Remember that time last year when people were panic buying toilet paper? Yeah, so do I... I hate to tell you this, but it's happening all over again.  I recently read that Costco is placing limits on purchases of toilet paper, paper towels, and cleaning supplies. As the Delta variant continues to protract the pandemic, consumers are hitting the panic button once more.  Covid disruptions, shortages of materials, supply chain troubles, and difficulty finding drivers and shipping containers are all contributing to the problem. Manufacturers are having trouble keeping up with resurgent demand as cases and deaths remain elevated.  But there's a problem with Costco and other retailers placing a cap on how much consumers can buy. It sends the message that they're in short supply, which, ironically, prompts shoppers to panic purchase even more. This is known in psychology as the innuendo effect.  I'm sure many of you thought we would not find ourselves in this situation agai...

Have you noticed how, in the pandemic era, people have been panic buying, stockpiling, and hoarding more than usual? Panic buying is when consumers buy unusually large amounts of a product in any of these scenarios: In anticipation of a disaster or perceived disaster following a disaster  in anticipation of an incredibly large price increase or shortage The irony of it all is that there tends to be no shortage to begin with; the panic buying itself precipitates the very shortage people fear. It is a self-fulfilling prophecy of sorts. That, in turn, causes prices to soar and, in the worst cases, price gouging. Talk about a terrible domino effect! Here are four things people have bought in droves at some point within the past 14 months: 1. Toilet Paper and Hand Sanitizer. We witnessed both of these fly off the shelves like hotcakes almost immediately after COVID-19 was declared a pandemic. My wife and I ventured far and wide to snag toilet paper, to no avail. It says a lot that we ha...

Aside from masks, disinfectants, toilet paper, and other health-oriented items, can you guess which product is flying off the shelves at grocery stores big and small, near and far? I'll give you a hint: It's something you'd expect people to consume when they're feeling down, as many in this lockdown are. If you said beer, you hit the nail on the head! Indeed, Americans' thirst for booze has actually increased since the coronavirus began spreading across the U.S. in mid-March. Beer, a beverage that was once falling out of favor with consumers as their tastes shifted to such low-calorie drinks as spirits and spiked seltzer, is surely benefiting. In particular, home-grown budget beer brands have spiked in sales over the past two months. For instance, sales for Anheuser-Busch's Busch Light have gone up 44%, thanks largely to amusing promotions like implementing price cuts depending on how much snow has fallen. Other brands have recorded similar do...

Most people are okay with doing #1 in public bathrooms, whether at work or in a restaurant. But many people are sheepish about doing #2 anywhere other than home. When I have to go potty, I go, no matter where I'm at. The only times I might be reluctant to take a #2 in a public restroom are when: There are too many people in the bathroom (whether all stalls are occupied or not) The stalls and toilets are poorly maintained (e.g. someone who used it before me didn't flush, leaving their excrement visible) There is no toilet paper in sight Doctors say it's a bad idea to hold the urge in until you get home. If anything, you could to a nearby McDonald's and use their restroom during your lunch break. If the urge strikes even sooner, tell your boss you'd like to run a quick errand, or take your lunch earlier. Many people are embarrassed to have a bowel movement in a public bathroom for fear that unpleasant smells or sounds emanating from the stall will be det...