America’s Broadband Problem

The Verge has compiled a map of broadband access in the United States, painting a troubling picture for a country increasingly dependent on high-speed Internet service. The Verge’s map lets you mouse over each county in the United States to see the percentage of people using the Internet at speeds of 25 Mbps or more. Blue areas indicate areas in which less than 15% of the population has access to those speeds.

via Tibits.com

Scientists Reveal World’s First 3D-Printed, Marbled Wagyu Beef

3D-Printed Wagyu Beef

Scientists from Osaka University have manufactured the world’s first 3D-printed Wagyu beef by using stem cells isolated from Japanese cattle, according to a press release. The product looks like a realistic steak piece containing muscle, fat, and blood vessels.

The cell-based meat industry could be worth $20 million by 2027, according to Markets and Markets. If such projects can disrupt the food supply chain, the 3D printing revolution may one day eliminate the need to source meat from the cattle, paving the way for a new, more sustainable way to enjoy meat in the future.

RIP Charlie Watts

I was deeply saddened today to hear of the passing of Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts. I have been a life long Stones fan and was planning to see them play this Fall on their No Filter Tour. Won’t be the same.

Telehealth Use Continues to Decline

A new report by Trilliant Health breaks down the decline in telehealth utilization. Their findings were based on over 70 billion medical claims data representing 309 million patients across all 50 states, including private insurance and Medicare claims. (via Emarketer.com)

Here’s a breakdown of some key stats:

  • Telehealth use fell 37% from pandemic highs to the end of Q1’ 2021.
  • Most telehealth visits are accounted for by a small percent of total US adults. Around 38 million US adults (not including Medicare beneficiaries) generated 96 million telehealth visits during the pandemic.
  • Mental health has been, and will continue to be, a key driver of telehealth demand. 35% of all telehealth visits were for mental health conditions, which is more than the next five leading drivers combined.
  • 80% of consumers say they’d be willing to use home care models (like hospital at home schemes) if they were covered by insurance.

FIX: Google Site Kit WordPress Property Tracked Twice

Site Kit currently cannot detect a Google Analytics tag in Tag Manager, so you’ll need to choose whether you want to use Site Kit’s snippet or Tag Manager to insert the tracking code.

If you choose Tag Manager, you can remove Site Kit’s snippet under Site Kit > Settings > Analytics > Edit and manually configure the Account, Property, and View you want to display in Site Kit’s dashboards.

Google’s 2019 Research Review Reveals Key Insights

Google’s recently released 2019 Research Review reveals five key themes based on Google and YouTube data and research and expects these trends to continue in 2020:

  1. Consumer journeys are becoming increasingly complex
  2. New media channels are emerging
  3. Satisfying immediacy is often more important than loyalty
  4. Traditional industries are transforming with digital
  5. Standards are being raised in privacy and digital well-being