Week of 9/1/2020

As with all Federal holidays, our office will be closed on Monday in observance of Labor Day. We hope you can find some rest and relaxation during the long weekend! We are looking forward to the first football game of the season for our alma mater, BYU. The Cougars will play the Naval Academy Midshipmen on Labor Day in front of an empty stadium and with ESPN’s top team announcing.

We learned: that 750 million genetically modified mosquitoes will be released in Florida in hopes of destroying disease-carrying mosquitoes. It is not without risks, including unknown or unintended effects, but we hope it proves to be an effective tool that can be used in areas where mosquito-borne disease is especially deadly. We like: family history and thought this story was pretty amazing. Using DNA found on a 9,000-year-old skeleton, the “Cheddar Man,” a 42-year-old history teacher has been linked as a direct descendent. As the article states, the British ruling family can only trace their heritage back about 1200 years- newbies. We read: a rundown from some local Gainesville restaurants about working through COVID-19 challenges. Many of our favorites are included in these posts (including some Tioga Town Center neighbors). You can find their stories here: Part 1 and Part 2. We've been: interested in measures like this ever since we read Nudge, a book on decision making by Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein. In Singapore, everyone is automatically registered as an organ donor. You are allowed to opt out, but it will result in you being placed at the bottom of the organ priority list should you ever need an organ transplant. Although the law has been in place for many years, it is hard to implement and Singapore continues to have persistent organ shortages. One of the key problems is when family does not know or understand the wishes of the deceased. As with many end-of-life matters, discussing what is important to you with those you love is worth the time. We recommend: Imperium, by Robert Harris. A historical novel set in ancient Rome about the Roman Senator Marcus Cicero, it demonstrates how little politics and campaigning have changed over the centuries. The period it covers is a turning point in Roman history, and this novel is the first in a trilogy.

Q: With all the government spending due to COVID, isn’t inflation going to get worse? A: Right now, the things needed to push up inflation are not present. Brad McMillan explains in this post: The unemployment rate is almost triple what it was, with millions still unemployed. While spending has held up, the recent expiration of the federal unemployment supplemental payments will take hundreds of billions of demand out of the economy going forward. And overall demand, even from those who have money, is still depressed by the pandemic. If inflation stayed under control with the unemployment rate at 3.5 percent, will it really rise at 10.2 percent? This means support for lower mortgage rates and interest expenses, but also lower rates on savings accounts, certificates of deposit, and other assets with low investment risk.

‌ ‌ ‌ Advisory Services offered through Lowry Financial Advisors, Inc., a Registered Investment Adviser. Securities and additional advisory services offered through Commonwealth Financial Network®, Member FINRA/SIPC, a Registered Investment Adviser. Advisory services offered through Lowry Financial Advisors, Inc, are separate and unrelated to Commonwealth. Lowry Financial Advisors, Inc. is located at 12921 SW 1st Rd, Suite 215, Tioga, FL 32669. 352-333-7990 Lowry Financial Advisors is the only advisory firm that helps its clients reach their goals through The Achieving Simplicity® Experience™, providing clarity and confidence in their personal and financial lives.