Cost of Living in 2021

How Much things cost in 2021
- Yearly Inflation Rate USA 7% (SOURCE - https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2022/01/12/cpi-2021-consumer-prices-climbed-7-2021-fastest-pace-since-1982/9178235002/)
- Year End Close Dow Jones Industrial Average  34,055.29 (SOURCE - https://www.macrotrends.net/1319/dow-jones-100-year-historical-chart)
- Interest Rates Year End Federal Reserve ???
- Average Cost of new house $408,800.00 (SOURCE - https://www.statista.com/statistics/240991/average-sales-prices-of-new-homes-sold-in-the-us/#:~:text=After%20plateauing%20between%202017%20and,it%20reached%20408%2C800%20U.S.%20dollars.)
- Average Income per year $51,480.00 (SOURCE - https://policyadvice.net/insurance/insights/average-american-income/#:~:text=What%20is%20a%20good%20salary,yearly%20income%20of%20approximately%20%2451%2C480.)
- Average Monthly Rent $1,124.00 (SOURCE - https://www.statista.com/statistics/1063502/average-monthly-apartment-rent-usa/)
- Cost of a gallon of Gas $3.10 in July 2021 (SOURCE - https://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/hist/LeafHandler.ashx?n=pet&s=emm_epmr_pte_nus_dpg&f=m)
- Average cost of new car ???
- US Postage Stamp 58 cents (SOURCE - https://www.yahoo.com/now/did-cost-forever-stamp-just-002000365.html#:~:text=The%20price%20of%20a%20%22forever,up%20by%20more%20than%203%25.)
- 1 LB of Bacon $7.27 (SOURCE - https://www.usinflationcalculator.com/inflation/bacon-prices-by-year-and-adjusted-for-inflation/)
- Ground Coffee per LB ???
- Loaf of Bread ???
- Dozen Eggs $1.72 (SOURCE - https://www.usinflationcalculator.com/inflation/egg-prices-adjusted-for-inflation/)

What Events Happened In 2021
- As the year began, the nation was still firmly in the grip of COVID-19, the novel coronavirus that first emerged in late December 2019 and spread around the world in 2020, prompting lockdowns, a global recession and upheaval on an unprecedented scale. 
- In what became a record for the fastest vaccine development in history, vaccines by Pfizer and Moderna were authorized for emergency use by December 2020 and distribution of the shots increased by the start of 2021. By year’s end, more than 200 million Americans would be fully vaccinated
- Amid loosening mandates for mask-wearing and social distancing measures, the arrival of the more contagious Delta variant of the virus dampened hopes for a return to pre-pandemic life. Vaccine hesitancy among many Americans proved a factor in the steady growth of the COVID-19 death toll in the United States, which surpassed 800,000 by mid-December, with global deaths topping 5 million. With the emergence of yet another highly contagious variant, Omicron, toward the end of the year, the U.S. government authorized and endorsed boosters of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for all adults.
- Biden was inaugurated on January 20 as the 46th president of the United States. Kamala Harris became the nation’s first female, Black and South Asian vice president. Shortly after taking office, Biden spoke at a candle-lighting ceremony to mark 500,000 U.S. deaths from COVID-19.
- In April, President Biden announced a plan for the full withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan by September 11, the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
- In June, President Biden signed legislation officially establishing June 19 as Juneteenth National Independence Day, a federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States.
- After being postponed in 2020, the Summer Olympics were held in Tokyo, Japan, though no spectators were allowed after Japan declared a new state of emergency due to COVID-19. Multiple gold medal-winning U.S. gymnast Simone Biles emerged as the biggest story of the games when she withdrew from the individual all-around competition, fueling a growing conversation about the importance of athletes’ mental health.
- In September, audiences returned to Broadway theaters in New York City for the first time in 18 months, with pandemic precautions including mask-wearing and proof of vaccination.
- The year also saw the release of the three-part documentary series The Beatles: Get Back, featuring never-before-seen footage of the iconic band working to create their final album, released in 1970. 
(SOURCE - https://www.history.com/topics/21st-century/2021-events)

Popular Culture 2021

Popular Films
- Dune
- The Suicide Squad
- Eternals
- Mortal Kombat
- Zack Snyder's Justice League
- Godzilla vs. Kong
- Black Widow
- Army of the Dead
- Cruella
- Chang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
(SOURCE - https://www.yahoo.com/now/imdb-announces-top-10-movies-150000970.html)

Popular Musicians
- Drake
- Olivia Rodrigo
- The Weeknd
- Taylor Swift
- Morgan Wallen
- Ariana Grande
- Doja Cat
- Justin Bieber
- Pop Smoke
(SOURCE - https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2021/top-artists/)

Popular Television
- Resident Alien
- Gibi
- 1883
- Invincible
- Clarkson's Farm
- Loki
- Time
- Calls
- Sweet Tooth
- The Beatles: Get Back
(SOURCE - https://www.imdb.com/list/ls046367565/)

Technology 2021
- A Bluetooth Connection in the Sky: Starting this past summer, passengers on any United 737 MAX 8 aircraft could simply connect to the Panasonic system in front of them via Bluetooth with their own headphones (AirPods or otherwise).
- The first sea-bound floating rollercoaster: Normal roller coasters use gravity to send thrill-seekers zooming and looping. But if you want to build a ride on a cruise ship—where stable, level ground is far from guaranteed—you have to get creative. Carnival Cruise Line’s BOLT coaster uses electricity to power its wee motorcycle-esque cars along a long, looping track. Riders control the speed, up to 40 mph, and travel 187 feet above sea level. 
- Air conditioners and fans already consume 10 percent of the world’s electricity, and AC use is projected to triple by the year 2050, sucking up more energy and pushing heat back into the surrounding landscape. SkyCool is breaking this dangerous feedback loop with rooftop nanotech that reflects light. Coated with multiple layers of optical films, the aluminum-based panels bounce radiation at wavelengths between 8 and 13 micrometers, a specific spot that allows the waves to pass through Earth’s atmosphere and into space. In doing so, the panel temperatures decline by up to 15°F, offering emissions-free cooling to a building’s existing systems.
(SOURCE - https://www.popsci.com/technology/best-of-whats-new-2021/)