Thursday, July 29, 2021

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Good morning. This is the final day to be entered to win a MacBook Pro, the most precious piece of hardware this side of an Olympic gold medal. 

To recap, we’re giving away three new laptops to readers who’ve shared the Brew this week. 1 referral gets you 1 ticket entered into a raffle, meaning the more you share, the better the chance you have of winning a computer. 

Warning: The raffle is being held tonight, so click here to share now.

MARKETS


Nasdaq

14,762.58

S&P

4,400.64

Dow

34,930.93

Bitcoin

$40,142.88

10-Year

1.234%

Boeing

$231.57

*Stock data as of market close, cryptocurrency data as of 6:00pm ET. Here's what these numbers mean.

  • Markets: Like you after a 15-minute run, stocks spent roughly eight hours barely moving. Boeing, though, did gain after posting its first profit in nearly two years.
  • Economy: The Senate voted to move forward with a nearly $1 trillion infrastructure package after a bipartisan group of senators agreed to the key aspects of the plan. “This deal signals to the world that our democracy can function,” President Biden said.

WORK

Finding Out the Office Is Closed for Another Month

Big bird smashing down door

Giphy

Google employees hung up their business hoodies and put on their home hoodies after CEO Sundar Pichai postponed the company’s return to the office by a month-and-a-half, to mid-October. 

Google's one of a number of companies rethinking their workplace plans due to the—okay fine we’ll go there—fourth wave of Covid-19.

Many companies had pegged their office reopenings to Labor Day, the unofficial end of summer and 18 months to the week after the WHO declared Covid-19 a global pandemic. Morgan Stanley CEO James Gorman said he’d be “very disappointed if people haven’t found their way into the office” by Labor Day. The Delta variant said, “You’re about to be disappointed, Mr. Gorman.”

  • Last week, Apple pushed its return-to-office date back until at least October, and yesterday restored mask requirements in most of its US stores for staff and customers.
  • While other major companies haven’t publicly updated their timelines, spokespeople for tech giants like Facebook have said that health data, not a date, would decide when offices would be back to full capacity.

Are vaccine mandates the fastest route back?

In its announcement yesterday, Google said that anyone coming into the office would need to be vaccinated. Facebook, Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, Wells Fargo, and United Airlines have all made similar moves. And after Monday’s mandate madness from NYC and California, it tracks that today President Biden is expected to announce all federal employees will need to get the Covid vaccine or take regular tests.

Zoom out: It’s not just some senior execs who are desperate for employees to return to business districts. The Ultas, Sweetgreens, and transit systems of the world are counting on you to spend money during the workday like you did in 2019. Returning to the office is an economy-wide issue that influences everything from real estate to e-commerce. 

        

IPO

Bullz n the HOOD

The NYSE with the Robinhood hat and logo

Trading app Robinhood is set to IPO this morning under the ticker symbol HOOD in one of the most unusual public offerings ever. Are you going to invest? 

The bear case

Those who don’t think Robinhood will charge into the green on its opening day are concerned about the app’s seemingly endless run-ins with regulators—leading to penalties like a recent $70 million fine. Both the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and the SEC have investigated Robinhood this year... 

  • Most notably for how it restricted trading activity during the GameStop frenzy in January
  • Most recently (Tuesday) for CEO Vlad Tenev’s nonexistent FINRA license and employee trading

Other doubters think that when the pandemic ends, app downloads and trading activity will slow and the meme stock craze won’t reignite.

The bull case

The obvious reason to feel bullish about $HOOD? The fast-growing company paved the way for Average Joe traders to feel like Ferragamo-wearing Wall Streeters. Proponents think it’ll continue to be the app of choice for a growing army of individual investors that Robinhood empowered with its zero-commission model and sleek interface.

As for regulatory scrutiny, Robinhood says it has room to grow into far less sketchy spaces, like retirement accounts.

        

COVID

The Real Pandemic Winner

Dog in fire meme, pfizer logo on dog while he says, "This is great."

If you think Co-star notifications thrive on chaos, check out Pfizer. The drugmaker projected that Covid-19 vaccine sales would hit $33.5 billion this year, a 29% bump from previous estimates. That would make the vaccine the world’s best-selling drug of all time, easily topping current leaders AbbVie’s Humira and Merck’s Keytruda.

Why the rosy outlook? This pandemic ain’t over. With Delta fueling surges across the globe, the company thinks that a third booster shot will be needed for extra protection. It plans to ask the US for regulatory approval for its booster next month.

  • Plus, it’s charging more. The US recently paid $24/dose for an order of 200 million doses, up from the $19.50/dose it paid Pfizer for previous orders.

Zoom out: Just because you’ve developed a lifesaving vaccine doesn’t automatically make you rich. J&J, whose one-shot vax has been stymied by side effect concerns and manufacturing errors, is projecting only $2.5 billion in sales from its vaccine this year. Moderna will report its earnings Aug. 5.

        

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GRAB BAG

Key Performance Indicators

US electricity generation chart

EIA

Stat: Renewables became the second-most prevalent energy source in the US last year, behind only natural gas. Accounting for 21% of all electricity generation, renewables topped nuclear and coal for the first time. 

Quote: “So first things first, instead of waking up at 8:20 and join a useless meeting at 8:30, be on mute, and proceed to go make my breakfast and take my dog for a walk, I now have to wake up at 7, get properly dressed (no more comfortable clothes), make sure I have lunch and breakfast prepped, get on the highway, drive, get there at 8:15, mindless chit chat till 8:30, join the same useless meeting on zoom (with coworkers from around the globe, what's the f. point?) and now I HAVE to/MUST pretend to pay attention to something that has no relation to what I work with because well, I got no more flexibility on my surrounding environment.”

One Reddit user wrote about going back to the office for the first time since the pandemic started...and why they [bleeping] hated it. 

Read: Why is so much American bureaucracy left to average citizens? (The Atlantic)

        

FOOD

A Very 2021 Headline

CNBC Headline about McDonald's Earnings

CNBC

McDonald’s said that its BTS meal and its highly original, never-been-done-before fried chicken sandwich helped boost same-store sales nearly 26% last quarter.

By collabing with the K-pop superstars on a special meal (10 McNuggets, fries, Coke, and fun sauces), McDonald’s was revisiting similar promotions it ran with artists J Balvin and Travis Scott. We’re expecting more considering BTS’s dynamite success.

Anything else you should know? Drive-thru times increased by three seconds due to the labor shortage, but CEO Chris Kempczinski said more job applications were flowing in and that dining rooms should be 100% open by Labor Day.

        

WHAT ELSE IS BREWING

  • Facebook posted its fastest sales growth since 2016 in Q2. But shares dropped when it said that growth would slow over the next few quarters.
  • 52% of Wharton’s incoming MBA class is female, the first time a Top 7 business school has admitted more women than men.
  • Here are some charts showing vaccination status across demographics.
  • Arthur, the longest-running kids animated series, is coming to an end in 2022 after 25 years.

Olympics links

BREW'S BETS

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Best essays: This site dives deep into the belly of the internet and serves you five piping hot essays at a time. Not interested? Swap ’em out for five more.

Non-Olympics video of the week: Young Thug’s Tiny Desk concert for NPR.

*This is sponsored advertising content

GAMES

The Puzzle Section

Brew Mini: You know what they say—good things come in small puzzles. Play the Mini here.

Three headlines and a lie

If you need an Olympics news break, we’ve got the perfect distraction: Us lying to you. Try to guess which headline is fake and which three are wild, but very real:

  1. Robert Downey Jr. says this vegan cheese startup puts the “eco in queso”
  2. Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin to be paid in ether for role as monocle-wearing Lord Catsington in Mila Kunis's NFT animated series 'Stoner Cats'
  3. Justice Department seizes rare, ancient tablet illegally auctioned to Hobby Lobby
  4. Bakersfield man banned from Walgreens after duping workers into getting his ninth Moderna dose

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ANSWER

No one got nine doses of the vaccine as far as we know

A White House doctor revealed something scary about Joe Biden

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez just got dealt this very public defeat

Nancy Pelosi is going to have a lot to answer for after telling this giant whopper

Megyn Kelly destroyed CNN over a sex act caught on camera

Dr. Fauci melted down when Rand Paul asked one question about criminal conduct

[JUST IN]: Democrats Pull a Fast One - They've Gone Too Far
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July 29, 2021

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Biden Forbids Immigration Judges From Using the Term ‘Alien’
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Encyclopaedia Britannica | On This Day
July 29
Benito Mussolini

FEATURED BIOGRAPHY


Born On This Day

Benito Mussolini

Italian dictator

READ MORE
Challenger

FEATURED EVENT


1958

National Aeronautics and Space Administration established

READ MORE

MORE EVENTS ON THIS DAY

Eris

Prince Charles and Princess Diana


The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Albania

Dag Hammarskjöld

ALSO BORN ON THIS DAY







SEE ALL BIOS ON THIS DAY

The Democrat Party Is A Death Cult

By Candace Owens

Every time I’m at home ranting about a headline, asking ‘why is the left doing this?’ My husband says the same thing: it’s because they’re a death cult. I’ve never actually paused to try to understand why he says that over and over again. In fact, I often assumed that he was making a Star Wars analogy. (My husband — like most husbands — loves Star Wars.)

 

Last week, after I was ranting about something new, he once more referred to the Left as a death cult, and I finally asked him to explain what he meant. And I was surprised by his response. Right now in this country, he said, it’s difficult to make sense of the left’s mania. It’s like they’re social pyromaniacs. They’re starting fires everywhere, for no reason, just to watch everything burn. 

This article is a Reader's Pass exclusive. Daily Wire members get access to tons of member-only articles including interviews, opinion and analysis, and an ad-free reading experience for just $4/month. Click "Continue Reading" to sign up or keep scrolling to get today's other headlines.

Image

Susan Sarandon Seen Protesting Outside AOC’s Office: ‘We’re Losing Hope Here That You Represent Us’

Image

‘We Do Not Owe Anyone A Gold Medal’: Simone Biles’ Teammate After Backlash From Biles’ Withdrawal

Image

Greg Abbott Orders Texas National Guard To Begin Arresting Illegal Immigrants

1 big thing: Historic mega-growth


Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

 

Never in the history of capitalism have the world's biggest companies grown as fast as the tech giants, Axios Capital author Felix Salmon writes.

  • Why it matters: A series of stunning earnings reports this week underscores the astonishing growth of a group of companies that were already some of the most profitable of all time.
Data: YCharts and FactSet; Chart: Will Chase/Axios

The standard view from Wall Street to Silicon Valley has always been that fast growth is found in startups, while mature companies provide a much more reliable income stream. Today's tech giants, however, are growing at a pace any entrepreneur would covet.

  • As recently as 2017, Apple, Microsoft, Alphabet, and Facebook combined were worth less than $2 trillion. Today, Apple and Microsoft alone are each worth more than that. The five biggest tech giants (including Amazon) are now collectively worth $9.3 trillion.

Share this story.

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2. New cash for Olympians


Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

 

Despite the Olympics' heritage as the pinnacle for amateurs, Tokyo 2020 athletes are cashing in on more sponsorship deals than were allowed at past Games, Axios' Hope King reports.

  • Why it matters: Marketing deals are an important income stream for competitors, nearly 60% of whom say they're not financially stable. 

The IOC has gradually loosened restrictions around athlete marketing following years of pressure from Olympians and brands.

  • A 1991 rule tried to protect the exclusivity of the Games for official sponsors by prohibiting Olympians from being recognized by non-official Olympic sponsors during a "blackout" period before, during and after the Games.
  • Under updated rules, the blackout period has been lifted and Olympic athletes, trainers and officials can now "recognize" or thank personal sponsors during the Games on social media up to seven times. They can also be "recognized" by personal sponsors once.
Example of personal sponsorship restrictions during the "Olympic Games period" (July 13-Aug. 10) and Paralympic Games period (Aug. 17-Sept. 8). Screenshot credit: USOC

Even hashtags are defined in official guidelines.

  • OK: "Thank you @company for supporting my journey #personalbest #gold."
  • Not OK: "Thank you @company #TeamUSA" or "#Tokyo2020."

Share this story.

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3. First look: Biden's bipartisan brand


Mike Donilon. Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images

 

Mike Donilon, one of President Biden’s closest advisers, argues in a White House memo that swing voters want Congress to embrace solutions where the two parties "meet in the middle," including the $1.2 trillion infrastructure deal that passed a Senate hurdle yesterday.

  • Why it matters: Biden has faced doubters — especially in his own party — about the feasibility of working with Republicans. But a core group of advisers, including Donilon, is convinced the president’s political fortunes rest on his ability to transcend partisanship.

"President Biden ran on the message that we need to bring people together to meet the challenges facing our country and deliver results for working families," Donilon writes in his 3-page memo.

  • "While a lot of pundits have doubted bipartisanship was even possible," he continues, "the American people have been very clear it is what they want."

State of play: After months of negotiations, the Senate voted 67-32 yesterday on a procedural measure to move forward on the bipartisan agreement to repair roads, bridges and waterways.

  • The actual text still isn't drafted. The 60 votes needed for final Senate passage aren't assured.
  • The Senate bill would then face an uncertain future in the House.

Read the memo ... Share this story.

  • Go deeper: 2,100-word White House fact sheet on infrastructure deal, from electric buses to high-speed internet.

🕒 Happening today: President Biden will meet with 11 Democratic lawmakers at the White House to discuss the next steps for a pathway to citizenship for undocumented migrants brought to the U.S. as children, a White House official told Axios' Stef Kight. Go deeper.

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A message from Google

Protecting one billion passwords from hackers every day
 

 

Google can help you create, save, and manage all of your passwords and will proactively alert you if any have been breached, defending your accounts from hackers.

Password Checkup detects if any of your saved passwords are weak or have been compromised, letting you easily change them if needed.

 
 
4. Pic du jour: Portrait of power
Photo: Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters

Speaker Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Schumer speak before a news conference at the Capitol yesterday to urge action on climate change.

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5. Robinhood IPO brings meme stock icon to Street


Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

 

Today is the day everyone can begin buying and selling shares in Robinhood, which goes public on the NYSE after raising $1.89 billion in its initial public offering, Axios' Dan Primack and Kia Kokalitcheva report.

  • Why it matters: Robinhood is a proxy for the rise of retail investing, particularly among younger Americans. But it also has drawn regulatory and political scrutiny, and found itself in the crosshairs after users drove up the price of GameStop stock earlier this year.

The bull case: Robinhood has become synonymous with mobile, no-fee trading of stocks, options and cryptocurrencies. Business is booming.

  • Revenue soared more than 300% between the first quarter of 2020 and 2021, hitting $522 million. Annual revenue in 2020 was $959 million, up from just $277 million in 2019.

The bear case: The risk factor section of Robinhood's IPO filing is a whopping 75 pages long.

  • Robinhood is the subject of class action lawsuits tied to this past winter's meme stock trading frenzy, and regulatory lawsuits over alleged securities law violations.

The bottom line: 2021 has been the year of the retail investor. By this time tomorrow, we'll know how the market is reacting to that reality.

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6. Stat of day: Remote work ... from bed


British actor Michael Caine. Photo: Larry Ellis/Express/Getty Images

 

45% of U.S. teleworkers regularly work from the couch ... 38% from bed ... and 20% outside, Axios' Erica Pandey writes from a survey (1,520 Americans working from home) by home improvement marketing firm CraftJack.

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7. Kushner to launch Miami investment firm
Jared Kushner


Jared Kushner talks to Fox News in the network pavilions on the White House North Lawn last year. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

 

Jared Kushner is in the final stages of launching a Miami-based investment firm, Affinity Partners, with plans for an office in Israel later this year, Reuters reports.

  • Kushner helped broker normalization agreements between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco, and had his hand in nearly every major White House portfolio.
  • He plans to use the new venture to "pursue regional investments to connect Israel’s economy and India, North Africa and the Gulf," and has a book about the administration coming out early next year.
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8. Remembering Ron Popeil: "Set it and forget it!"
Ron Popeil in 1982. Photo: Reed Saxon/AP

Ron Popeil — the TV pitchman and inventor known to generations of viewers for hawking the Veg-O-Matic, the Pocket Fisherman, Mr. Microphone and the Showtime Rotisserie and BBQ — died in L.A. at 86.

  • Popeil, whose novel products solved problems viewers didn't know they had, popularized the vernacular of late-night TV ads and infomercials, AP reports.
  • "Now how much would you pay?!" ... "Set it and forget it" ... "But wait — there's more!"

Building on an invention of his father's, the Chop-o-Matic, he marketed the slicing-and-chopping machine he called the Veg-O-Matic, sold by the company he founded and named after himself — Ronco.

  • Popeil suffused the 1970s with ads for products including the Popeil Pocket Fisherman — and Mr. Microphone, a then-groundbreaking wireless mic that was amplified through the nearest AM radio.

Dan Aykroyd sent him up on "Saturday Night Live" in 1976 with the "Bass-O-Matic." ("Without scaling, cutting or gutting!")

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A message from Google

Shielding four billion devices from malware every day
 

 

Google’s protections like Safe Browsing are designed to automatically detect threats and can alert you when you might visit a risky site.

To make the internet safer for everyone, Google makes this technology free for other companies to use in their browsers.

Learn more.

 Critical Race Theory is Marxist.
Its real target is Christianity and the Bible.
The far left wants it in our schools.
The war on Christians is in full gear, says a most famous Jewish thinker.

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