Highlights of the Week (October 15, 2021)

This week, I noticed that the leaves on the giant tree right outside my window were suddenly mixed with red and yellow. Autumn is in full swing. In less glorious news, further evidence of looming inflation took root as the US consumer price index rose 5.4% compared to last September. One key factor is shortages of consumer goods brought on by the pandemic and congestion backing up our shipping ports on both coasts. On my recent flight, a cheery flight attendant remarked to everyone who would listen that we were getting the big cans of soda because the little cans were stuck out on the port of Long Beach, CA. A small bonus for a big issue. For those living on a fixed income from Social Security, the increase in prices will be addressed in part with a 5.9% cost of living increase next year, well over 2020's 1.3% increase. But don't worry, it's apparently "transitory."

Let's hit rewind on the week's top stories from The Daily Stack:

• If you've ever felt duped by the promises of flying cars in Hollywood productions, there is hope on the horizon. We covered the airline industry's future from supersonic flights to a shrinking business class to air taxis. Check it out here.
• For our Investor Highlight, we looked at the unfavorable demographics of VC investing for women, hovering around 2% of all money invested. Female Founders Fund is out to change that imbalance, making investments in promising startups led by women. Find out more.
• Hotels and hospitality groups have had to adjust their "customer is always right" attitude to enforce COVID protocols in their lobbies and restaurants. Next time you forget a toothbrush, it might be delivered by a bow-tied robot. Learn more about the changes here.
• Yesterday we examined the speculative investor's more cautious counterpart in SPAC investing, in what's known as SPAC arbitrage. The practice involves buying up shares of a SPAC before it announces a target and selling soon after, yielding investors a better return than alternatives like short-term US Treasury bonds. Read more.