Sunday Read No. 4: Heat waves, Inflation, Thor

Welcome to the fourth edition of the Sunday Read. In this week's Sunday Read, we'll cover the heat wave in Europe, inflation, and Thor: Love and Thunder.

☀️ Heat wave in Europe

There's a massive heatwave happening in Europe this week, with London and Paris set to reach record temperatures this Monday and Tuesday.

London Heat Wave

Paris Heat Wave

Are heat waves more common now?

With the rise of climate change, are heat waves more common than before?

According to the EPA, they are. You can see the frequency and duration increasing every decade in the charts below.

The unfortunate reality is that heat waves kill people, especially those most vulnerable. Children, the elderly, and outdoor workers are the most at risk and need our protection.

My heart still breaks every time I think about Sebastian Perez, a Guatemalan farmworker who passed away from the Pacific Northwest Heatwave in June 2021. While there have been some minor improvements in safety in Oregon for farm workers, heat waves continue to cause unnecessary deaths.

Heat is the leading weather-related killer in the United States. It is estimated that between 600 and 1,300 Americans die yearly due to extreme heat — much higher than deaths from hurricanes, which have killed an average of 118 Americans since 2000. Yet hurricanes tend to receive a lot more attention. (Source: Columbia Climate School)

📈 Inflation continues to climb

We're continuing to see inflation climb in the economy. The consumer price index for all items as estimated for June by the Bureau of Labor Statistics was 9.1% higher than it was a year earlier (Bloomberg)

What's happening next?

• Europe: The European Central Bank will meet this week and is expected to make its first rate increase since 2011, one that officials have signaled will most likely be only a quarter point but will probably be followed by a larger move in September. (NYTimes)
• United States: Fed officials will likely raise interest rates 75 basis points (.75%) in their July 26-27 meeting. However, given the current inflation rate, the increase in interest rates might be as large as 1%. (Reuters)
• Around the world: We can expect interest rates to climb in other countries, which might signal the end of this decade's "cheap money" phase.

🍿 Thor: Love and Thunder

Over the weekend, Vero and I watched Thor, Love and Thunder. I enjoyed it and would highly recommend everyone watch it. I don't want to give too much away so watch the trailer below.

Even though the Rotten Tomatoes score is not a 90%+, I would recommend it as a fun film worth a night out.

Tell me what you thought of the movie if you have already watched it!