

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NOTEBOOK: ONE GOOD READ – She’s made 1,750 Wikipedia bios for women scientists who haven’t gotten their due

BY EMILY KESTEL: It’s currently estimated that just 19% of English Wikipedia biographies are of women. British physicist Jess Wade saw that statistic and decided to take matters into her own hands. Since 2017, she’s written …

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NOTEBOOK – ONE GOOD READ: How Patagonia’s ownership bombshell changes the game

Last week, Patagonia’s family owners announced a new ownership structure aimed at ensuring that its values would remain intact, as well as greatly stepping up the company’s efforts in addressing the climate crisis. As Fast …

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NOTEBOOK – ONE GOOD READ: Are you a Trader Joe’s hoarder?

At the start of the pandemic many of us stocked up on hard-to-find items like toilet paper and disinfectant sprays and wipes. Further into the pandemic, parents of infants  snatched up as much baby formula …

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NOTEBOOK: Making a difference in other people’s lives

I first interviewed Alex Watters for a story I reported for the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 2020. Later that year, he was part of our 90 Ideas in 90 Minutes…