August 17: Afghanistan has fallen. President Biden stands behind his decisions

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A If for any reason you believe you received this email in error or if you no longer wish to receive these emails, click here to unsubscribe. Well, Good Morning!   Let's take a look at what the day has in store for us.   So, let's dig in, shall we? Here's What You Need To Know... Afghanistan has fallen. President Biden stands behind his decisions President Biden addressed the United States Monday afternoon about the withdrawal of troops in Afghanistan. For the last 20 years, American men and women have fought to secure Afghanistan against the threat of terrorism. As the war evolved, so too did its mission: even after American troops killed the perpetrator of the terrorist attack on 9/11, Americans stayed in Afghanistan to continue fighting the Taliban and Al-Qaeda and rebuilding the country.   And this warped mission is what President Biden made the focus of his Monday address. He asked American citizens to consider the repercussions of staying in Afghanistan despite the lives lost, knowing that lives will continue to be lost in a country that would not fight for itself. Indeed, as we previously wrote about here at the Seven at Seven, the Afghan military collapsed and its president fled the country ahead of the devastation at Kabul.   Make no mistake: that devastation is "gut-wrenching," says Biden. In the panic as Kabul fell to the Taliban, the airfield was overrun with Afghan civilians desperately trying to escape the collapsing country. Some citizens clung to American jets as they took off and fell to their deaths. Biden says American troops are now working to secure the airfield and evacuate "thousands" of vulnerable Afghan citizens and Americans.   At the core of the Monday message, Biden hammers home one thing: the United States is done in Afghanistan. Unless the Taliban antagonizes U.S. forces or those under their protection, our troops will not be sent to fight foreign civil wars. However, individuals on both sides of the aisle say this exact stance is where the controversy begins: It didn't have to be like this, say Biden's critics. Why are jobs still down 22% for low wage earners? Americans who make less than $27,000 annually are disproportionately impacted by lagging employment, while their peers with mid-range salaries are seeing a 3% increase in jobs. The highest earners, however, saw the biggest shift — a 10% leap. The disparity in the data is no surprise given that the pandemic recovery has catered largely to wealthier Americans. Back in April, of 2020, nearly 40% of all available payrolls in the lowest income bracket vanished, and the gigs have returned slowly. As of July, there were still 22% fewer jobs for low-wage employees than there were prior to the pandemic.    Of those workers in a lower income bracket, approximately 76% wouldn't be able to work from home should the need arise. Only 44% of their higher-earning peers are in that same boat. The option to work remotely would allay fears for those worried about the virus, or those dealing with a lack of reliable, or affordable, childcare.    According to Ann Elizabeth Konkel, who works for Indeed Hiring Lab, restaurant jobs, or any gigs related to the leisure industry at large, are still suffering. The sector shed 10% of its payrolls since February of last year, and it still hasn't gained those 1.7 million jobs back. "There is going to be a different recovery path [for the lower paid]," she said. "And I don't find that surprising." Recommended Link: Are you the kind of investor who wants to cash out whenever the market gets hinky? By "hinky," I mean too high. Too volatile. Too far out of line with the normal P/E ratios and other key metrics. I can't blame you if you want to run to cash. It sometimes makes good sense. Cash not only gives you a feeling of safety and security, but it also provides you with investment capital to use when the market bottoms out. As the old saying goes, "Nobody ever went broke taking a profit." But this time is different. Because when the next crisis comes — and I believe it's coming soon! — cash will be at the center of the storm. Until you watch it here, do yourself a favor: Don't rely on the "safety" of cash. The first-ever federal water shortage has been declared. What happens now? For the first time since its construction in the 1930s, the federal government has formally declared a water shortage at Lake Mead, the nation's largest reservoir by volume, on the Colorado River. The declaration sets in motion a series of water allocation cuts to downstream states along the Colorado River.   The West has been mired in the worst drought of this century, and when viewed over several decades, scientists have found that the Southwest is locked in the grip of the first climate change-caused megadrought seen in the past 1,200 years. The water level of Lake Mead has been on the decline since about 1999.   Lake Powell's levels also are on the decline, which poses a threat to the electricity generated by the Glen Canyon Dam, threatening the roughly 5 billion kilowatt hours of electricity generated each year at the Glen Canyon Dam. "It's clear that the scale and pace of climate change in the Colorado River Basin poses a huge threat to the water supplies on which everything depends," Kevin Moran, who leads the Colorado River program for the Environmental Defense Fund. Know Someone Else Who'd Love The Seven At 7? Make sure they get their morning off to a great start, too. All you need to do is forward them this message and make sure they opt in on their own using the button below! Subscribe Some Of Today's Conversation Starters In Focus: Culture, Sports & Entertainment Who just sued Bob Dylan for sexual abuse? A new lawsuit claims that the singer had abused a young girl back in 1965 after grooming her for sex. He has denied these claims.   When is Marie Kondo getting another show on Netflix? This is the trailer Her first series, called Tidying Up, launched in 2019. What will this new series offer that the first show overlooked?   Why the hotel forecast for the year is increasing despite the variant Demand (and room rates) are soaring right now, and that trend is expected to continue this year.  In Focus: Science, Tech & Health 5 big ways the new Webb telescope will help us understand the universe The highly awaited observatory is set to break new ground in many areas of astronomical research.   What happens inside "the most spooky, weird kind of science?" Alessandro Rossi applies quantum physics to the study of measurements in a "mind-boggling" marriage of disciplines.   An analysis of ancient genetics revealed this strange secret lost to time The study fills a research gap in the region connecting East and Southeast Asia. In Focus: Business, Markets & The Economy This is how much cash financial advisors feel that retirees really need  With the consumer price index increasing by 5.4% last month, cash reserves may be less attractive for retirees.    If the pandemic hadn't hit 3.7 million more people would have quit their jobs  "The fact that we saw such a significant drop in quits indicates that there really was this period of time during the pandemic when many workers had to tpu their careers on pause…" one economist said.    How much did this operational meltdown cost Spirit Airlines?  Between July 30 and August 9, the airline had to cancel nearly 3,000 flights due to a myriad of issues. Daymond John is Looking for Investors Just Like You Daymond John is on a mission. He's now recruiting a small circle of everyday folks to help launch their angel investing dreams.  That's why, on August 18, he's showcasing a meeting he had in Atlanta to visit one of his closest friends – and a man you've seen on TV for over 25 years – to unveil what he thinks could be the next billion-dollar unicorn startup.  This is your exclusive opportunity to join Daymond John's Private Deal Meeting (never before opened to the public) and your chance to get early access to this revolutionary new startup.  Will you join Daymond on this mission? Click here to join him on August 18. In Focus: Politics & World Affairs Why is this watchdog warning us about foreign money in politics? The Federal Election Commission's Office of Inspector General flagged serious concerns in a report published on Monday.   DeSantis staged these Fox News appearances. There are bigger repercussions than scorn  The network has made DeSantis one of the most popular Republicans in the country.   How billions spent in Afghanistan ultimately benefited the Taliban Built and trained at a two-decade cost of $83 billion, Afghan security forces collapsed quickly and completely — in some cases without a shot fired. Did this T-Mobile hacker really just steal data from 100 million customers?    How did this woman complete 95 marathons in 95 days, setting a world record?   Scientists say these are the worst eating habits if you struggle with inflammation    This 12-minute full-body workout is made to support longevity    Israel calls for aid amid devastating Jerusalem wildfires    Floods in Turkey worsen as death toll rises to 58    Jeff Bezos, jealous of Elon Musk, is taking NASA to court   The White House is asked to protect journalists at the Kabul airport  It's Time For Your Clickbait Break! Feline "Lassie" meows to help rescuers find her trapped elderly owner One For The History Books On August 17 in 1903, Joe Pulitzer began the prizes in America with a $1 million donation to Columbia University; Indonesia was declared independent from the Netherlands in 1945; in 1998, then-President Bill Clinton admitted to an "improper physical relationship" with his intern, Monica Lewinsky.  "This life is mine alone. So I have stopped asking people for directions to places they've never been." — Glennon Doyle     The Seven At 7 14422 Shoreside Way Suite 110-238 Winter Garden, FL 34787   © 2021 The Seven at 7. All Rights Reserved.   If for any reason you believe you received this email in error, you can safely ignore it, or click here to unsubscribe.