1 . When Christopher Moore isn’t jumping rope, shooting baskets or playing the board game Chutes and Ladders, the 8-year-old can often be found at home using his fighting skills, protecting the world from would-be enemies. “I’m trying to save the other people from being hurt,” he said of his Avatar video game adventures.

The Moore household, in Birmingham, Alabama, enjoys a good mix of at-home entertainment, something they are doing more and more during these precarious financial times, “They’re always in competition,” the boys’ mother, Lisa Moore, said with a laugh. “It keeps them busy. It keeps them occupied.”

Numbers show that at-home entertainment is doing better than ever, flying in the financial face of so many industries that are struggling in this difficult time.

The gaming experience, too, has changed with the years. Five years ago, online gaming was considered a one-person activity. And although games can still be played alone, the social factor is growing quickly. “Over a third of families will play games together online.” said David Williams, who heads up the Kids and Family Games Group. “They’re staying home more, and they’re using games to connect with one another.”

When it comes to the games children play, many parents such as Lisa Moore may choose to sit it out. But Christina Vercelletto, a senior editor at Parenting magazine, says that engaging in the games with them can do a family good. “It can be an opportunity to bond with your kids,” she said. If parents express interest, kids “will probably be heated. And you’ll get a little window into what has them so excited.” Plus, by playing the games, parents can determine how comfortable they are with what their kids are doing.

For those who want to get the opinions of others, Christina Vercelletto points out that the Entertainment Software Rating Board provides feedback and that parents are always learning from one another on discussion boards.

3 . Last year, Anna Johnson found herself using an electronic screen to pay for a pickup order at a bakery, a normal enough experience at many food businesses she frequents. But this time, she was puzzled (困惑) when the machine recommended that she tip as much as 35 percent—on cookies.

In the pandemic, Americans like her dug deeper into their pockets to recognize the hard work and health risks taken on by workers in every corner of the food business. For many customers, adding 15 percent or more for a takeout meal or grocery delivery felt like the least they could do to help ordinary workers.

Bryan Solar, who manages restaurant products at Square, said people were more generous in tipping early in the pandemic. In April 2020, the average tip at a quick-service food business was 23.5 percent, but that figure has gradually fallen since then, to 19.8 percent last month.

The ways of tipping have changed in many smaller businesses, where the tip box on the counter has been replaced by touch screens, which have become even more widespread during the pandemic. Leaving an amount that doesn’t fit the suggested percentages takes extra time and effort. And as the customer decides, the food-service worker is often standing there, looking on.

Still, Mr. Solar said a customer’s generosity drops when a business becomes too aggressive (激进) in asking for tips, as when some touch-screen systems start the tipping options at a minimum of 25 percent. “People will be generous to a certain point,” he said.

On social media, there are complaints that “tipping culture has gotten out of control,” with consumers complaining about being asked to leave a little extra.

Some restaurants have tried to solve the injustice of tipping by adding an automatic (自动的) tip to each bill. Others have tried to replace tipping by raising menu prices, and paying all workers by the hour.

5 . Under the background of the slow growth of its total population to 1.44 billion, China has seen a sharp rise in older adults over the past decade, solidifying the country’s rapidly aging pattern, the latest national census (人口普查) data shows. The population on the Chinese mainland increased by an average of 0.53 percent annually during the past 10 years to 1.41 billion, compared with an annual growth rate of 0.57 percent from 2000 to 2010, according to the 7th national census published by the National Bureau of Statistics.

“The growth of the total population has slowed down but remains at a steady pace,” Ning Jizhe, head of the bureau, said at a news conference. “Based on trends in recent years, China’s population will grow at an increasingly slow rate in the future while remaining above 1.4 billion.” The increasing elderly population has become a defining feature of the past decade.

Ning said an aging society will set the tone for China's population structure for a long time, presenting challenges and opportunities. “A graying population will pile pressure on supply of labor force and social services, as well as adding to families’ elderly care burden. But more elderly people could also motivate consumption of products and services targeting this age group, and advance the development of some technologies,” he said.

Ning added that those between the ages of 60 and 69, who are equipped with knowledge, experience and skills and are generally in good health, make up nearly 56 percent of all older adults. “Their potential to continue making contributions to society and playing a constructive role is big,” he responded to a question on the outlook for raising the retirement age and carrying out other potential measures aimed at addressing the aging trend. Some population economists also said the latest number and proportion (比例) of elderly are largely within predictions, and the aging trend will continue for a long time.

6 . World’s richest woman Gina Rinehart is suffering a media firestorm over an article in which she blames the middle class for “drinking, or smoking and socializing” rather than working to earn their own fortune. What if she has a point?

Steve Siebold, author of “How Rich People Think”, spent nearly three decades interviewing millionaires around the world to find out what separates them from everyone else. It had little to do with money itself, he told Business Insider. It was about their mentality.

Average people think money is the root of all evil (罪恶). Rich people believe poverty is the root of all evil. “The average person has been brainwashed to believe rich people are lucky or dishonest,” Siebold writes. That’s why there’s a certain shame that comes along with getting rich in lower-income communities. “The rich knows that while having money doesn’t guarantee happiness, it does make your life easier and more enjoyable.”

Average people believe you have to do something to get rich. Rich people believe you have to be something to get rich. “While the masses are attached to the doing and the immediate results of their actions, the great ones are learning and growing from every experience, whether it’s a success or a failure, knowing their true reward is becoming a human success machine that eventually produces outstanding results,” he writes.

Average people would rather be entertained than educated. Rich people would rather be educated than entertained. The rich don’t think it a must to earn their wealth through formal education, and they appreciate the power of learning long after college is over, Siebold says. “Walk into a wealthy person’s home and you often see many books used to educate themselves on how to become more successful,” he writes. “The middle class reads novels, tabloids (小报) and entertainment magazines”.