5SR - January 4, 2024

Today’s guest contributor is Shibani! A native of Mumbai, India, Shibani has lived in Cleveland, Ohio for the past 20 years with her husband and two rescue dogs. She's an avid reader, and has read over 200 books in 2023. You can find her reviews on Instagram and on goodreads. Besides books, she also loves her Peloton workouts, and is trying to learn Italian.

Why Norway - the Poster Child for Electric Cars - is Having Second Thoughts (Vox)

There's a big push toward electric vehicles, and Norway is frequently held up as the gold standard in EV adoption and infrastructure.

But recently, Norway has been a little less enthusiastic about its EVs - here's what they're looking at instead.

The U.S. Infant Mortality Rate Rose for the First Time in 20 Years (The Cut)

This is an absolutely horrific trend and we should all be very concerned, regardless of if we are parents or thinking about becoming parents.

Patients Don’t Know how to Navigate the US Health System- And It’s Costing Them (Vox)

Recently, I tried to get my COVID booster at CVS and was informed that CVS no longer accepts my insurance for vaccinations. Frankly, that's been a deterrent to me getting boosted because I can't be bothered to look at where my vaccination may be covered.

Turns out, I'm not alone - most US patients don't know how to navigate the health system.

T-Swift of Stock: Ozempic is Upending Markets, Despite Unknown (Axios)

As far as I’m concerned, someone’s decision to use weight loss drugs is between them and their healthcare provider, but it is interesting to see how these drugs and their popularity are having far ranging impacts across the stock market.

Between snack brands taking a hit and clothing brands expecting a boost, the potential impact on the US and global economy is going to be very interesting to unravel.

How James Arden Became the King of Audio Romance (Men’s Health)

As always, I like to end these with something fun!

If you listen to romance audiobooks, Joe Arden is one of the most prolific voices out there. I love that his identity is not easy to find, and to be honest, I don’t want to know who he is IRL. Knowing who he is who immediately take me out of the book characters, and that’s what I’m reading these books for!

One of my recent favorite Joe Arden narrations is his work on Butcher & Blackbird, a romance between 2 serial killers. Seriously. And you should read it.

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