The Big Four—Tyson, JBS, Cargill, and National Beef—control 85% of U.S. beef processing. The cattle population is at its lowest level since 1951, making it difficult for the Big Four to operate efficiently. Even small plants built to process 450 cattle per day are now processing only 350.—bbc.com Price-Fixing by the Big Four Meat Processors … Continue reading Beef Processing in the U.S.

Washington's Millionaires Tax will charge a 9.9% tax on annual household income above $1 million starting in 2029. It will be used to put money back into working families' pockets, providing up to $1,330 to help pay for rent, bills, etc.—budgetandpolicy.org

Volkswagen is preparing to cut as many as 100,000 jobs over the coming years and close four factories in Germany.—ft.com Last year, Volkswagen produced and sold approximately 8.98 million vehicles worldwide. The company is adjusting its production capacity to build 500,000 fewer cars at its European factories.—wsj.com In China, the expected launch of many new … Continue reading Volkswagen to Cut Jobs and Close Factories

Sending astronauts, satellites, and other cargo—called the payload—into space costs thousands of dollars per kilogram. As payload increases, more fuel is needed, and because fuel itself has weight, even more fuel is required to lift it. As a result, total fuel cost increases faster than the payload weight.—medium.com Relationship Between Payload and Fuel Cost for … Continue reading Why Rocket Launches Are So Expensive

After Spirit Airlines shut down on May 2, 2026, many of its passengers are stranded. Columbian airline, Avianca, has offered to fly passengers holding return tickets to their destination without charging any ticket price, depending on seat availability.—nytimes.com Use the following notation to work the questions in the multiple choice quiz below: Price — P … Continue reading Avianca Offers Free Tickets to Stranded Spirits Airlines Passengers

Jet fuel prices rose from $2.50 per gallon before the Iran war broke out to $ 4.13 on May 1 leading airlines to raise ticket prices and reduce the number of routes. The shock was especially severe for Spirit Airlines, which exited the market on May 2.—wsj.com and airlines.org Use the following notation to work … Continue reading Soaring Jet Fuel Prices and U.S. Airlines

A federal jury found that Live Nation, owner of Ticketmaster, acted as a monopoly, overcharging $1.72 per ticket. It pressurized venues to use Ticketmaster for ticket sales. It controls 70% of government-identified major venues and 86% of ticket sales. A breakup may be proposed.—nytimes.com