BREW WITH HEADLINES

TOGETHER WITH

Good morning. They say you should live in the present, but at this time of the year there’s so much to look forward to (unless you're a Bears fan). Let’s run it down: 48 days until Halloween 73 days until Thanksgiving 72 days until the night before Thanksgiving 103 days until Christmas —Neal Freyman

MARKETS: YEAR-TO-DATE Nasdaq 15,115.49 +17.28% S&P 4,458.58 +18.70% Dow 34,607.72 +13.07% Bitcoin $46,042.58 +58.76% 10-Year 1.346% +42.7 bps Oil $70.39 +45.08% *Stock data as of market close, cryptocurrency data as of 9:00pm ET. Here's what these numbers mean. Markets: Investors will be hoping to flip the script on September, with US stocks coming off their worst week since June. Politics: Sen. Joe Manchin, a moderate Democrat whose vote will be key for passing Biden’s economic proposals, said yesterday he won’t support the $3.5 trillion budget bill proposed by Democrats, citing the costs. A September 27 deadline for a House vote is looking increasingly rocky.

COVID Covid Tests Go DIY Abbot Labs President Biden’s vaccine requirement for large employers grabbed all the headlines last week.  But another overlooked initiative could also play a pivotal role in reducing the spread of Covid-19: the dramatic expansion of affordable at-home testing. The Biden administration will spend $2 billion on 280 million rapid Covid tests and distribute them to facilities across the country. The White House also inked an agreement with retailers Walmart, Amazon, and Kroger to sell tests at-cost (around a 35% discount) for the next three months. What is an at-home Covid test?  Rather than having a health professional get all up in your nostrils, you can swab yourself and get the results in less than an hour. At-home rapid tests (known as “antigen” tests) are less reliable than the lab-based PCR test, but experts say they can be an extremely useful tool for allowing life to proceed semi-normally.  Problem is, in the US over-the-counter rapid tests are expensive and scarce. Abbott Laboratories sells a two-pack for $24, and Quidel’s QuickVue sells a test for $15. But even if you are willing to shell out for one, good luck finding a rapid test on pharmacy store shelves or on e-commerce websites, where they’re often sold out. The US is behind the curve In Israel, 8,000 students stayed at home after testing positive using rapid antigen swab tests. That allowed 180,000 of their classmates to stay in school and avoid quarantining, the country’s Education Ministry said.  Germany has distributed free tests since the winter, and UK pharmacies are also handing out free tests.  Even India, which has fewer resources than the US, is selling rapid tests for $3.50. Zoom out: Michael Mina, a Harvard epidemiologist who’s been arguing for more at-home tests since last year, said Biden’s plan was a “good start,” but it still represents less than one test per American over the course of a year.

ENVIRONMENT Can Norway Afjord a Break from Fossil Fuels? Photo by Oscar Daniel Rangel on Unsplash Norway is holding an election today with big implications for the environment.  When it comes to climate change, Norway’s like a vegan with a beef farm. It’s one of the most environmentally forward-thinking countries in the world; thanks to generous government subsidies, roughly 70% of all new cars sold are electric.  But oil and gas is its most important industry. The sector employs more than 5% of Norway’s workforce and accounts for more than 40% of its exports. Norway’s also built up a $1.4 trillion sovereign wealth fund, the world’s largest, thanks to its fossil fuel exploits.  Polls show that the Labor party will unseat the Conservative-led government after eight years of control. Both of those parties support a slow transition away from oil and gas production.  But unlike in the US, smaller political parties in Norway hold major sway. And how those groups, which advocate for a more immediate break from fossil fuels, fare in the election will ultimately decide how quickly Norway severs ties to an industry that made it so rich.

WORK What Remote Work Does to Companies Giphy If it feels like you haven’t caught up with anyone on your company’s sales team in months, you’re not alone. Remote work is causing companies to become islands of business units with few connections between them, according to a new study from Microsoft researchers. The study, which explored the communication patterns of more than 61,000 Microsoft employees during the Covid-19 pandemic, found a significant decrease in collaboration between teams, causing networks to become “static and siloed, with fewer bridges between the disparate parts.” The researchers also found a decrease in “synchronous” communication (meetings, video calls) and an increase in “asynchronous” communication (emails, instant messages). Why it matters: Less interaction across teams may lead to less new information shared, especially complex ideas.   Zoom out: The research was published as most of the country’s biggest tech companies push off a return to the office in light of the Delta variant. Microsoft itself just announced it will postpone its office return date indefinitely.

SPONSORED BY POLICYGENIUS It’s the Season for Change As you begin bundling up for the cool fall weather, it’s also a pretty good time to start thinking about how you could bundle and save on home and auto insurance. Bundles on bundles, what a cozy feeling. Keeping with our ingenious theme: Policygenius makes comparing home and auto insurance feel like a scenic drive through New England. Whether you’re looking for coverage similar to what you have now, or starting from scratch like warm apple pie, Policygenius can help you look for a lower rate. In fact, they’ve saved customers an average of $1,250 per year over what they were paying before. And because you’d rather be covered in leaves and not buried in messy paperwork, Policygenius takes care of all that, too. Fall in love with a new policy today.

GRAB BAG Key Performance Indicators Photo by ActionVance on Unsplash Stat: At a cost of $3.8 billion, One World Trade Center is the most expensive skyscraper ever built in the US, and it has never been profitable in its seven years of existence. It does have tenants for more than 90% of its 3.1 million square feet, though. Quote: “There is little cultural overlap between violent extremists abroad and violent extremists at home. But in their disdain for pluralism, in their disregard for human life, in their determination to defile national symbols, they are children of the same foul spirit.” In a speech at the crash site of United Flight 93 on Saturday, former President George W. Bush explicitly linked the 9/11 terrorists with the Americans who attacked the Capitol building on Jan. 6. Read: Eco-fashion's animal rights delusion. (Craftsmanship Quarterly)

CALENDAR The Week Ahead Apple New iPhones: Tomorrow, Apple will hold its fall hardware event, where it’s expected to introduce the iPhone 13, new Apple Watches and AirPods, and more. California recall: CA Governor Gavin Newsom faces a high-stakes recall election on Tuesday. Newsom, who has an edge in the polls, will try to avoid a repeat of 2003, when Gov. Gray Davis lost in a recall election to Arnold Schwarzenegger. Inflation data: The consumer price index (CPI) on Tuesday will reveal how much prices increased last month. It’s the final major data point released before the Fed meets next week to discuss plans to reduce its economic stimulus.   Everything else: The Met Gala is tonight at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.  Broadway returns in force tomorrow. You can watch the opening number to The Lion King on this TikTok account tomorrow at 7pm. Yom Kippur begins Wednesday at sundown.

WHAT ELSE IS BREWING Daniil Medvedev thwarted Novak Djokovic’s quest for a Grand Slam with a three-set victory in the US Open finals. 18-year-old Emma Raducanu won the women’s title. Epic Games appealed a judge’s ruling from Friday that requires Apple to loosen some App Store rules...but allows it to keep many others in place. Kansas City Southern, a railroad, chose Canadian Pacific to buy it for $31 billion, rebuffing a similar offer from Canadian National.  Cryptocurrency use has surged in Afghanistan following the Taliban’s takeover of the country, per the WSJ. Salesforce said it would help relocate employees and their families from Texas if they want to leave the state, following the passage of a new restrictive abortion law.

BREW'S BETS Don’t miss potential history in the making. The Motley Fool’s ‘All In' stock buy signal has only happened 93 times in their history—and it’s happening again. The average return of stocks with this coveted cue? A cool 628% as of 9/1/2021. Find their pick here.* Slippery floors beware. Bombas Gripper Slippers have special PVC grippers on each sole, so you don’t slip on slick surfaces (or the occasional banana peel). Did we mention they’re comfy, cozy, and come in fun new colors and patterns? Grab your pair today.*  FYI: Queer Eye’s Antoni Porowski is making a special appearance in tomorrow’s issue of Money Scoop, our twice-weekly personal finance newsletter. Make sure to sign up so you’re the first to know where he gets his favorite slice of NYC pizza. Dive back into the week. Shallow dive: The University of Miami's miracle cat Medium dive: Where’s the jump? Deep dive: The best productivity hacks of all time Cannonball: A list of reading materials for students preparing for a finance internship *This is sponsored advertising content

FROM THE CREW Brew's Bookshelf

Francis Scialabba Every other week, Brew’s Bookshelf brings you a few of our favorite reads.   Journalists Jim Dwyer and Kevin Flynn chronicled what survivors and rescuers at the World Trade Center experienced during the 9/11 attacks in 102 Minutes. In her newest release, Machiavelli for Women, NPR host Stacey Vanek Smith tries to understand why there are still so many fewer women leading companies, why the gender pay gap is still so wide, and what we can do about it.

GAMES The Puzzle Section Kriss Kross: This puzzle may or may not have to do with a particular sport in the news. Play it here. Speaking of Norway... Can you identify it on this map?

SHARE THE BREW We think you should share the Brew. Not only is it a smart thing to do for your friends, it’s also the smartest way to get showered in free Brew swag and exclusive content. Your referral count: 0 Click to Share Or copy & paste your referral link to others: morningbrew.com/daily/r/?kid=a17a7110

ANSWER Norway is A

Axios AM By Mike Allen ·Sep 13, 2021 Good Monday morning. Smart Brevity™ count: 1,121 words ... 4 minutes. Edited by Zachary Basu. Please join Axios' Courtenay Brown and Hope King tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. ET for a virtual event on the economic recovery of Black-owned businesses. Guests include Congressional Black Caucus Chair Joyce Beatty, and president and CEO of the U.S. Black Chambers Ron Busby. Sign up here.     1 big thing: China's rush to vax the world Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios   The U.S. and its drug companies likely won't get the poor, unvaccinated parts of the world out of the pandemic — but China might, Axios' Bob Herman reports. China has ramped up exports of its Sinopharm, Sinovac and CanSino vaccines, which can be stored at normal refrigerator temperatures, leading some to believe China will be the global savior. Incredible stat: Nine months after the global COVID vaccination campaign began, 58% of the world's population has yet to receive even one dose. State of play: Wealthier nations have more vaccines than citizens who want them, while poorer countries are facing bleaker timelines for when they can administer first doses. The U.S. and other Western countries could vaccinate teenagers and provide boosters to everyone, and still have 1.2 billion doses to send elsewhere this year, according to a report from analytics firm Airfinity. The global COVAX consortium now anticipates receiving 25% fewer doses than expected due to production problems with the vaccines made by Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca and Novavax, as well as export restrictions from a major supplier in India. Between the lines: Vaccines by Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech have proven to be life-saving and reliably produced. But the companies choose to sell mostly to high-income countries, where they make more money. Moderna expects to make up to 1 billion doses by year's end. But hardly any of the doses are going to Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Pfizer told Axios the company could deliver as many as 3 billion doses by the end of 2021, with 1 billion going to low- and middle-income countries. Reality check: Scaling up vaccine production was understandably slow at first. Creating the mRNA vaccines is complex, with several steps that require materials like small plastic tubes, lipids and molecules called "caps" that were in limited supply and had very few vendors. Share this story.     2. Dems' tax-hike menu Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios   House Democrats are considering $2.9 trillion in tax hikes for the next 10 years — mostly on the extremely wealthy and corporate America — as they scramble to pay for President Biden's $3.5 trillion infrastructure and social-spending plan, Axios' Hans Nichols and Jonathan Swan report. Why it matters: A draft proposal from the Ways and Means Committee previews epic fall fights between Democrats and some of the best-armed lobbies in America. The summary, first reported by The Washington Post, includes a top personal rate of 39.6%, up from 37%, which would raise $170 billion over 10 years. The top capital gains rate would increase to 25% from 20% — raising some $123 billion. Changes to what qualifies as investment income, some of which is already subject to 3.8% Obamacare tax, would make the effective capital gains rate 28.3%, raising $252 billion.  Accelerating the end of the $24 million estate tax exemption would bring in another $50 billion. Imposing an additional 3% tax on Americans who make more than $5 million would raise $127 billion. Expanded restrictions on "carried interest," impacting how private equity firms compensate employees, could bring in another $14 billion. The pharmaceutical industry could be forced to foot $700 billion of new spending by negotiating rates directly with Medicare. Share this story.     3. Restaurants scale back indoor dining Spotted on the Upper West Side. Photo: Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images Some restaurants are re-closing their dining rooms because of Delta fears, The Wall Street Journal's Heather Haddon reports (subscription): "Sales that had steadily grown earlier in the summer have fallen in the past five weeks." McDonald's and Chick-fil-A are slowing dining-room re-openings, and stocks of casual-dining chains are sagging. It's a close-to-home aspect of wider fears about the economy. A front-page Financial Times story today is headlined, "Business sentiment darkens as Delta surge tilts forecasts lower" (subscription): "Revenues have fallen at a quarter of US small businesses in each of the past three weeks while just 8 per cent saw revenue growth, according to an Economic Innovation Group study."     A message from Amazon Wednesday is Amazon Career Day 2021     This Career Day, Amazon is hiring for: Over 40,000 corporate and tech roles across 220+ U.S. locations. Tens of thousands of hourly positions within the company’s operations network. The takeaway: Amazon Career Day is open to all, regardless of experience or professional background.     4. Pic du jour Photo: Siegfried Modola/Getty Images In Paris, workers wrap the Arc De Triomphe in 25,000 square meters of silver-blue fabric — an art project that will be on view until Oct. 3 "L' Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped" posthumously fulfills a 60-year dream by the artist Christo, who died last year. (The Guardian)     5. How social media makes us mad Illustration: Shoshana Gordon/Axios   Social media companies didn't cause America's massive political divide, but they've widened it and pushed it towards violence, Axios' Margaret Harding McGill writes from an NYU report out today. Why it matters: Congress, the Biden administration and governments around the world are moving on from blame-apportioning to choosing penalties and remedies for online platforms. Paul Barrett, deputy director of NYU's Stern Center for Business and Human Rights, said: "Social media is the mechanism for spreading the kind of mis- and disinformation that fuels ... political polarization." The report recommends that platforms hide "like" and share counts to stop rewarding polarizing content. Share this story.     6. Michael Wolff: Stalk of the town Michael Wolff — author of a No. 1 seller about Donald Trump, "Fire and Fury" — steps onstage in Philly in 2018. Photo: Jessica Kourkounis/Getty Images New York Times media columnist Ben Smith takes on Michael Wolff, who thinks beat reporters miss the bigger story with their "bill of particulars" approach. Ben writes that Wolff, 68, who styles himself a writer rather than a reporter, specializes in "big, bad men ... louche power players." "The litany is astounding," Ben writes, adding his own bill of particulars: Roger Ailes, Harvey Weinstein, Boris Johnson, Steve Bannon, Donald Trump. All appear in a Wolff book out Oct. 19, "Too Famous: The Rich, the Powerful, the Wishful, the Notorious, the Damned." The column, "Why Our Monsters Talk to Michael Wolff," opens with Steve Bannon media-training Jeffrey Epstein. (You read that right.) "[Y]ou don’t look at all creepy," the Trump alumnus assures the pedophile. Ben says the transcripts show Epstein appears to believe he's doing practice interviews. Bannon tells Ben they were actually for a "previously unannounced eight- to 10-hour documentary." Keep reading (subscription).     7. The algorithm knows From my push alerts this morning:     8. Tailgate America, 2021 Fans during Buffalo Bills vs. Pittsburgh Steelers in Orchard Park, N.Y., yesterday. Photo: Adrian Kraus/AP   Tailgating, face-painted fans returned around the country as the NFL opened at full capacity for the first time since the pandemic, AP reports. The Seattle Seahawks, Las Vegas Raiders and New Orleans Saints are the only teams requiring fans to provide proof of vaccination to enter. 15 teams were set to host a total of more than 1 million in Week 1. In Buffalo, the private lots around the stadium were already filling up by 8 a.m. for a 1 p.m. kickoff. Patriots linebackers coach Steve Belichick, the head coach's son, said: "Last year, it felt like a Massachusetts high school football game."     A message from Amazon LinkedIn named Amazon No. 1 company where Americans want to work     LinkedIn recognizes Amazon as the most desirable workplace in the U.S. for 2021 based on the company’s ability to attract, develop and retain talent. Next steps: On September 15th, Amazon will host Career Day 2021, where the company will be hiring for more than 40,000 corporate and tech roles.

September 13 FEATURED BIOGRAPHY Roald Dahl British author READ MORE FEATURED EVENT 1598 Philip III crowned king of Spain and Portugal READ MORE Advertisement Advertisement MORE EVENTS ON THIS DAY 2015: American basketball player Moses Malone—who was a dominating centre and the NBA's premier offensive rebounder during the 1980s, leading the Philadelphia 76ers to a championship in 1983—died in Norfolk, Virginia. [How much do you know about basketball?] 1990: The law-enforcement series Law & Order debuted on the NBC television network; the show became one of the longest-running prime-time TV dramas in the United States. [Test your knowledge of pop culture.] 1971: A revolt at New York's Attica Correctional Facility ended after a bloody state police assault on the prison, in which 29 inmates and 10 hostages were killed. [Take our U.S. history quiz.] 1911: American singer, songwriter, and mandolin player Bill Monroe, considered the father of bluegrass music, was born. [Sort fact from fiction in our music quiz.] 1886: African American educator, writer, and philosopher Alain Locke, remembered as the leader and chief interpreter of the Harlem Renaissance, was born. [Take our Philosophy 101 quiz.] 1857: Milton Snavely Hershey, founder of the Hershey Chocolate Company, was born in Pennsylvania. [How much do you know about chocolate?] SEE ALL EVENTS ON THIS DAY ALSO BORN ON THIS DAY 1916 Roald Dahl British author 1969 Tyler Perry American playwright, actor, screenwriter, producer, and director 1860 John J. Pershing United States general 1874 Arnold Schoenberg American composer 1973 Fabio Cannavaro Italian football player 1969 Shane Warne Australian cricketer SEE ALL BIOS ON THIS DAY Advertisement ...

Trump: Biden's Chaotic Afghan Withdrawal Endangers US

Special: Unsuspecting Americans to Be Hit Hard by This U.S. Scheme to Confiscate Your Savings

Report: NKorea Test-Fires New 'Long-Range Cruise Missile'

Top Grocer Kroger Warning About Rising Inflation, Prices

Columnists They Keep Lying to You Katie Pavlich Resist Biden's Tyranny Matt Vespa With Blue Senate Seats in Play in 2022, Bet on GOP Winners Kurt Schlichter I'm Excited About Joe Biden's Vaccine Mandate Kurt Schlichter We Will Never Forget Ronna McDaniel There’s Nothing The Left Won’t Scam Off Of Derek Hunter It Was 20 Years Ago Today… Derek Hunter The War Against Covid-19 Is Over. It’s Time For Unconditional, Unequivocal Surrender Scott Morefield Why Larry Elder Will Win the California Recall Election ... But He Will Lose a Rigged Election Wayne Allyn Root		Tipsheet The One Person Christie Believes Is Responsible for Starting the 'Politicization' of Vaccines Leah Barkoukis Oh, Look Who the Biden Administration Wants to Add to the Welfare Rolls Matt Vespa This Bipartisan Piece of Legislation Means We're That Much Closer to Defunding Gain of Function Research Rebecca Downs CNN Poll Thinks It's Found Smoking Gun on How Republicans Feel About Trump Running in 2024, Misses Key Detail Rebecca Downs School Board Member Tries to Use 9/11 Anniversary as Excuse to Focus on Anti-Muslim Discrimination Rebecca Downs Tunnel to Towers Concludes Commemoration of 9/11 Anniversary By Remembering 'the Forgotten Ones' of 9/12 Rebecca Downs NY Hospital to End Baby Deliveries After 30 Staffers Resigned Over Vaccine Mandate Landon Mion
ADVERTISEMENT
A Day to Remember…Terrorists Never to Forget Terry Paulson A Quick, Compelling Bible Study Vol. 78: Jesus, The Cross, and 9/11 World Trade Center Myra Kahn Adams The Supreme Court Should Follow The Science That Proves Human Life Begins At Conception Thomas Glessner We Are Less Safe Twenty Years After 9-11 John Ullyot Yes, We Should Help Our Afghan Allies, But Closer To Their Home Pawel Styrna This is How Far Left-Wing State Bars Are Now Going to Destroy Conservatives: Prosecution Rachel Alexander Let’s Stop Pretending. America Is In Peril. Will Alexander Remember 9/12 David McGrath Why I’m Running to be Georgia’s Next Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper Protect American Medical Innovation from Misguided Reform Steve Sherman		Reporter Notices Something About US-China Relations Rebecca Downs Democrats Are Really Not Going to Like Joe Manchin's Sunday Show Appearances Rebecca Downs Surgeon General Vivek Murthy Says 'Our Enemy is the Virus,' Not 'One Another' Landon Mion Political Cartoons Bearing Arms Sheriff Calls 2A Sanctuaries Example Of "Hug-A-Thug" Mentality | Cam Edwards Why Biden's Vaccine Mandates Have 2A Groups Concerned | Cam Edwards Local Official Thinks It's Feds Place To Get Guns From Felons | Tom Knighton Meet The Gun Grab Lobby's Nemesis: 11.6 million New Gun Owners | Ranjit Singh Salon Accuses Boebert Of Violating Colorado Gun Storage Law | Cam Edwards
ADVERTISEMENT