It’s now Day 14 of the quarantine for the Mapp Family. It’s been touch and go from time-to-time, but we still haven’t succumbed to insanity. If it’s Thursday and 6:43am, it’s time for tech talk on First News 570 with Mark Starling. People are staying home, corona memes are slowing down, and the economy is slowing; yet, we remain. Join us every Thursday, and listen live for the latest tech stories and tips.

Here’s something to think about this week. I’ve been having to homeschool my kids for two weeks now. Imagine what teachers who have kids are going through right now. THEY HAVE TO HOMESCHOOL THEIR KIDS, WHILE TRYING TO REMOTELY SCHOOL OUR KIDS. Crazy.

SCHOOLS ARE CLOSED, BUT AUDIBLE IS OPEN FOR KIDS

Last week we shared some tips and things to do while you’re shut in. We lead this week off with news of Audible offering free audio books for kids. That’s right, the most powerful four letter word in the English language…books. They are offering 300 free audio books including Winnie-the-Poof, Beatrix Potter, and Alice in Wonderland. There’s something for everyone, Audible is also offering many bestsellers for $1.14. In Maryland, schools are closed until April 24th. Audible is offering free stuff for the foreseeable future. Download, stream, and read all you can.

TREKKIES REJOICE: CBS OFFERS ALL ACCESS FOR ALL FREE

Geeks normally don’t have a problem practicing social distancing, but free access to your favorite shows is welcome to all. CBS is offering a free one-month trial just-in-time for the end of this season’s Picard. CBS usually gives users a free 7-day trial, and now they’re giving away 23 more days. Go ahead and get to streaming. Your kids are driving you nuts, and you’ve already gained 5 pounds.

SOFTBANK PLANS $41 BILLION ASSET SALE

Sooooo, what happens when the global economy grinds to a halt. The Masters of the Universe (investors) run for the hills. SoftBank, the mega company who’s invested in WeWork, Uber, T-Mobile, Sprint, Alibaba and others plans to sell $41 billion of assets in its $100 billion New Vision fund. SoftBank plans to use the money to cut back on ITS debt. Many investment firms have been selling their positions on stock markets around the world. Our economy has many touch points and broad sell offs can affect people from all walks of life.