This school year, you may want to go ahead and start stocking up on school supplies now to get what’s in stock out there. Why? Well, experts are predicting another round of shortages, but this time it’s not because manufacturers can’t keep up with demand. No, it’s another phenomenon caused by COVID and the ensuing lockdowns. Bottlenecks at our ports. On the west coast, container ships filled with product are anchoring and having to wait at least 7 ½ days before they can dock and start the unloading process. Just in April, there was an average of 30 container ships anchored off one of the ports on the California coast. The normal average is 0-1 ships anchoring. These ships are filled with products that have mostly been ordered online. With the majority of people being stuck at home and having extra cash from the Federal stimulus payouts, online sales have exponentially increased. To meet the increased demand, more ships than normal have been arriving at US ports containing more cargo than normal. It’s been estimated that there are 31% more ships arriving in ports than in January 2020 and these ships are carrying 49% more containers. Along with these massive import volumes, there is another factor creating a huge problem: the shortage of longshore labor. Between workers being out with COVID, or out due to contact tracing, there has been a shortage of laborers who can unload vessels and transport cargo to its varied destinations. This shortage spreads from terminal …

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So, you’re wanting to get a new office chair, but you aren’t sure which one to get. While it’s fun & easy to just go online and buy the trendiest or least expensive option (after all, it’s just a chair, right?) that may not be the best idea. The average office worker spends anywhere from 6 to 10 hours a day sitting. That’s a long time. And, if you don’t have a chair that offers you the proper ergonomic support you need, all that sitting is going to take a toll on your back over time. (Say hello to regular chiropractor visits.) One of the best things you can do for yourself is to invest in an office chair that gives the proper support for maintaining a healthy spine. Here are some key factors you’ll want to consider when buying an office chair: 1. Lumbar support. A good office chair should support the inward curve of your lumbar spine. Long periods of sitting without proper support often lead to slouching, which flattens the natural curve (this is not the curve we want to flatten!) and distresses the structures of the lower spine. Ideally, a good chair will allow you to adjust both the height and depth of the lumbar support so you get just the right fit for your body. 2. Proper seat width and depth. You want the depth of your seat to allow you to sit with your back against the backrest of your chair and still have …

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