News Above the Noise—Week of October 1, 2023
1. Shutdown Averted in the Final Hours
After days of unsuccessful negotiating, Congress has approved temporary funding to keep the government operating at current levels until mid-November. The package includes increased disaster funding but drops aid to Ukraine. For more on the bill and what to expect next, click here.
2. Sitting All Day Increases Dementia Risk—Even if You Exercise
Sitting and other forms of sedentary behavior have been in focus as a health concern for quite some time now—but more recently, researchers are finding the effects to be even stronger than perhaps realized. A new study shows that prolonged sitting during the day has an immense adverse effect on people, even those who vigorously exercise. The consequences are linked to obesity, diabetes, cognitive decline, and more, as discussed in this Washington Post article.
3. New Study Reveals Kids Are Inundated With Phone Prompts Day and Night
Our lives are constantly buzzing and pinging, impacting the lives of today's youth. A new report from the group Common Sense Media finds that kids between 11 and 17 receive more than 200 phone notifications daily. (Other cases, alarmingly, show up to 2,000.) What does this mean? That young eyes and minds spend extraordinary amounts of time on their phones—and the impact, as this NBC report shows, is dire.
4. How to Sound Smart and Memorable, Anytime
We all want to speak in a way that is clear and impactful. Yet, sometimes, doing so can be tricky, especially when faced with unexpected circumstances. Matt Abrahams, a communication lecturer at Stanford Graduate School of Business, has a fascinating and accessible strategy called "What - So What - Now What." Abrahams's tactics, which he writes about for Entrepreneur, offer us a concise way to collect our thoughts and speak with impact.
5. How Much Coffee Is Too Much Coffee?
Coffee is one of the most beloved drinks across the globe. It is many things: a ritual, pick-me-up, conversation anchor. But even with its widespread love, there's still the question of how much coffee is too much. Given that it contains thousands of chemical compounds, it has the potential to offer widespread health benefits. Still, as health experts in this New York Times piece find, coffee's caffeine is a factor always to consider.
Editor's Note: Every week, The Sunday Paper's team of journalists sift through the news to find what Rises Above the Noise, makes sense of what's happening in the world, and provides hope for your week to come. While we do our best to provide our own informative summary of each piece, some publications require their own subscriptions beyond our control.
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